Seriously MBTA

Train on the Fitchburg line courtesy of mbta.com

Ok The T does a pretty good job considering what they are dealing with.  However, there are certain things that  just make me shake my head in wonder.
One would think that if shuttle service were running every weekend for 2 months it would be helpful for that information to be on the MBTA website and for it to be easy to find.  One would be very wrong.  I can sure as heck find out about elevator repairs but shuttle service which cause delays? nope nothing. (Try to find any information on this delay here, I dare you!)

I knew the weekend service on the Fitchburg line was suspended and shuttles running from all outlying stations to the South Acton station for continued rail service into Boston from an article I think on Universal Hub.  This was more than a month ago so I didn't remember the details.  When my girlfriend asked me about the shuttle service I thought it was still running but seemed to remember they were running trains as normal over Memorial Day weekend.

The reason for this is good, they are double tracking the line from South Acton all the way to the end to help speed up service and reduce/eliminate congestion.

I ended up being right, but it took two Google searches, plus fumbling around the MBTA site to find it.  Needless to say it was not on the T site but instead I found an article from Wicked Local Acton (division of the Boston Globe focused on communities) that talked about the closure and sure enough they were running trains as normal this weekend.

This service change was not just for one month, it was from April to June.  How can the MBTA in good faith not make this information available easily to riders.  It is not on the alert section for the rail line, all I get is Porter Square elevator work (important but not useful to me).

One of a myriad of examples of the T not doing the outreach and providing the information for train users that it very easily could be.  If folks show up to the station expecting a train at a certain time, and they don't see the signs for buses or shuttle what are they to think?  What if it was their first time using commuter rail?  Do you think they will try again?  No not likely.  Now the T just lost a customer all because of poor outreach and communication of major work closures.

To be fair this is an issue for the MBCR and not the MBTA proper but either way SOMEBODY should make sure the info is easy to find.  I shouldn't have to search so hard for it, at least I knew what I was looking for.

Lets do better MBTA.

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 12 Final

To see the other posts in this series Click Here or click on the label "Leeds-Liverpool Canal at the bottom of this post (or any other in the series).

This is part 12 and the last part of this series taken along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. Enjoy!

Google Maps Link

Another one of those God-awful cattle gates meant to keep motorized vehicles out.  They do not work and are a major pain for anybody on a bicycle and heaven forbid you have a child trailer attached to your bicycle. 

Google Maps Link

Rather dramatic eh?

Google Maps Link

Filming for a movie was taking place in the courtyard outside during my visit, I was able to sneak a picture while everybody was on break.  I have no idea what the film was but I believe it was a documentary taking place during WWI.

That's it! (well for this series at least)

Until next time thanks for viewing.  If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

Death of a Dover Citizen

In many cases I will say pedestrian or cyclist but usually when it comes to a death or injury I try to focus on the fact that they are a citizen, a resident, and mattered to somebody.  Using the the term "pedestrian" or "accident" removes the human element from the situation and everybody can feel better.  An accident is when a wheel comes off, or the brakes fail, or when somebody falls off the curb because of a misstep.  An accident is not when somebody is struck by somebody else and killed due to negligence on any one or both of the somebody's.  Today we have a case that is not an accident but most likely was due to a number of factors.

An older gentleman was struck and killed in a crash today in Dover.  He was killed by another older gentleman driving a pickup while he was attempting to cross the street. Article from Fosters Newspaper on the crash.

I must commend Fosters for not using the term "accident" because this was not an accident (unless it turns out the driver's brakes failed or the gentleman crossing tripped while trying to move out of the way of the truck).  The crash happened at this location:


View Larger Map

Approximately 42 Main Street.
I have created a location mock up in ArcGIS using 2010 1 foot imagery:

As you can see the likely spot of the crash is almost halfway between two crosswalks and is very close to one of the entrances to the older brick buildings in the lower left of the image.  As you can see from my road section mock up the parking area is to the left before the travel lanes.  My best guess based on risk and other typical crashes of this nature was the man killed was partially obscured by parked cars as he attempted to cross the street.

What you don't see here but you can see in Street View is what appears to be old crosswalk markings in the road that go from the building entrance/sidewalk on the left to the sidewalk on the right.  Take a look and tell me that they don't look like a faded crosswalk (which a large majority of crosswalks in Dover are).

