Parking Management: A Contribution Toward Livable Cities

WOW!!!! I just came across this excellent parking management resource called Parking Management: A Contribution Towards Livable Cities released by GTZ's Sustainable Urban Transportation Project. You can download it here or read a summary here.

The booklet is written by Tom Rye, Professor of Transportation & Mobility Management at Edinburgh Napier University. It is a fantastic resource, chock full of policy management options and case studies to match. It focuses on developing countries, but many of its lessons can be applied across the globe.

"The message is that parking is a vital urban and transport resource that needs to be efficiently managed. Proper parking management would reduce the need to travel longer distances, reduce the amount of short trips, and also initiate a modal shift to other climate friendly modes of travel."

If you believe, like me, that parking management is a tool for serving wider goals in transportation policy and urban planning, you will certainly like this piece.

Snow Piles Should Inspire Road Designers

I have often argued that the design of a road or intersection has more to do with bad driving behavior (i.e. speeding, fast turning) than the skill of the drivers themselves. It's hard to fault a driver who speeds through an intersection with a wide, sweeping turn radius. I mean, that is what the design is asking the driver to do.

As a result, it is up to planners and engineers to get educated about traffic calming techniques, such as neckdowns or curb extensions that slow traffic down. Check out the following video that illustrates how snow has created safer crossings where planners and engineers have failed.

Snowy Neckdown Redux: Winter Traffic Calming

Bike Lanes and Sidewalks Caught in Pork Battle

The reauthorization of the next surface transportation bill is starting to heat up as the new congress gets back to business. The Senate recently held a hearing to discuss the bill, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has committed to getting it passed.

The legislation has the long, winding name "The Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users." That's SAFETEA-LU for short. It's a funding and authorization bill that governs U.S. federal surface transportation spending. President Bush signed it into law in August 2005. It expired in September 2009. Congress approved  several extensions, but has not been able to tackle the replacement bill during the past two years.

The $286.4 billion measure contains a host of provisions intended to improve and maintain the surface transportation infrastructure in the U.S., including the interstate highway system, transit systems around the country, bicycling and pedestrian facilities, and freight rail operations.

Most problematics is that some in Congress still see enhancement programs, which provide funding for bicycle lanes and sidewalks, as pork. They are not. These programs are essential to cutting transportation costs and building a comprehensive transportation system. And they create jobs.

How a snow storm affects an auto-free commute

For a guy who gave up his car at the beginning of the year, the snow and ice that has shut down Atlanta this entire week was a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing because getting in a car means taking your life in your hands. Unlike cities that get lots of snow every winter, Atlanta simply isn't equipped to scrape and salt even the major roads.
It was a curse because the walk to MARTA today in 18 degree temperatures on icy sidewalks was treacherous. Bus service was shut down for two days, and is gradually ramping back up. The rail lines are running with moderate delays. My commute has taken a bit longer than normal, but not drastically.
One of the silver linings to this event is that I have noticed a lot of new walking and MARTA commuters. It confirms my belief that the best way to get people out of their cars and to drive less is a major event, whether man made (the 1996 Olympics) or natural (snow storm). Here are some great links from the 2011 Winter Ice Storm. Enjoy!

Hot Trends Sparked by Snow Storms: People Walking in Streets to Destinations, Creative Loafing, Atlanta.

Peachtree Street Ice Rink in Midtown, Vimeo.

My New Year's Resolution: Become a One-Car Family

Ever since I spent a month without my car as part of Zipcar's Low-Car Diet promotion, I have been seriously contemplating getting rid of my car altogether. Well, my New Year's resolution for 2011 is that I am going car free, sort of. I am selling my car, and we (my wife and child) will become a one-car family. This is both exhilarating and scary at the same time.

Exhilarating because of the possibilities:

• walking more


• getting more exercise


• spontaneous interaction


• biking more


• seeing something interesting on MARTA


• listening to more music (I do not have a car stereo)


• helping the environment


• showing my daughter a different way of living

During the Low-Car Diet, I did not drive my car to work and did not miss it, but the second the promotion ended, I drove everyday. Not so much because it was easier, but because it was there. It's kind of like when Oreo cookies are in the house. I eat them. When they are not, I do not eat them and I am better off.

As for scary, it has been more than a decade since I was car free, and that was when I lived in NYC. I have this nagging feeling that I am going to miss something important if I don't have my car. What if I have an early morning or late night meeting? What if I have to fly out of town with luggage? What if I need to get home early? What if a friend wants to meet for dinner? What if, What if? These what ifs can be debilitating.

Giving the car up reminds me of the time I gave up something else I thought I could not live without: Cable TV. On the one, hand I was excited about all the free time I would have to read more books, accomplish more chores, and start new hobbies. On the other hand, I was scared out of my mind to live without ESPN and CNN. Would I never watch basketball again? Well, that was four years ago, and I still do not have Cable TV, and I truly do not miss it. Sure there are times when I wish I could watch a basketball game from the comfort of my own home, but I have found ways to watch that are equally if not more fulfilling such as at a friend's place or in a local bar.

The bottom line is that there are way more possibilities than there are what ifs, so I am going for it. Wish me luck, and I will keep you posted on how it goes.

Here are a few articles about living car free:

Car Free America, NY Times

Carfree.com

Going Car Free

Holiday Transportation Video Fun

Some fun transportation videos for the holidays.

Worthy Folks Walk Off with Golden Shoe Awards

The 11th Annual Golden Shoe Awards were held last night at Dahlberg Alumni Hall at Georgia State University, and I want to thank PEDS as well as all of the winners. Maria Saporta, an iconic local journalist, emceed the event along with PEDS President Sally Flocks. Together, they bestowed the highest Pedestrian honor to seven organization/individuals:

• Pedestrian Friendly Research Atlanta Regional Commission, Claudette Dillard
• Pedestrian Friendly Research Atlanta Regional Commission, Talya Trudell
• Pedestrian Friendly Journalism WXIA-TV Commuter Dude John Gerard
• Pedestrain Friendly Journalism PBS Blueprint America, Nancy Zintak
• Pedestrain Friendly Education Georgia State University Police, Seargent Kevin Potter
• Pedestrian Friendly Road Diet Georgia State Univeristy, Ramesh VakamudiPedestrian Friendly Traffic Operation DeKalb County, DeKalbCommissioner Kathie Gannon

Read more about the event here.