Sidewalk Sid

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 19:43:00 +0000

I saw 7 people using the bike lanes on Walker during the rush hour commute yesterday evening. It was glorious. @cityofokc

— Patrick Frey (@p_frey) April 10, 2013

Indeed. I'm seeing more and more people using these new lanes in and around Downtown OKC. Likewise, the sharrows that are being installed just outside of the P180 footprint are equally inspiring.

A Bus Stop For Grass Hoppers

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 22:57:00 +0000

Changing Planning Perspective

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 03:39:00 +0000

What if all planning decisions were made from the sidewalk?

I mean literally, from the sidewalk. Like modern day inspectors, our planners and respective planning commissioners should walk the site, the neighborhood, perhaps knock on a few doors, and then make recommendations.

Heartland Flyer Ridership Up 6% -- Twice the National Average

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Sun, 14 Oct 2012 03:07:00 +0000

The numbers are improving for OKC's Heartland Flyer route. It shows ridership up 6% while ridership is up nationally 3.5%. Heartland added 4,278 new riders in October-July of FY12 which increased ticket revenues by almost 11%. Unfortunately, on-time performance went from 83.3% (FY11) to 63.9% (FY12). A reduction of 19.3%!

Full Report

Erosion of Liberty via Political Parties

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 04:43:00 +0000

So, being someone who doesn't own a car and doesn't drive. What ID do you want me to carry/maintain so that I might have the keep my right to vote?

Do I also need to be in good standing with any political party as well?

This is why Washington didn't like parties. He saw them as a way to eventually erode the sovereignty of government. Today, party politics is re-writing the rules of our society, and not in an attempt to improve our liberty. Our public liberty.

The most fitting words of Washington:

"The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.
Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.
It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another."

Out Of The Mouths of Tourists

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 18:04:00 +0000

Walking through Bricktown today I spotted a couple of folks taking pictures of the Devon Tower from inside of Bricktown. The tower was especially stunning today with the blue skies and white puffy clouds reflecting back down upon OKC.

I took the opportunity to remark on how beautiful it was as as I walked by. They heartily agreed and were quick to offer up the fact that they were not from here. Quickly they asked, do you know the best way to enter the canal so that they could see the entire canal from start to finish. My destination was going to take my right by the splash park on Sheridan so I offered to get them started on their way.

During our short stroll they informed me that they were tourists from Los Angeles and travel the world quite a bit. They were intrigued by how pretty Oklahoma City was. One of them remarked that Bricktown was very similar to some smaller cities in Europe around Amsterdam with the canals.

"But with more cars!" the second one giggled.

I've spent time in Delft and can relate to how beautiful canal streets are, lined with beautiful brick shops, apartments, and large cobblestone plazas that seem to find you no matter the direction you are headed. I was glad to hear they liked Bricktown but was also saddened to know that these tourists were going to leave Oklahoma City with the impression (factual albeit) that OKC is a nice town with too many cars.

The irony is that they live in LA, I know.

Apathetic Citizen

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 15:40:00 +0000

Oh, no sir. I'm not apathetic. I am quite passionate about what I believe and work very hard to further that cause. Just because I dislike bigoted speeches and distortion-rooted politics and wont attend your meeting doesn't mean I lack vision and purpose for my country. I participate in town hall meetings that are usually held in backyards of friends or at round tables in coffee shops. My block captain is my city councilor and we have a convention regularly at City Hall. We discuss the issues facing our neighborhoods and we seek to work with others in authority to find solutions. The only money I give is to the local non-profits that don't spend money on TV ads, but instead feed the hungry and help improve the city I live in. There is no blame game at the sidewalk level. Just us and our desire to create a better community, a better country, for our children.

#allpoliticsislocal #therestisjustascam

War On Suburbia?

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Wed, 15 Aug 2012 05:28:00 +0000

Arguments like this are just too funny. For about 60 years, there has been a war on cities. Only now, cities are starting to fight back. It is, as my literature teacher would say, "the ultimate irony" to claim that cities are trying to take away from the suburbs when it takes far more tax dollars per capita to support suburbia.

Basic patterns and standards used to exist to keep cities efficient so that local governments could afford to provide basic services to everyone. Now, roads, water lines, et al. installed in former generations are all ready to be replaced and surprisingly, we have out-scaled our tax bases in most cities and there simply isn't enough revenue.

Is the answer to raise taxes or re-scale our cities so that they can support themselves going forward? I certainly prefer the later.

Safety for who?

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 06:09:00 +0000

Safety for who? Is it safer to exclude me from the road or safer to exclude your 2k pound piece of machinery?

Random person directs rush hour traffic

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Wed, 02 May 2012 03:21:00 +0000

Apparently the traffic signals went out at this busy Vancouver intersection and this guy jumped out and did his best to keep traffic flowing. Love it.