In the above image I have marked the official crosswalk in white, but even these are faded and unless you noticed the pedestrian crossing sign you might not know they are there.

You may notice another issue with this road while looking at the cross section.  Look at those lane widths.  16 feet and 15 feet, wowe!  Those are typical widths on freeways with speeds over 50mph.  This is a downtown with an already too high 30mph speed limit that in this section most people exceed by 10+mph.  Also note from the Google Map above that this is a State road and thus even less likely that the speed limit would be reduced or road changes implemented.

Finally if you read the article the man crossing was an older gentleman at 77, however the driver was older still at 84.  Was age a factor?  I would bet so.

We have study after study that shows as drivers get older their reflexes and skills go down, in terms of crashes they are nearly on par with first time drivers.  Why are they still allowed to drive?  Why do we allow them to renew their licence as long as they can see/have a correct glasses prescription?  There is a heck of a lot more to driving than just if they have 20/20 vision.

However, we have built a system of communities that does not provide safe ways for older residents to get around with out a car.  If you live outside of the COAST bus service route you are pretty much out of luck.  Maybe you can walk somewhere, but that means your town has sidewalks by your house to wherever you want to go.  That is unfortunately highly unlikely (Dover does a reasonably good job though).  You have no choice but to continue driving if you want to maintain any sense of independence.  Many families will refuse to take the licence away from a grandparent for fear that that person will hate them or will be unable to go anywhere.  I don't blame them one bit, but what it means is we have older drivers on the road who do not have the ability to safely operate a motor vehicle at the speeds required in an urban/rural setting.

If we provided good bicycle paths, safe and complete sidewalks, and reasonably accessible transit I think many would feel more comfortable about giving up their drivers licence, because at least they still have options to get around.

The exact cause of course is still under investigation and we may never know but a combination of age of the  man driving and age of the victim, the width of the road, the speed limit of the road, the distance between crosswalks, old markings in the road, as well as potential shadow from the building all contributed to this man's untimely death.

You should not have to take your life in your (or somebody else's) hands if you wish to walk downtown.

There are solutions though!

• Reduce the road width.  Reduce each travel lane to 10 feet, use the additional 9 feet for a buffered bike lane (hey it could even by two-way) and curb bulb-outs (you can see a bulb-out in the lower crosswalk) or sidewalk expansion
• Remove a travel lane and reduce remaining lane to 10 feet.  Use space created to expand sidewalks on both sides, plant trees, and provide a buffered bike lane, along with curb bulb-out, and provide better transit stops
• Reduce speed to 15-20mph.  This is a downtown, not a freeway.  The goal in a downtown is to slow auto traffic down so people can park and visit shops safely without worrying if they will get run over by a semi doing 45.  This can be done by pavement changes, raised crossings, and will naturally happen if the lanes are narrowed.
• Better marking of pedestrian crossings.  It is not all about the drivers, sometimes a bit of signage in the form of bright white thermoplastic crossings can help folks walking find a safe crossing place.  Increase the number of crossings too.  People will not walk out of their way by very much before they jay-walk wherever they see fit, increase the crossings and this risk is reduced.
• Make drivers over 65/70 do a motor response test at various speeds in addition to eye tests and update on current laws.
• Restrictions on mobile devices through an engine lock type feature and/or hefty fines.
• Provide more rigorous drivers ed training with regard to interactions in the urban environment.  Looking at the red light/stop sign or for traffic in the other lane is not all that is required.  Bicyclists, kids, pedestrians, buses are all interacting in the urban environment.  Learners must interact with these things as part of their learning process.  The Dutch traffic gardens are a perfect example of this type of education.

With a little bit of work and dedication and perhaps even some push back against "the State DOT knows best" we can make our urban environments safer and prevent deaths like this from happening.

Condolences to his family.  His death should not have happened like this.

-John

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 11

To see the other posts in this series Click Here or click on the label "Leeds-Liverpool Canal at the bottom of this post (or any other in the series).

This is part 11 of the series taken along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. Enjoy!

Google Maps Link

Google Maps Link

Another more colorful bicycle route marker

Google Maps Link

I love these little markers.  They are the original markers along the canal when it was first built.  This one has been restored.

