A few things to know this week: July 16, 2021
This week’s things to know:
EYES ON THE STREET: How Hoboken Has Eliminated Traffic Deaths (Streetsblog)
When you think about the way a community gets around there are a few key factors that probably pop into the mind of any citizen; time or speed, safety or comfort, and economy and affordability. This analysis and commentary focuses on the middle - safety and comfort. There is something to be said about walking, talking, and cycling in your own neighborhood and not feeling like you're either being pushed out into the street or too close to those that are also trying to walk along side you or past you. It seems as is Hoboken has found success with incremental projects that show just how effective traffic calming and pedestrian reclamation of public spaces can be on the 'danger' of the streets we all live, work, and play on. Take these examples and run with them in your own world and allow us to be a part by sharing our skills and knowledge with your community through incremental improvements like striping, bollards, and pop-ups. We can do it together! – Ryan
Strong Towns Podcast – Pete Davis: The Case for Commitment in an Age of "Infinite Browsing" (Strongtowns)
This weeks Strong Towns podcast features Pete Davis, cofounder of the Democracy Policy Network. Pete and Chuck have an insightful conversation about how commitment to a craft, place, or group of people leads to a life well lived that also makes the most of every moment. This life of commitment is often focused on maintenance - that new ideas must be able to continue on into the future in order to be sustainable. The conversation was a great reminder to stay engaged in my own community in a way that thinks about future generations. – Tim
Raleigh changes zoning rules for duplexes, townhomes (News & Observer)
In Raleigh, NC the city council has begun to allow both duplexes and townhomes in most single-family neighborhoods city-wide. The Mayor used the term gentle density to describe what the change will provide in existing neighborhoods. I wonder how much this phrase is playing in various cities across the country? So often lately we find that a subset of citizens are beginning to decry ‘density’ as the harbinger of ruin for their communities – does this phrasing actually soften the blow for them? Personally, I doubt we win the messaging war for more resource conscious development patterns unless we are describing the benefits that they provide instead of making their titles seem less scary. Maybe we should try activity-interwoven neighborhoods for mixed-use and millennial-obtainable neighborhoods for residential places with a mix of housing types and sizes. – Marshall
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