BruinPlanners.com - UCLA's Urban Planning Virtual Lounge

Expanding access to "green"

2010-09-07T14:38:00.000-07:00

From the LA Times:

"Green revolution comes to urban neighborhoods

Low-income can also be environmentally friendly, with a little help."

excerpt:

"There's a tendency to not seek out communities like these," said Jeffrey Richardson, chief executive of solar installer Imani Energy Inc., one of the few companies that have been actively working on projects in South Los Angeles. "There's the idea that people here don't get it, don't want to get it and can't get it when it comes to green."

Read the article here.

Metro's Westside Subway–Unsuprisingly–Will Do Little For Congestion

2010-09-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

Metro's Draft EIS/EIR for the Westside subway extension reveals that the subway will--perhaps unsurprisingly--do little to cure congestion on arterials and freeways on the Westside, although it will add another option for traversing the Westside and will increase accessibility to employment centers. The subway study area generally extends east from downtown LA--through some of the densest parts of LA--to Santa Monica, and includes pieces of several jurisdictions. Furthermore, as the draft EIS/EIR notes, Westwood and Century City have higher employment than many mid-sized downtowns elsewhere.

Served by already congested road networks, both Westwood and Century City, along with other major activity centers in the corridor are projected to grow, further straining the transportation network. The corridor already has highest number of bus boardings in Southern California and, in existing traffic congestion never mind future conditions, even the "Rapid" lines along Wilshire (the 720 and 920) prove to be misnomers. The EIS/EIR projects that by 2035 buses may slog down the corridor at 8 to 11 mph. As buses become increasingly unreliable and slow due to congestion, they become less and less competitive with private vehicles. The EIS/EIR concludes that, "The improved capacity that would result from the subway extension is the best solution to improve travel times and reliability and to provide a high-capacity, environmentally-sound transit alternative."

However, although the subway extension will provide a more reliable transit connection to and from the Westside, it will do little to alleviate congestion. Traffic volumes through the corridor are expected to increase, while roadway capacity will remain more or less static. Thus as VMT and vehicle hours traveled (VHT) increase drastically over the next 25 years or so, even a high-capacity transit system won't be able to keep pace. SCAG's performance indicators (above) include measures of mobility in terms of average daily speed and average daily delay per capita. The 2035 objective, based on building the subway extension, keeps these measures closer to the 2003 base year measures, also slightly increasing accessibility and improving reliability. So the subway will help move more people than currently live and work on the Westside today, accommodating increased activity, with less deterioration of travel times than a no-build scenario. Still, the pertinent question of whether the subway's benefits justify its price tag remains.

Environmentally Conscious Kid's Songs

2010-09-03T11:11:00.000-07:00

The car in the video also appears to be biodegradable. I appreciate the disclaimer of sorts on the YouTube video for this: "There is no such thing as clean coal, and bikes are even more environmentally friendly than cars."

via thecityfix.com

AB 909: Reducing Penalties for Rolling Rights on Red

2010-08-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

A bill by Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo seeks to reduce the base fine for drivers who roll through red lights to make right turns. Assembly Bill 909 would reduce the base fine for such violations from $100 to $35 (the fines are considerably higher after all assessments are made). Hill and supporters are defending the California stop and claim the existing law was not intended to target rolling right turns, but drivers running red lights through intersections. They contend that red light cameras and ticketing rolling stops are not about increasing safety, but about raising revenue.

The existing law requires drivers to come to a complete stop at a red light; failure to stop is punishable by a $100 fine. (However, drivers who come to a complete stop, then proceed to make an unsafe right turn are only subject to a $35 fine.)

Reducing the fine also reduces the disincentive to drivers, possibly increasing the number of violations. A driver who makes a rolling RTOR can endanger anyone in a crosswalk. However, the California Bicycle Coalition has an interesting analysis of the bill, pointing out that a lower fine will reduce resistance to the fine. This could mean a greater number of convictions, eventually getting repeat offenders off the road. But until offenders are off the road, you probably don't want to be in the crosswalk.