One more part and we will be in Saltaire!

Until next time thanks for viewing.  If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

An Ominous Observation...

This does not bode well (or could bode very well depending)

I was riding into work today along Western Ave in Brighton(you can't see the bike lanes in Google) right by the Harvard campus.  A buffered parking protected bike lane was installed in late 2010 (click for Boston.com article) on a small stretch of this road.  There has been a daily problem of cars parking too far over the buffer zone into the bike lane as well as on the leading and exiting buffer zones on either side, sometimes reducing the useful width of the lane by half (in extreme cases).  It was also frequently blocked by cab drivers and every once in awhile a semi (a major truck loading and distribution center is to the south of the road.)  Minor annoyances for what is otherwise a very nice stretch that feels much nicer than the surrounding sections.

I ride by this morning and crews had blocked off all spaces and looked like they were removing paint in the buffer zones.  I thought they might be repainting or clarifying the parking section a bit better.  I was not terribly concerned.

I ride back this evening and its all gone.  The buffer, the parking, the bollard/wands that designated the buffered zone.  All that remained was a super wide road and a meager 5 foot bike lane.

I then thought about the pending departure of Nicole Freedman, Director of Boston Bikes who has done so much for the city in the past few years, bike lanes and racks, bike sharing and bridges etc.  She has made Boston a better place in a short time.

I think of that and I hope it means some of the projects and innovative designs won't simply go away because she is not keeping an eye on things.  I hope that while this particular buffered lane needed some improvement, we don't start loosing bike lanes suddenly...paint is pretty easy to remove...  I hope that they will be redesigning this stretch with full protection on both sides (there is tones of room!) and that this is one small step in that process.  I am still not sure why there is on street parking here, seriously there is a HUGE Harvard lot on the north side and Genzyme has plenty of parking on the southeastern edge.  There is nothing else along this stretch to warrant street parking...Though it was always full (where did they go today, the parking area was closed all day, could it be the 18 people were able to find something else among the see of parking?)

The Cambridge redesign looks amazing, and MassDOT is working to include cycletracks on the bridges so it would be a real shame if we lost out on the Boston side.  Hopefully that will not happen.

Here is a video of the lane just installed in November of 2010.

Discussion on how I am a "fucking moron"

Ok I apologize for profanity in the post title but let me explain.  I suppose I should consider myself lucky in the first place.  I have not really had any problems bicycling around Boston/Cambridge except an almost dooring about a block from my apartment and the interaction today.  To set the stage:  I don't run red lights (sometimes yellow but rarely) I don't run over pedestrians, I don't travel at a high rate of speed, I have brakes and gears and I try not to act like an idiot, I am just going (or coming) from work leave me alone.

Apparently my interpretation of right-of-way laws must be out of date.  Apparently you are always suppose to yield to the man compensating for something by driving a large pickup truck and turning left at an intersection.  No matter what, you yield to the pickup driver.  I must have missed this in driver ed/bike training.  Needless to say I did not yield to the large truck who was trying to make a left turn at the intersection of Harvard and Brighton Ave..  I was going straight on with the green and he was turning across my path from the other direction.  I was clearly being uppity wanting  the right-of-way; clearly.

He stops and creeps forward, I slow down presuming he will be turning in front of me, no he does not.  He clearly sighs and waves me through, yelling out his window to my back as I clear the intersection that I am a "fucking moron."  My pathetic response "right-of-way buddy, come on" I am sure was lost in all the V-8 power rush rush I delayed him 6 seconds macho truck he was driving.

It is good practice to not play chicken with a pickup or a truck of any kind and usually a good idea to let them do their thing and hold back.  However, in this case I presumed there was a car moving straight that was to my left in the auto lane, I was not looking in my mirrors but I did hear a car back there.  I was not sure if he would yield or gun it across, which is why I slowed down.

Oh well, I was never in any danger we stopped maybe 30 feet from each other with a clear sight-line.  I guess I will continue to watch out for large pickups which are clearly at the top of the yielding hierarchy, meaning everybody and grandma better yield to them or else.

