Comments for City Block http://www.alexblock.net a work in progress... Thu, 16 May 2013 01:23:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on What’s wrong with ‘Metro Brown?’ by Graphic standards on the Subway – a lesson for Metro as it evaluates the future of ‘Metro Brown’ « City Block http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2836&cpage=1#comment-10314 Graphic standards on the Subway – a lesson for Metro as it evaluates the future of ‘Metro Brown’ « City Block Thu, 16 May 2013 01:23:24 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2836#comment-10314 [...] puts Metro’s recent discussions about moving away from ‘Metro Brown’ into context. If any of New York’s standards look familiar, it is because Vignelli worked on [...] [...] puts Metro’s recent discussions about moving away from ‘Metro Brown’ into context. If any of New York’s standards look familiar, it is because Vignelli worked on [...]

]]> Comment on Norman Foster’s aerotropolis by Alex Block http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2097&cpage=1#comment-10296 Alex Block Mon, 13 May 2013 02:51:57 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2097#comment-10296 For more on those photos from Boston dealing with their airport, see this article in the Atlantic Cities: http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/05/40-year-old-images-show-east-boston-grappling-expanding-logan-airport/5472/ For more on those photos from Boston dealing with their airport, see this article in the Atlantic Cities:

http://www.theatlanticcities.com/neighborhoods/2013/05/40-year-old-images-show-east-boston-grappling-expanding-logan-airport/5472/

]]> Comment on Capacity on the Northeast Corridor by Alex Block http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2805&cpage=1#comment-10247 Alex Block Thu, 25 Apr 2013 02:06:34 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2805#comment-10247 So, FRA is trying to reassure everyone that this is OK: http://dc.streetsblog.org/2013/04/24/fra-responds-amtrak-will-be-able-to-use-proven-trainsets/ <i>The FRA and Amtrak are working very closely and cooperatively with each other and worldwide train manufactures through the Rail Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) to achieve a consensus on safety design standards. There is unanimous consensus on the path forward with all of our stakeholders, including Amtrak, all international railcar manufacturers and other partners. Together through the RSAC process we are writing safety standards will allow proven trainsets used in other countries to operate in the U.S. market. Our process is and has always been a fluid and iterative process. Collectively, our goal is to establish and implement safety standards that are appropriate for U.S. operating environments so that passengers, employees and communities along rail routes are and remain safe.</i> Which could either mean the adoption of the same standards used in Europe or Japan, or it could be the Acela all over again... So, FRA is trying to reassure everyone that this is OK:

http://dc.streetsblog.org/2013/04/24/fra-responds-amtrak-will-be-able-to-use-proven-trainsets/

The FRA and Amtrak are working very closely and cooperatively with each other and worldwide train manufactures through the Rail Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) to achieve a consensus on safety design standards. There is unanimous consensus on the path forward with all of our stakeholders, including Amtrak, all international railcar manufacturers and other partners. Together through the RSAC process we are writing safety standards will allow proven trainsets used in other countries to operate in the U.S. market. Our process is and has always been a fluid and iterative process. Collectively, our goal is to establish and implement safety standards that are appropriate for U.S. operating environments so that passengers, employees and communities along rail routes are and remain safe.

Which could either mean the adoption of the same standards used in Europe or Japan, or it could be the Acela all over again…

]]> Comment on Capacity on the Northeast Corridor by Alon Levy http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2805&cpage=1#comment-10238 Alon Levy Tue, 23 Apr 2013 03:38:10 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2805#comment-10238 The FRA rule changes are mostly about cant deficiency and are reasonable. The main complaint re the Acela was not regulatory cant deficiency limits but buff strength, a rule that the FRA didn't address in this round of revision but has said it is reconsidering. The FRA rule changes are mostly about cant deficiency and are reasonable. The main complaint re the Acela was not regulatory cant deficiency limits but buff strength, a rule that the FRA didn’t address in this round of revision but has said it is reconsidering.

]]> Comment on Towards a DC S-Bahn, part 2 by Capacity on the Northeast Corridor « City Block http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2486&cpage=1#comment-10237 Capacity on the Northeast Corridor « City Block Tue, 23 Apr 2013 02:06:36 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2486#comment-10237 [...] are needed to allow for a combination of increased intercity and commuter services (or even better), and other bottlenecks are likely in need of greater capacity for freight expansion on adjacent [...] [...] are needed to allow for a combination of increased intercity and commuter services (or even better), and other bottlenecks are likely in need of greater capacity for freight expansion on adjacent [...]