Mayor's Bike Summit

2010-08-16T16:32:00.000-07:00

This morning Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa held his first (and hopefully not last) bike summit. The Mayor's recent bike accident seems to have sparked his sudden concern for bicyclists in L.A. and served as the impetus for putting together the bike summit. Although several advocates criticized the timing of the meeting--Monday morning is not a great time for most people--the summit seemed to be a step in the right direction.

Bicyclists packed the Metro board room for the two hour meeting, which was lead by the Mayor and a panel including LADOT General Manager Rita Robinson,...
MTA CEO Art Leahy, City Planning General Manager Michael LoGrande, and LAPD Deputy Chief Kirk Albanese. One of the first orders of business was former Mayor Richard Riordan's presentation of training wheels to Mayor Villaraigosa and his encouragement to get back on his bike and make L.A. the bikeable city it could be.

The Mayor and panelists took questions and comments on a range of bicycle issues, including the City's Draft Bike Plan, poor or non-existent bicycle facilities, aggressive and careless drivers, the police department's enforcement of safe driving, the PD's need to continue to improve its relationship with bicyclists, and the MTA's intentions to better integrate bicycling into its bus and rail network.

The Mayor and other panelists also highlighted the draft Bike Plan, which sets a goal of 1,600 miles of bikeways, with 200 miles built in the next five years. Several comments from the audience challenged the Mayor to keep his word on this iteration of the Bike Plan, since much of the 1996 plan has remained on a shelf gathering dust. The Mayor discussed making progress reports of projects available online to provide greater transparency and to keep the departments involved accountable.

Other comments focused on the need for outreach and education for motorists and bicyclists. The Mayor will be putting together public service announcements and said he hoped to encourage other agencies and organizations to also promote bicycle awareness and safety.

Councilmember and Transportation Committee chair Bill Rosendahl spoke in support of a law that would require drivers to allow three feet on the road when passing cyclists. His proposal, which is the law in many other states, garnered loud applause and the Mayor said he would lobby in support of a three-foot passing law. Councilmember Rosendahl also spoke about better enforcement of vehicle laws and creating a private cause of action for cyclists involved in collisions.

While most of the comments and many of the Mayor's (brief) responses drew applause, I got the sense that many people in the audience, myself included, won't really believe it until we see it. Besides calls for more and better bike infrastructure, many of the comments boil down to the need for more awareness and education--something the Mayor says he'll work to promote.

The Mayor's only proposal that prompted boos from the audience was his intention to lobby for an across-the-board state helmet law. Citing his own accident, he argued that it should be a part of safer cycling in Los Angeles. For my part and what I sense is the prevailing opinion--although a couple of people stated their support of his proposal--I think a helmet law hurts making bicycling more prevalent and more viable as transportation. And as Roadblock noted, Copenhagen, which the Mayor visited recently and cited as a part of his inspiration to make LA better for cycling, has much lower rates of accidents and very low helmet use.

The Summit was successful overall, although a number of audience members and the Mayor and panelists spoke of the red tape that has stifled bike projects. In order for this Summit to be the start of moving LA towards being a bicycle-friendly city among the ranks of Long Beach, Portland, Seattle, and New York, the consensus is that this must be the first of many summits and progress reports. To promote the cultural shift the Mayor spoke of, he needs to lead by example.

The Mayor also opened the Summit by saying that he is not a cyclist. This was a mistake. In order for LA to join the ranks of bicycle-friendly cities, he needs to identify himself as one. As someone pointed out at the Summit, Mr. Mayor, if you ride a bike, then you are a cyclist. LA doesn't need a fearless road warrior or spandex-clad weekend racer for Mayor, because those people will continue to ride whether or not LA becomes more bike friendly. LA needs a Mayor who advocates for bicycling and for making it safe for everyone who isn't comfortable riding in LA's streets today. LA needs a Mayor who can safely ride his bike with training wheels (courtesy of former mayor Riordan) and promote a cultural change that makes LA a place where kids grow up able do the same. Stay tuned to see if the Mayor's broken elbow has transformed him into the advocate LA needs for that to become reality.

I'd also like to thank everyone involved with the bike corral at the Summit. Usually when I go to Union Station I end up locking my bike to a railing thanks to the dearth of bike racks (not exactly promoting multi-modal transportation).