In other news I saw a pedestrian almost get creamed by a Mercedes driver moving way too fast in central square while the pedestrian was crossing in the cross walk.  The car came within a couple inches and the younger man in a suit smacked the trunk of the car a couple times before he continued on his way home (presumably).  The driver did stop for a minute or two but then proceeded on.  I am sure the driver was shaken up and likely not paying attention, but come on its central square.  If you think you can do anything but look at where you are biking/driving/walking you really have another thing coming because that is just asking for trouble.  The pedestrian did not have a helmet on, so clearly he was at fault.  (No earphones either, nor was he on the phone/texting!  Ok I take it back, clearly not a Cambridge pedestrian, must have been a foreigner)

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 10

To see the other posts in this series Click Here or click on the label "Leeds-Liverpool Canal at the bottom of this post (or any other in the series).

This is part 10 of the series taken along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. Enjoy!

Google Maps Link

Another four locks and some cyclists taking a break.

Google Maps Link

The tour jumps quite a distance to this image most because there was really nothing terribly interesting that I decided to take a picture of.  Though overhead wires are not that exciting either really...

Google Maps Link

Just entering the more urbanized area of the town of Shipley, Saltaire is just on the other side.  The stone bridge on the left leads to the abandoned stone building you see without a roof.  I explored a little bit but there was not much to see unfortunately.

We are almost at Saltaire!  I will not regal you with pictures of my return since it was more of the same but I will mention some more about Saltaire once we arrive.

Until next time thanks for viewing.  If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

Update on Dover Parking Meters

I figured it was time to do another update on my post from last year regarding the parking meters in downtown Dover.  (to see the original post Click Here) I created a Google Map of the meter locations last year.  It is now updated with new meters and locations.  The city did put together a map (caution PDF) which is what I used to place the markers.  It is however, hard to figure out specifics, especially if you are not a resident.  I figured a better map was in order.

(this map can be used as is or click below for a larger version in a new window.)

View Dover, NH Parking Meter Locations in a larger map

First, charging for parking is a great idea.  This is the public space (not the motorists space) and if you are using it for the storage of your private vehicle than the space is limited for other uses, and thus a price should be payed for that use.  One could argue that bicycles should pay too, however the amount of space a bicycle takes up vs the amount of space a car takes up makes that sound ridiculous.  A typical bike coral placed in a car parking spot can hold 12-16 bikes, that is 12-16 people (yes cyclists are people too!) vs the average of 1.8 people per car. (ok when was the last time you saw a 12 passenger van parked full of people?).  I understand the point and in The Netherlands a number of long term facilities charge for parking, but these are usually guarded and have bike shops on site.  Some places in the US charge for parking in bike lockers to recoup the high cost of installation, this makes sense.

None the less there are proper ways to charge for parking, ways that get community support and positive engagement.  Dover did not do it properly, and instead have dedicated revenue after meter infrastructure payments toward the building of a parking facility in the downtown.  This is to be fair, the most idiotic idea ever.  At $10,000-$20,000 per space (give or take) a parking structure is a colossal waste of money.  A good bike rack costs $120 and parks 2 people (bikes).  If you want to go crazy and install covered secured parking, the costs very but the Bike Hanger model from the Netherlands runs $5,000 and holds 5 bikes.   Even at $1,000 per space we are not coming anywhere close to the $10,000/space of an auto parking facility.

Due to the lack of proper engagement and proper revenue dedication, there has been some noisy push-back from some area residents.  Threats to never shop downtown again, to the downtown is a ghost town, to the city councilors being godless communists (ok ok they were not called that as far as I know).  That culminated on Wednesday night with a proposal from the youngest councilor on the removal of the meters.  He had "promised his constituents that he would bring it up for a vote."  Thankfully it was killed 8-1, but I doubt we will hear the end of it at least for a little while longer.

How could Dover have avoided this or partially avoided this?  I will take from Donald Shoup the renowned parking expert and professor at UCLA (speaking of godless communists...).  His idea is that in many places the market can handle a price for parking, but that the funds raised should not go toward general budget things or revenue for other projects.  It should instead go back to the neighborhood or district being tolled.  Ideally separated out by street.  It could go towards beautification projects like trees, benches, trash/recycling.  It could go toward street or sidewalk repairs and infrastructure improvements like lighting.  It could go toward small grants for business or home improvements that benefit the streetscape, like a new porch or new business awning.  It could also be used toward paying interest on or subsidizing low/no interest loans for business or home upgrades. For a video of Dr. Shoup talking about his ideas with the great folks at Streetfilms Click Here.  For another great video on parking from Streetfilms Click Here

Image from  theexpiredmeter.com

A number of communities have gone this route and if a town or city wanted to, I am sure with a bit of research they could figure out the legal requirements needed to be able to do that.

