^I think this has probably already been posted elsewhere, but Not Just Bikes did a nice video on the problem. And while he emphasized noise pollution the techniques employed in Amsterdam to curb that would do a very nice job of cleaning the air as well. It's something we desperately need to do here.
I asked on the PD Road Crew chat about quiet pavement surfaces. They said they didn't last long. That would be such a big deal if we didn't have too much to take care of, spread too thin. Ugh, I can't find the ir answer.
^Even with ordinary surfaces slower speeds cut noise considerably. And all pavements will last longer with fewer trucks and less traffic generally. Since wait times contribute so heavily to trip length, if you have a slower speed road with smoother flow and less wait time you can still end up with about the same trip timing. If you work to make non-automotive trips easier and quicker, rather than prioritizing automobile traffic above everything else you can cut down on wear and tear. Moving heavy trucks off city streets and requiring them to follow specific marked routes will also help. (That would oblige you to work with customers somewhat, but . . . we do have all these old rights of way for specialized heavy freight vehicles that are presently out of service.) Some things would require policy changes at the national level. But others are achievable entirely at the local level. Road diets are a thing. If our streets had fewer and narrower lanes, fewer stop lights and stop signs, more traffic circles, more protected bike and pedestrian lanes, more pedestrian only zones, and more and better crosswalks for instance it would achieve a lot with no policy changes required and no special pavers.
^ i still cannot believe that Chipperfield was allowed to chisel ornamentation off the side of the Art Museum for his mediocre addition. some faces need to be punched for that decision.
The Next Austin? What Companies Will Look for in a Headquarters City Companies will probably always want low taxes, an educated workforce and a big airport. But other factors are likely to become far more important in the future. As global warming worsens storms, wildfires and heat waves, more companies will likely look for cities that are prepared for natural disasters and offer green energy, site-selection consultants say. The rise of e-bikes, e-scooters and self-driving cars means cities looking to appeal to companies will need a new transportation infrastructure. Cheap housing, nightlife and access to nature are also bound to become more important. https://www.wsj.com/articles/ten-key-factors-for-headquarter-cities-of-the-future-11644426062
Some pretty wild land use juxtapositions in NYC sometimes (both photos are @ Vanderbilt & Atlantic in Brooklyn):
Although, there is a proposal to replace the McDonald's with an 18-story 270-unit building.
^They even cite the reason why not. Highrise fires are no joke, and modern building materials are ever more flamable than those before. Add to this that highrises are, by and in large, a vanity project that adds less density than they seem to, thanks to the added utility and communication space needs even if you take the second staircase out, and I think it's probably self evident why we won't be seeing this anytime soon.
They mainly focus on the impact the reg has on shorter buildings. Anyone know what the limit is in StL?
"Most American apartment buildings over four stories are required to include two means of egress from every apartment. In Canada, the height limit of a single-stair building is just two stories. The purported reason for such rules is fire safety, though there’s no evidence that Americans and Canadians are any safer from structure fires than our neighbors around the world,"
New York Is Now Using Cameras With Microphones to Ticket Loud Cars
Own a loud car in New York City? You might receive a notice in the mail from a computer.
kipfilet wrote:^that + rising interest rates (30 year almost at 4.5% as of today) ==> more affordable housing
Eh, idk if you’re going to see prices actually drop. They just may stop climbing. And higher rates don’t actually make housing any more affordable unless you’re paying all cash.
A fair number of people have pointed out, too, that the construction numbers are wonky because there’s a lot of houses just waiting for windows or something. We might not actually be building much more than we have been.
New York Is Now Using Cameras With Microphones to Ticket Loud Cars
Own a loud car in New York City? You might receive a notice in the mail from a computer.