A cheaper way to start bike sharing?

2010-08-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

Bike sharing programs, which offer people an alternative to driving and helps fill the gaps in transit networks, have been increasing in popularity in Europe and are now catching on in the US with programs such as Denver's B-cycle and Nice Ride in Minneapolis. SoBi--short for Social Bicycles--is attempting to build the bike share momentum by cutting capital costs for modern bike sharing.
While European and, now, North American bike-sharing typically use specially designed, proprietary bicycles, the SoBi design incorporates a GPS system and a locking mechanism in a compact box/rear rack that can be attached to any bicycle, also allowing members to lock the bike up at any bike rack. The design is being touted as a way to significantly cut the capital costs of starting a bike sharing program. SoBi is entered in Pepsi's Refresh Project for a chance to test drive the program in NYC.

amazing vintage tokyo subway manners posters

2010-08-11T00:29:00.000-07:00

these are just a couple from an amazing set at pinktentacle of vintage subway manner posters from tokyo between 1976 - 1982.they type of subway riders everyone despises

let people exit before entering jerk!

see entire set here

Ginormous Chinese BRT

2010-08-06T02:14:00.000-07:00

By now, its likely that many readers have already seen links to the "ginormous" Chinese BRT proposal. But sadly, a lot of those links are to US based blogs that lack the video and/or the translation of the full presentation. You can find all of that at the original source of the information. And for those who have yet to see the video, here you go:

Shoup 101: SFPark's great introductory video

2010-08-05T23:46:00.000-07:00

As many already know, SFPark, thanks in part to a sizable Federal grant, has been transitioning San Francisco parking spaces in 8 neighborhoods to a performance parking model. For those who haven't yet seen it, their site has a terrific video introduction to this concept on a new and improved website.

SFpark Overview from SFpark on Vimeo.

Or, take a look at the full SFPark.org.

Bike sharing is unconstitutional?

2010-08-04T22:09:00.000-07:00

Earlier today Patrick James at GOOD blogged about an article that ran in the Denver Post regarding the city's new bike sharing program and its potential to erode democratic freedoms.

According to Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes, strategies such as bike sharing are part of a plot to turn Denver into a puppet of the UN's International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), a voluntary membership organization that promotes sustainable development and acts as a sort of clearinghouse for best practices. Speaking at a rally, Maes warned, "At first, I thought, 'Gosh, public transportation, what's wrong with that, and what's wrong with people parking their cars and riding their bikes? And what's wrong with incentives for green cars?' But if you do your homework and research, you realize ICLEI is part of a greater strategy to rein in American cities under a United Nations treaty."

So next time you think about going for a bike ride, be forewarned you might be indirectly destroying democracy.

Grad Housing: Venice/Barry Apartments

2010-08-02T23:26:00.000-07:00

Incoming planners are probably at that point where they're looking for housing or being given offers by University Housing at some of the many places off campus. While answering an email question today about these options, I figured it would be worth it to put some of my answers on BruinPlanners.

Above is a really low quality picture of the Venice/Barry complex, and if you click below, I'll share with you the pro's and con's of living here, plus the surprising Walkscore.com results.

First, let's be clear on where this "UCLA Grad Housing" complex is in relation to everything "UCLA" related.

View Larger Map

Towards the top of the map, you see UCLA's heart-shaped campus, with the Venice Barry complex situated a bit southeast in Mar Vista. For those not from LA, Mar Vista is one of the many distinct neighborhoods within the city, having its own Neighborhood Council, its own City of LA Branch Library, local post office, and a small commercial hub along Venice.

