Tag Archives | sidewalk

Pedestrians prohibited north of the light rail station

By on January 25, 2013 in Infrastructure, Streets, Walking

Most metro area cities content themselves with ignoring pedestrians. A couple of cities have taken the unusual step of at least paying lip service to the idea that bipedal transportation should be safe, convenient, and comfortable. Bloomington, on the other hand, is trying to make a name for itself by actively discouraging pedestrians from using [...]

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A Case of Desire

By on May 25, 2012 in Carfree, Transportation

Minneapolis is not Detroit.  There are downsides to that, but in general I’d guess that most of us are fine with it.  We don’t have Motown, but Prince mostly makes up for it in his weird way.  We don’t have a People Mover, but Hiawatha is more useful anyway.  We don’t have 40 square miles [...]

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Experimental Cities: DIY, Pop-Up, and Temporary Design

By on February 16, 2012 in Uncategorized

Anyone who hasn’t been to New York City in the last few years will immediately notice a few changes to the urban landscape. Most obviously, Broadway Avenue, New York’s “main street,” has a whole new look and feel around Midtown Manhattan. The Bloomberg Administration, let by his transportation Commissioner, has transformed Broadway into a decent [...]

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A Typology of Beg Buttons

By on February 13, 2012 in Infrastructure, Transportation

The mid-august sun is hastening the sweat down your back as you frantically walk-run towards the bus stop where you will catch a bus to your job interview.  Finally the stop comes into sight, and your bus is just pulling into it.  But the stop lies across an intersecting street, and a traffic signal stares [...]

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Minneapolis Map

The (re-)allocation of roadspace

By on January 23, 2012 in Infrastructure, Transportation

The urban public right-of-way (roadspace) is a scarce resource that is now publicly allocated. Typically at the outside is a sidewalk (this might actually be on private property, but there is a right-of-passage there). Between the sidewalk and the street there is often a “boulevard”, a planted strip with occasional street trees and the frequent [...]

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