]]> Comment on Metro’s ‘station of the future’ – why mess with what works? by Michael http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2794&cpage=1#comment-10207 Michael Sun, 14 Apr 2013 22:25:39 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2794#comment-10207 "Metro Brown" works well with the red tiles and gray concrete (and brass fixtures) and should be kept. I would change the kiosks to get rid of the windows entirely. Let the entire perimeter be a counter, making the station manager more accessible and visible. “Metro Brown” works well with the red tiles and gray concrete (and brass fixtures) and should be kept.

I would change the kiosks to get rid of the windows entirely. Let the entire perimeter be a counter, making the station manager more accessible and visible.

]]> Comment on Disasters: the more things change, the more they stay the same by Kenny http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2786&cpage=1#comment-10206 Kenny Sun, 14 Apr 2013 19:07:35 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2786#comment-10206 When I was in New Orleans for a conference a few weeks ago, I rented a bike and rode around the city. One thing that particularly struck me when I visited the Lower Ninth Ward is that, when I was coming back, I had to wait for several minutes at a drawbridge on the ship canal, and then a few blocks later I had to wait for several minutes again at a freight train crossing. The Lower Ninth is really cut off from the rest of the city quite a bit by these pieces of infrastructure, so it's doubly discouraging to new residents to find out that there aren't a lot of stores and food available in the neighborhood. And I think that "Thinking, Fast and Slow", is one of the most important books of any sort to have come out in the past few years - urbanists and non-urbanists alike should read it and really think about its implications for what one thinks it is to have a good life. When I was in New Orleans for a conference a few weeks ago, I rented a bike and rode around the city. One thing that particularly struck me when I visited the Lower Ninth Ward is that, when I was coming back, I had to wait for several minutes at a drawbridge on the ship canal, and then a few blocks later I had to wait for several minutes again at a freight train crossing. The Lower Ninth is really cut off from the rest of the city quite a bit by these pieces of infrastructure, so it’s doubly discouraging to new residents to find out that there aren’t a lot of stores and food available in the neighborhood.

And I think that “Thinking, Fast and Slow”, is one of the most important books of any sort to have come out in the past few years – urbanists and non-urbanists alike should read it and really think about its implications for what one thinks it is to have a good life.

]]> Comment on Managing on-street parking: zoning is not the way by RTA http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2740&cpage=1#comment-10040 RTA Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:12:35 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2740#comment-10040 Just because a developer provides parking doesn't mean all residents will actually park there, rather than on the street. If on-street is free and convenient, that's where they will go. Just because a developer provides parking doesn’t mean all residents will actually park there, rather than on the street. If on-street is free and convenient, that’s where they will go.

]]> Comment on What would happen without parking requirements? by benschon http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2750&cpage=1#comment-10029 benschon Wed, 20 Mar 2013 17:40:28 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2750#comment-10029 Evidence abounds that zoning mandates to put in parking results in higher prices and less housing. Not even an argument anymore. Portland recently modeled this (http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/420062), also demonstrated in San Francisco (http://www.uctc.net/papers/380.pdf), and research confirmed by Todd Litman at VTPI (http://www.vtpi.org/park-hou.pdf). Also, just ask any developer! Complicating factors: because of huge pent-up demand, no-parking apartments can rent at relatively high prices. This allows opponents to say, "$1000/month for a studio isn't affordable housing!" Also, eliminating parking reduces development costs and increases profits. This fuels "greedy developer" accusations. Evidence abounds that zoning mandates to put in parking results in higher prices and less housing. Not even an argument anymore. Portland recently modeled this (http://www.portlandoregon.gov/bps/article/420062), also demonstrated in San Francisco (http://www.uctc.net/papers/380.pdf), and research confirmed by Todd Litman at VTPI (http://www.vtpi.org/park-hou.pdf). Also, just ask any developer!

Complicating factors: because of huge pent-up demand, no-parking apartments can rent at relatively high prices. This allows opponents to say, “$1000/month for a studio isn’t affordable housing!” Also, eliminating parking reduces development costs and increases profits. This fuels “greedy developer” accusations.

]]> Comment on What would happen without parking requirements? by Indianapolis Parking Minimums Force Walmart to Ask for Less Parking | Streetsblog.net http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2750&cpage=1#comment-10026 Indianapolis Parking Minimums Force Walmart to Ask for Less Parking | Streetsblog.net Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:09:03 +0000 http://www.alexblock.net/?p=2750#comment-10026 [...] on the Network today: City Block shares a new report that says parking requirements in Los Angeles present a real barrier to [...] [...] on the Network today: City Block shares a new report that says parking requirements in Los Angeles present a real barrier to [...]

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