Now that we know where we're talking about, let's consider the PROS and CONS of grad housing in general and Venice/Barry specifically:

PROS:

Very affordable (usually a couple hundred less than the prevailing market rate)
Free shuttle to campus - these operate hourly between Keystone/Mentone, Venice/Barry, UCLA's Ackerman terminal, and the Faculty Club (just a bit south of the Pub. Affairs Bldg)
Venice/Barry has a nice outside BBQ area with poolside tables... great for Wine Club
Venice/Barry also has a mini-gym (a couple basic cardio machines) and oddly enough, a sauna
Walking distance to library, post office, a few independently owned shops and restaurants, taco trucks*, Rite Aid, and the Mitsuwa Japanese marketplace and foodcourt*
Decent conditions biking between campus and the building. My roommate routinely biked round-trip, while I often put my bike on the bus and then biked home.
Culver City 2, running North/South on Sepulveda, is a high frequency alternative to using the campus shuttle, and the new Metro 733 should be convenient for internships in downtown LA
Proximity to the beach. 10-15 mins by bike, 5 mins by car (plus 25 minutes cruising for parking!)
Free basic cable and internet

CONS:

People are not at all social in the building, and the current student housing council does not care about planning social events. You might be lucky enough to converse with one neighbor from time to time.
The location is convenient to many destinations, but by no means is it a destination itself. Thus, you'll find yourself always needing to go somewhere else to meet up with people for social events.
Drab interior, older decor, and quite possibly carpet that is in need of replacement (though ours was eventually replaced)
Keycard locks that make it super inconvenient if you lock yourself out
No roommate choice unless you applied with a specific roommate in mind
No major grocery store within a 10 minute walking distance
Apartments facing Venice Blvd might get a lot of street noise

* = yummmm!

I'm not sure if I'm being completely fair on the above lists... I felt like I had to struggle to list the Cons, though I'm sure it will be much easier to think of the negatives when I return from my lackluster housing this summer in Mumbai.

And lastly, the Venice/Barry building received a surprising 85% walkable rating on Walkscore.com. Maybe its not that surprising, given the above items I mentioned nearby, but I tend to think its slightly less walking friendly.

Housing and Human Rights

2010-08-02T12:24:00.000-07:00

While browsing the LA Times this past week, "Project 50" quickly stood out.

Concisely: Project 50 houses the 50 homeless folks targeted as the "hardest to house" on skid row. The targets are given a furnished room with the only requirement being 30% of his/her income going towards rent.

In depth video detailing the Project recipients and the successes/challenges of the program found here: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-homeless-project50,0,4610742.htmlstory

Being unfamiliar with LA's history towards the homeless, while simultaneously contemplating various initiatives such as: Homes not Jails and homeless deterrent benches/sprinklers/fences/etc, questions began to surface:

~How have planners contributed to the issues surrounding homelessness? What's been specific to LA?

~Have our initiatives helped or worsened the problem? And from whose perspective?

~What do planners have to say about "housing as a human right?"

Answers or opinions? Anyone?

EPA denies climate change deniers

2010-07-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

On July 29, the EPA issued a response to several petitions that challenged the EPA's 2009 finding that climate change is real and is caused by anthropogenic emissions. After a through investigation of the claims made in the petitions, the EPA concluded that the "evidence" cited in the petitions was based on "selectively edited, out-of-context data and a manufactured controversy," denying the petitions and standing by its 2009 finding. In the press statement issued by the EPA, Lisa Jackson suggested, “Defenders of the status quo will try to slow our efforts to get America running on clean energy. A better solution would be to join the vast majority of the American people who want to see more green jobs, more clean energy innovation and an end to the oil addiction that pollutes our planet and jeopardizes our national security.”

Tom Vanderbilt on being a carless loser

2010-07-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

Tom Vanderbilt looks at Hollywood's portrayal of non-drivers, concluding that they are generally shown as misfits, deviants, or losers. He wonders whether this is because these films are produced in the epicenter of American car culture--where no one could ever conceive of civilized transportation as anything other than driving--or whether it is a product of what John Urry terms "automobility"--the pervasiveness and constant reinforcement of the car in all aspects of life. He does note, however, that this attitude towards non-drivers may be changing, as portrayed in the recent (500) Days of Summer.

http://www.slate.com/id/2262214/?from=rss

London's Bicycle Superhighways

2010-07-28T23:15:00.000-07:00

I plan to blog some fascinating things about life in Mumbai (Bombay), India. Someday. When there's enough time. Today, just a link to introduce you to London's (corporate sponsored, but Mayor initiated) Bicycle Superhighways. Check out the YouTube video after the link... here.

