Des' City Links of the Week 2021-08-19
This week's planning, transport, and urban development links of interest
Hi everyone,
Here are a few interesting reads on cities, development, and transport that I’ve come across recently. Please share!
Planning/Development
The historic medieval parking lots of beautiful French villages:
https://www.lemonde.fr/blog/transports/2021/08/05/jolis-villages-de-france-une-place-medievale-un-parking/ [FR]
What has to happen before people suddenly start appreciating urban housing? Time?
https://brandondonnelly.com/2021/08/06/at-what-point-does-one-start-appreciating-new-housing/
“There are many ways to kill a zoning revolution. To win one of your own, understand the ways Portland's nearly failed.”
https://www.sightline.org/2021/08/06/the-eight-deaths-of-portlands-residential-infill-project/
Nice profile of the ubiquitous Montreal plex:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-08-04/looking-to-rent-in-montreal-get-to-know-the-plex
Jane Jacobs changed how we think about cities, but Death and Life may not have the answers to all the questions facing us today:
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-jane-jacobss-afterlife-revisiting-the-death-and-life-of-great-american/
On the importance of the state/provincial role in reforming the cartel-enabling housing supply controls put in place by local government:
https://www.sightline.org/2021/07/29/states-must-reform-zoning-because-no-city-can-end-a-shortage-alone/
“Denver’s transit agency is starting to make good on a promise to use valuable parking lots near train stations for people instead of just private car storage (also known as parking lots).”
https://denverite.com/2021/08/13/a-free-five-points-parking-lot-owned-by-rtd-will-go-from-spots-for-cars-to-homes-for-people/
“Brooklyn’s Gowanus neighborhood would likely become more diverse and less segregated under a proposal to allow more development in the neighborhood, according to a first-of-its-kind study on the contentious rezoning’s potential racial impact.”
https://urbanize.city/nyc/post/gowanus-could-become-more-diverse-after-rezoning-racial-impact-study-finds
Let’s visit a small lot single-detached house in mixed-use Japanese suburbia:
https://yyaa.jp/works/toolbox-house/ [JP, images]
Mobility/Transport
“It’s called ‘Rest on Red.’ So instead of the light being green when you’re approaching the light is red on every approach. If you’re going the speed limit or under it turns green and lets you go.”
https://www.krqe.com/traffic-roads/city-of-albuquerque-to-install-smart-stoplights-along-lead-and-coal/
New resource for bus priority guidance from the Natural Resources Defense Council:
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/zak-accuardi/new-toolkit-supports-bus-priority-implementation
Seattle prepares for the arrival of the NHL with some interesting transportation moves around their renovated arena:
https://www.theurbanist.org/2021/08/06/uptown-streetscape-changes-come-together-in-advance-of-arenas-reopening/
Thanks for reading; please share! Links with FR, NL, just right click somewhere and click ‘translate to English’ in Chrome; they’re usually image heavy anyway.
Having grown up in ottawa I am familiar with the triplexes off Montreal and their signature exterior staircases. One serious drawback to the design is that it does not accommodate people with mobility challenges, such as those with wheelchairs.
As for the stop lights that are red on initial approach, these are quite common across Spain, particularly at the entrance to every town. They ensure that drivers slow down to a safe speed 4 encountering residents.