Being Honest About Walking

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Walking By lindejesus

There are a lot of articles out there, especially this time of year, that attempt to address the issue of fitness in our society. Most are pretty simplistic -- eat less, exercise more -- and some even attempt to blame bad genes.

David Frum said yesterday in this article what I think needs to be repeated over and over...

First lady Michelle Obama has made healthy eating her special project. Good for her, and let's hope her efforts lead to success. But if we are to succeed, we should understand: The campaign against obesity will have to look a lot less like the campaign against smoking (which involves just one decision, to smoke or not to smoke) and much more like the generation-long campaign against highway fatalities, which required the redesign of cars, the redesign of highways, and changes in personal behavior like seat-belt use and drunk driving.

It is not only the truth, it is the only truth. We simply can't live in a world where we get our cake and eat it too. It is like the old irony that we spend billions a year in fitness equipment yet fight for the closest parking place. When given two choices, to try to get more fit while at the same time acting less fit, we tend to pick...well both of them.

So does this mean that we should remove one of these options? Should we simply force people to walk more? No, in fact as I just stated, people will actually choose better options for themselves. The reality is, walkable places are some of the most demanded to live in. That isn't to say that everyone will choose to live in a place that is more conducive to a healthy lifestyle. Just like not everyone buys a treadmill to keep up with their exercise. Or some people choose eating healthy over regular exercise diets.

Walkability isn't just about yuppy, dense, neighborhoods. It is amazing how walkable some places can be with just a little effort. Sidewalks, pedestrian laws, and mixed uses go very far, even in "suburban" contexts to providing more ways for people to simply get out and walk a little each day. This isn't to diminish reasons like walking should be a fundamental right. The idea that you are practically required to own a car to even legally move from your house to the grocery store is to me, a slap in the face of the values and freedoms this nation was founded on.

Nevertheless, rebuilding spaces to ensure that walking is indeed an option can and must place a roll in helping America get back in shape. I say back in shape because it really wasn't too long ago that we had this under control. We can do it!

The City as a Stage

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

City Lights By Thorsten Becker

No one believes that people want to live in a crappy town. I just believe that too often we fail to show others what is possible. And when we attempt to inspire, the goals tend to be about programming (what people will be doing) rather than show how certain, fundamental concepts will give them the freedom to do many different things with the city.

Prosperity and productivity are by-products of efficient, happy work within an efficient space. We need to demand more efficient use of our city space and make them inspiring so they promote happiness. We must always be showing people how certain built environments are going to improve our lives, not burden them.

Sidewalks shouldn't be spoken of as a form of access, but a place for work, communication, and entertainment.

The city itself is our outdoor room for the theater that is tomorrow. We must build better stages -- plain and simple.

Look Mom! No Walking!

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:01:00 +0000

I know that the creator of Metropoolis II, Chris Burden, wasn't trying to make a statement against walking. But his creation begs the question, is this what people want when they envision the future of our cities?

If it was possible from a cost and engineering perspective, would we prefer to just travel by car alone?

Would you?

Speak Up

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:58:00 +0000

EZ Million By Sarah Oh

One thing I am troubled with increasingly in America is the lack of participation with government at the local level. I get it if we are busy, which we all are. But one excuse I keep hearing bothers me and I wanted to address it.

"I voted for my representative to make the hard choices, to see that things are being done."

I could not agree more with this statement, but it begs the question, "Is everything getting done?"

Turning over the reigns make sense, but you wouldn't leave your kid completely alone at age 10 even though he probably could be. You are going to check on things and interject as need be.

Our leadership is counting on us not waiting until after the vote to be heard if we have something to say.

So speak up.

An Argument Against Walkability

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:32:00 +0000

Houston, we have a problem. In our efforts to identify and solve a serious crisis in this country, we have held up places, neighborhoods, and communities against the light of so-called walkability. But in the process we have, ironically, diminished our ability to provide citizens with their right to move freely. A bold statement, but let me explain why we need to stop and think about how or why we use the term "walkable".

We need to be careful about labeling cities walkable or unwalkable. Stringing a sidewalk between the houses in a neighborhood does not equal walkability if the citizens find themselves threatened by vehicles the moment they exit their neighborhood oasis in order to get to the store. Neither does a narrow strip of cement running alongside a bustling thoroughfare constitute a practical sidewalk.

A city, by definition, should not be allowed to be unwalkable. Because any area that exists within the normal boundaries of an incorporated municipality comes with the clear assumption that basic government services will be provided. If you can't safely walk from your home to the market or to your place of business, then one of the most basic tenets of government has not been met. Government is not there to provide power, water, or anything else before it allows for [safe] public egress along a public right-of-way from one property to the next. This is a principle that is grounded deep in our nation.