Air Conditioning: Not as Cool as You Think

2010-07-21T00:09:00.000-07:00

passive cooling diagram

Check out Stan Cox's opinion piece in this past Sunday's LA Times. I wish his book, "Losing Our Cool: Uncomfortable Truths About Our Air-Conditioned World (and Finding New Ways to Get Through the Summer)" had been published just a little bit earlier this year (published May 25, 2010). Looks like it might have been incredibly useful when I was trying to write my paper for Intro to the Built Environment in the U.S.!

Little Houses

2010-07-20T05:32:00.000-07:00

What’s the real issue? Neighbors for Smart Rail rail against, well, rail

2010-07-16T22:16:00.001-07:00

Phase 1 of Metro’s Exposition Corridor light rail (currently under construction—expected completion in 2012) will extend from 7^th Street and Metro Center to a station at Venice and Robertson. From Venice and Robertson, Phase 2 is planned to continue through west Los Angeles and Santa Monica, ultimately reaching its terminus at Colorado and 4^th Street in downtown Santa Monica. The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for Phase 2 was certified in February of this year, giving Metro the green light to commence design and engineering for the preferred alternative. Design and engineering for Phase 2 is expected to begin by the end of this year, with revenue service beginning in 2014-2015.

This latter phase is aligned primarily along the right-of-way for the defunct Pacific Electric Red Line; however, this right-of-way passes through the affluent neighborhood of Cheviot Hills. The neighborhood association and some residents in Cheviot Hills oppose the Expo line along the PE right-of-way, and front lawns in the neighborhood are peppered with signs advertising reasons why the Expo is a bad idea. (Ironically, the Pacific Electric trains that once ran along the right-of-way are part of what made Cheviot Hills and the surrounding communities attractive in the first place.)

This opposition is nothing new. In the 1980s when this line was first proposed, Cheviot Hills residents lobbied against and succeeded in stopping the Expo line. With Metro again planning to extend rail to the Westside along the Exposition alignment, opponents have regrouped. The signs in some residents’ front yards attack the line for safety issues (“Kids and trains don’t mix”) and concerns for increasing congestion (“Don’t let light rail block our roads” and “Don’t let Expo block access to the freeway”), but one wonders whether these are proxies for concerns about property values and “outsiders” (read: lower-income people and minorities) riding the train through the neighborhood.

A statement made previously by a former association president seems to support this. In 2007, an article in the LA Times (by our own Jeff Rabin, no less!) quoted Benjamin Cate as saying, "Do you think the people who live in Cheviot Hills are going to take this bloody train? No, they are going to get in their cars. The people who are going to use this are the people who work in the hotels in Santa Monica, and they are going to come from the Hispanic areas nearer downtown. Now they take the bus" (LA Times article).

However, this opposition to the Expo line is not unanimous. Other neighborhood groups and residents, including Friends 4 Expo Transit, Light Rail For Cheviot, and others, support the rail line as a way to improve connectivity and alleviate congestion.

This latter argument about rail’s effect on congestion (and the counter argument by Neighbors For Smart Rail) might be moot, as Dr. Brian Taylor’s research on congestion suggests. Transit, like roadway widening, doesn’t cure congestion, but the greater capacity can instead facilitate increased social and economic opportunities.

In “Rethinking Traffic Congestion” published in 2002 in Access, Taylor argues,

“…[T]he effects of latent/induced demand are not limited to road widenings. If a new ramp-metering program smoothes traffic flow and reduces delay in the short-term, it has the same effect as increased capacity on the time-cost of travel; so does a new rail line that lures a substantial number of travelers off a parallel roadway. This is why congestion on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge was only temporarily reduced when BART opened in the 1970s. Absent some corresponding increase in the monetary price of a trip, any change that reduces delay and travel times is subject to these effects” (Full article).

Need to Find a Parking Spot? Google it.