It makes more sense too.  When you use the revenue and invest back in that street or block you get support.  You get support because individuals can see the benefit and know that it is going right back into where they work or live.  When something is far off or nebulous you start to encourage the naysayers.  Once people start seeing the benefits (and it can be small at first, new flower pots or benches) they will support the project even more, that gives it a broad base of support within the community which allows it to expand to new areas and allows other residents to successfully counter the naysayers, instead of the city or planning department having to defend the initiative.

It is not too late for Dover, the council can shift where the funding will go (revenue is still being used to pay infrastructure installation and purchase costs).  It can work with the planning board and planning department to develop street zones for dispersal of revenue.  It can work with the Chamber of Commerce and local credit unions/banks to set up a loan or grant structure for businesses and residents.

This is seen as a negative by a number of vocal opponents, however it does not have to be.  I encourage Dover to do research and find some mechanisms that will work to the benefit of everybody, I don't know what that would look like but I can tell you a parking structure is not it.

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 9

To see the other posts in this series Click Here or click on the label "Leeds-Liverpool Canal at the bottom of this post (or any other in the series).

This is part 9 of the series taken along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. Enjoy!
Google Maps Link

Google Maps Link (approximate)

There are a number of these markers on the trail, a photo can not do it justice you simply have to find one and look at it up close.  It also gives distances to nearest cities along the route (cycle route 66 in this case) We are going to Shipley, another 4 miles.

Google Maps Link

Without a doubt this is the worst section of the trail.  Not because it is bad or dangerous but because it runs next to a sewage treatment facility.  You can see the fence over to the right, but technically it is on both sides of the canal.  The place sticks!  Zoom out a bit in Google and you will see what I mean.  I recommend passing through her are quickly as possible, seriously it was pretty bad.

Until next time thanks for viewing.  If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 8

To see the other posts in this series Click Here or click on the label "Leeds-Liverpool Canal at the bottom of this post (or any other in the series).

Part 8 of the series taken at the end of May 2009 along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.

Google Maps Link

Google Maps Link

Google Maps Link

Another section of British Waterways operated locks up head.  There is a rest and filling station for boats, with water and electricity available on the other side of the locks.  It is also one of the branch offices for British Waterway which I imagine they use to dispatch personnel to open various locks in this section of the canal.

Until next time thanks for viewing.  If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 7

To see the other posts in this series Click Here or click on the label "Leeds-Liverpool Canal at the bottom of this post (or any other in the series).  To keep excess text down I will not be linking directly to other parts of the series in each post but will instead post the link to the appropriate label with which you can browse through the entire series.  I imagine there will be quite a number of posts in this series so hopefully this will help in finding them a bit.

Now on to part 7!

Google Maps Link

This section was rather rough if you were riding anything less than a full mountain bike.  The bike I used had front suspension so it was not bad.  This was the worst "improved" section I came across on this trip.

Google Maps Link

Quack.  Yes British ducks still say quack.

Google Maps Link

The path becomes nicer and opens up again.  Note the two horses on the right and the just turning yellow fields of Rape Seed on the upper left.  If you look into the distance to the right of the cyclists in front you can see a couple masses of people coming along the trail.  I didn't get any pictures of them but they seemed to be on some kind of fundraising/awareness walk.

Until next time thanks for viewing.  If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

20mph/30kph Zones

Quite a bit has been written in regards to the English "20" mph zones.  These are typically residential or commercial areas of low auto traffic and low speed by design.  What auto traffic there is, is required to travel at not more than 20mph.  These zones are typically dead end or limited access for drivers and so are self fulfilling in terms of reducing auto trips, however they commonly maintain through routes for pedestrians, cyclists, and sometimes transit.

These zones can be found all over Europe and even in the US. NYC is experimenting with 20mph zones and is slowly rolling them out.  Article on the progress in NYC from Streetsblog Here.  England has been rolling them out for a number of years under the "20 is plenty [for us]."