An unwalkable place is synonymous with an unincorporated area. A place where local government services are not implied to be provided. Unwalkble is uninhabitable from any urban sense. You wouldn't say that a city is "unbreathable". A city, presumably full of people, can't freely exist without air. Of course, you could force everyone who lives there to buy oxygen tanks (and then of course you could tax the oxygen).

We don't have cities where every citizen is required to own a gun and therefore no police protection is provided. We don't have cities where every home is expected to have a fire hydrant, proper suppression equipment, and necessary training in leiu of fire protection. Why then have we allowed cars to literally crush the rights of non-car-owning citizens by forcing them to essentially pay a automobile tax in order to live there?

The real head-scratcher for me is that so many people want to claim that walkability is anti-conservative. That it smacks of collectivism. For the life of me, I can't fathom how that makes sense. Collectivism implies force or a lack of choice. It appears that the current state of most cities, where I have NO choice but to get in a vehicle if I want to go anywhere, is much more collectivist than any truly walkable locale where pedestrians, bikes, and vehicles share the space. Automobiles, at least in the context of current engineering methodology, don't exist on our roads without an encyclopedia of laws.

Let's be more conscious about defining real walkability as a goal, and growing in understanding of what that means. Let's be bold in stating the fact that being able to walk out of my house down a public right-of-way to the grocery store is in fact a right. And when we address it, we need to address walkability not as a selling feature, but as a basic requirement for a productive, incorporated area. If we don't, if we continue to treat it like a metric we can have more of or less of in an urban or semi-urban (suburban sometimes) context, then we have already given up much of the battle. We are admitting that it is a plausible option for cities to literally tax their citizens by forcing them to own an automobile in order to survive.

Is it?

RST AVE W

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 01:06:00 +0000

The Social Life of Park Place Plaza

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The Urban Rambler - [VIDEO]

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 17:02:00 +0000

The Urban Rambler - YouTube: ""

'via Blog this'

louisgray.com: Writing for Social, Defending for Court

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:05:00 +0000

This is one of those posts that should be required reading for every blogger. Such an important reminder of how careful and honest we must be when we are sharing online in a "permanent" world.

louisgray.com: Writing for Social, Defending for Court: Earlier this month, I had an interesting experience, being asked to participate in a deposition, taking questions from a legal team as pa...

[Video] Buffalo. For Real.

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Cause getting your hair done outside is just more fun!

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 23:50:00 +0000

Sidewalks under arches are just better

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 12:10:00 +0000

Nieuwe Kerk , Delft, The Netherlands

Public Committee Meetings

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:54:00 +0000

I was listening to the MAPS 3 Streetcar Citizen Advisory Board Subcommittee meeting that was recently recorded and uploaded to Soundcloud by Jeff Bezdek of Modern Transit Project OKC. I went ahead and embedded it below because I know several people that read this blog are from Oklahoma City and I encourage them to listen to it.

It is the first time, to my knowledge, that one of these MAPS 3 subcommittees have been recorded and posted online. As silly as it sounds, this is huge. Why? Because, although the information discussed at the meetings is critical to the development process, not much of it ever gets disseminated to the general public. That's essentially because these discussions are not taking place in a council chamber -- they just don't get reported on very well. And that is too bad.

Michael Bates from Batelines.com just recently wrote a post about why it is critical to record and broadcast these types of board/committee meetings.

Much of the substantial discussion about a city decision takes place in the recommending body, with the decision maker (City Council or Mayor or both) often deferring to the recommending body's judgment without comment or discussion. For this reason, video recordings of Tulsa's authorities, boards, and commissions are central to the public understanding of the official actions of city government.

It is 2012 and we should no longer be debating about if we should be providing this information to the public. In fact, we should be so far past that, it's rather inexcusable that the vast majority of cities still do virtually no recording and publishing. If you are serious as a city about providing information to the public that makes them more informed citizens, then recording and posting those recordings online is a fantastic first step. The tools are available and with smart-phones, you can actually do the whole setup for free now by simply using your phone as a recording device. Rudimentary, but it is at least a start.

[Video] Naptown to Super City - A story of the Sports City, Indianapolis

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 04:05:00 +0000

Conversation with an Engineer [Video]

noreply@blogger.com (Sid Burgess) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:04:00 +0000

Historian, journalist, and my good friend Steve Lackmeyer posted an xtranormal video on his blog. The video is a conversation between an architect and a contractor. Pretty funny stuff.

My favorite xtranormal video to date is one done by Strong Towns. "Conversation with an Engineer" has had over a hundred thousand views and is one of those funny, daft, and yet educational. The truth always has a funny side and when we start discussing projects like widening streets, we say things that are funnier than we might think.

Enjoy the video after the jump.