2010-07-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

Google has recently released a new mobile app for Android, Open Spot, that gives people a idea of the parking availability in an are. This crowd sourcing app allows people to indicate when they leave a parking spot or walk by and notice a free one. Seekers can then use that data to search a half mile radius from their current location for spots that have been recently marked. Color coding lets users know how recently a spot has been identified as open. The big caveat in the efficacy is in the technological principal the app is based on, crowd sourcing. This app will only be effective if it can amass a substantial number of users much like yelp vs. urban spoon. Fortunately with Google's backing and it's almost certain future integration with Maps it should garner significant attention. But will it be enough to reach a critical mass? That is unclear but it is a novel attempt at trying to alleviate part of the problem with urban parking.

Source

Go BRTs!

2010-07-15T10:12:00.001-07:00

Cornerstones in Los Angeles?

2010-07-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

Firstly, thanks to all the fellow Bruin Planners for giving me the opportunity to post! Here goes the pilot...

About a month ago I made the roadtrip from New Orleans to Los Angeles. I left my home by Bayou St. John to (like several of us) begin the Urban Planning program at UCLA. Prior to the move, I hadn't spent much time in Los Angeles. So naturally, while trying to settle in, I've been seeking out places to help me better understand the city.

All of this "settling in" got me thinking about a book I recently read called Cornerstones. Cornerstones documents the history of New Orleans through place and space. The places and spaces chosen are not your stereotypical historical monuments, rather, they are the everyday destinations made significant by the neighborhood, its residents, and that untangible factor that makes a place special. The book explains the cutlural importance of eight spaces through short narratives, interviews, and architectural drawings.

One of my favorite entries describes a familar restaurant/bar called "Liuzza's by the Track." the interviews and drawings amazingly capture just how Liuzza's serves more than just food. Walking into the space, myself and fellow Bayou St John residents discussed neighborhood politics, helped friends in hard places, supported others' innovations, and felt comforted by having something constant amongst frequent chaos. You can tell that the place shapes the culture of the surrounding community and vice versa.

With that said...those folks wanting a genuine New Orleans experience should make a point of visiting Liuzza's -- if and when you do, be sure to get a bloody mary and a bowl of Liuzza's famous gumbo!

Anyway, amidst my "settling in" to LA, I've been trying to ignore the city's "superficial/shallow" stereotype and seek out the everyday places and spaces that make this city unique. I think it'd be an interesting idea to create an informal Cornerstones -- LA Edition and have ya'll comment/post about Los Angeles' history and culture through place. I know it would certainly help me (and hopefully the other incoming planning students) adjust and understand the city.

Thoughts?

I Bike Minneapolis (and St. Paul)

2010-07-05T11:27:00.000-07:00

On a hot summer day in my hometown, I began a 30 mile bike adventure through the twin cities. I was having some difficulties with my mom’s bike. The seat was constantly pushing me off and the right front brake pad was rubbing the tire. I knew this would be okay for a short while, but not for the entire adventure ahead. I rode to a friend’s house in uptown just a few miles away and dropped the bike there. From her house, it was just a short walk to the nearest bike share station.

This summer, I’ve been greatly enjoying my internship with a bike/ped planning firm doing Safe Routes to School planning. It’s been great going out to the field and re-designing intersections to make them safer for pedestrians and cyclists. However, I can now never look at an intersection without immediately assessing its quality. I shared my newly found obsession with my friend, pleasantly noting that Uptown intersections had advanced stop bars and pedestrian scaled lighting. I also saw new bus shelters scattered throughout the city, just simple shelters that provided some relief from the elements.

Next, we were onto the bike share station, conveniently located at a very busy intersection, Lyndale and Lake, right off the midtown greenway. The rental station was easy to use. Now with a brand new fully functional bike, my “Nice Ride” we were prepared to continue our adventure. The first notable piece of infrastructure was the bike path on Lyndale right before a very busy area where the road intersects and turns into a freeway. This would be a really scary place to be on a bike, but Minneapolis planners thought ahead and replaced the sidewalk with a 2 directional bike path. Sidewalk converted to a bike path? I was impressed. We cut through Lowry Park to get into downtown Minneapolis. A lot of the great bike infrastructure in the city centers around an amazing park system. The lakes and parks typically have separated bike and pedestrian paths that are well maintained.

We ended up on Hennepin Ave. This road was recently converted from a 1 way to 2 way street. However, I’m not sure if I can get 100% behind this project. Before there were 3 travel lanes heading north, and then a contra-flow lane for buses and taxis. Now there are 2 travel lanes in each direction, and the right hand lane is for bikes, buses and right hand turns. The on-street symbols are already deteriorating and drivers did not obey the right hand turn only directive. Maybe this is a more appropriate place for a colored lane? I’ll be curious to see if this current configuration stays.

We crossed the river for the first time and headed to NE Minneapolis and towards the University of Minnesota to pick up the next member of our bike crew. University Avenue is a one way street with on-street parking on the north side only, and a bike lane on the south side. It was nice to be in a bike lane where you didn’t have to worry about the door zone. From there, we went into Como neighborhood, picked up my brother and the last member of our 5 person bike crew and headed towards St. Paul for the “Taste of Minnesota.”

Como Avenue had another bike lane, and it was wide enough for two people to ride side by side comfortably.

As you entered St. Paul, the bike lane ended. However, after a few miles the bike lane re-appeared. As a transportation planner, it’s frustrating to see an incomplete bikeways system, especially one that comes so close to being connected. But the area without the bike lane was still very safe, and we did not encounter any problems. The only problem is that St.Paul is hilly and the “Nice Ride” was heavy and wasn’t the easiest bike to climb hills with. However, these are made for durability and that’s a good thing. I did see some great pedestrian crossings along the way. Bulb-outs, zebra striped crosswalks, and warning signs, oh my!

After making it into downtown St. Paul, we were at our destination, Harriet Island. Both downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul are situated on the Mississippi river, providing excellent views. Harriet Island is in the middle of the river, with a beautiful park development.

We locked the bikes, and headed into “The Taste.” What does Minnesota taste like you ask? Cheese curds, beer, and one of the favorite local hip-hop group, Atmosphere.

For the ride back at night, I was pleased to see the “Nice Ride” had front and back lights installed. We rode on Summit Avenue, noting the grand architecture even at night. Some of the most expensive homes in St. Paul are located on Summit, along with the governor’s mansion. Summit Ave. runs into the river, and we rode the Mississippi River 2-directional bike path back into Dinkytown, the University neighborhood.

We destroyed burritos at a favorite late night eatery, and crashed in the University neighborhood. I was able to return the bike at a different share station, very close to my friends place. In total, the bike rental cost me $5.39. We rode about 30 miles and had an absolute blast. This is just a small sampling of some of the great bike infrastructure in Minneapolis. I’ll be back for more time in August, so I’ll be able to report on bike boxes and hopefully the bike boulevards will be ready as well!

Class of 2010 Wrap-up

2010-07-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

The class of 2010 has now made the transition from student status to alumni status, via the pedestrian transportation system known as commencement. For a look back on the two years of the class of 2010, check out our class slideshow from Awards Night:

And to see how great we looked on the day of graduation, here's a photo of us:

Want to print a copy? Use this high-res source image here, and then use your favorite digital photo printing method: http://www.spa.ucla.edu/up/bruinplanners/photos/graduation.jpg

And with that, the alumni of 2010 sign-off, but not from BruinPlanners. Like at least one from the class of 2009 before it, several members of C/o 2010 intend to continue posting interesting planning related stories and materials to BruinPlanners, while they are joined by wonderful posts from the class of 2011 and brand new BruinPlanners writers from the class of 2012.

Just for kids? Drive Clean Across Texas

2010-07-01T12:00:00.000-07:00

Drive Clean Across Texas is a public outreach and education campaign aimed at raising awareness about air pollution in the Lone Star State. According to the campaign, its goal is "to inspire changes in driving behavior that will help clean up the air in Texas." Overall, I think this is a great campaign, but... Maybe I'm just nitpicking, but I wonder whether the icon for the "Just For Kids" is intentionally suggesting that only kids bike.

Santa Monica Daily Press: Developer skips out on affordable housing

2010-06-24T11:51:00.000-07:00

No housing here, folks.

Really interesting case of affordable housing requirements not being fulfilled by the developer despite a relatively good track record. How easy it is to let relationships between government and developers cloud implementing affordable housing policy.