However, the undeniable champion and proponent of these low speed streets has been the Netherlands and their Woonerf (Living Street, or Home Zone).  I will pass you over to David at "A view from the cycle path" and his article about these zones so you can read up a bit more on them.  A second article from "A view".

These zones are typically connected with 20mph (18kph in metric countries) roads which are clearly marked as such and designate entry (there is no mistake or I didn't see the sign here).  In The Netherlands these are residential areas and very limited access, but usually provide quick connections for bikes and folks walking.

These are great and need to be implemented here but it is typically harder since the roads in these "Home Zones" need to be designed for "walking speed" and I am pretty sure that would blow the head off many engineers and planners on this side of the Atlantic.

The point of all this is not just to let you know about these areas and there benefits (of which there are tons!) but to showcase an example in Spain.  I visited my girlfriend as she was teaching in northern Spain back last April.  This is Santoña, a small village to the east of Santander.  She worked at a school here back in 2010.  This was installed between the time I visited here in 2010 and when I came back in 2011. Their main commercial area had already been pedestrianized with limited access but this was new, I will have more on their commercial center in the near future.

Sign roughly translated:  "Shared/coexist zone with preference given to pedestrians" 

I love this sign.  The main commercial corridor for the town is just after this section and within the shared zone.  There is a school just a bit out of the photo too.

Here is a raised crossing of a different surface with clear "give way" lines in red and white.  I love the sign the most though, basically I translate that to "attention, kids playing in the street"  12mph max and pedestrians(people) have the right of way.
This is a one way section that use to be two way and was converted as part of the redesign.  You can visit it on Google Maps Here (warning: bad imagery and no streetview so not so useful)

We need to implement 20mph zones in the US, every community across the country can benefit from these. However, we also need to do more since implementing a 20mph zone does not really cut it or equal what the Europeans are typically doing.  We need "Living Streets" areas that are designed for walking speed where kids are free to play and separation by mode is not needed.  Areas that provide pleasant connections for residents as well as others walking and bicycling through. Safe areas for everybody.

Yes we need to get good pedestrians and bicycle infrastructure on the main roads that is critical, but quite a bit can be done by focusing on these "living streets" that can get people out and moving.

At the end of the day that is what is critical, getting people outside going places under their own power; safely.


If you would like larger copies of this picture please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 6

Part six in the series.  As a reminder these photos were taken at the end of May 2009 on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.  The previous parts of the series can be found below.


Part 1          Part 5
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Google Maps Link 

In certain areas the path becomes very wide and smoothly surfaced, it was always nice when that happened.  This approaches one of the major boat tie-up areas which you can see in the background.

Google Maps Link 

One of the narrow boats approaching a bridge.  They will have to pull up and have somebody jump off to move the bridge out of the way manually.  Also note one of the many idiotic gates to prevent cars/motorcycles from using the paths, these things are the bane of many UK cycle campaigners and are uniquely a British thing.

Google Maps Link

It is always slightly depressing when the trail changes to little more than a smoothed dirt path.  This was one of the better sections, it gets worse at other points along the trail.  Note the sketchy tied plastic bag on the fence...

Until next time thanks for viewing.  If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License -John

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 5

Part five in the series.  As a reminder these photos were taken at the end of May 2009 on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal.  The previous parts of the series can be found below.

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Google Maps Link

Some of the wildlife seen along the path, mostly birds or aquatic animals.  In this case I am not sure what bird species this is, but it is Heron or Egret like. 

Google Maps Link

Street View of the bridge

The canal bridge actually serves motor vehicle traffic and is on a pivot.  The right side swings around to provide clean passage through the canal, see the street view link above for a better view.

Google Maps Link

The canal obviously does not just go through idyllic countryside, it does go through towns, cities, and in this case a small commercial district facing an A-class road on the other side of these buildings

Until next time.  If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License -John

MBTA Budget Calc! Not just for Boston residents

MBTA Green Line D-train Credit Adam E. Moreira Wikipedia Commons

For those of you who follow this blog in the Boston Metropolitan area (ok like maybe one of you, hi dear! (dear being my wonderful girlfriend))  This is of worthy note.

Actually now that I think about it, even if you don't follow in the Boston area this is of note.  Many transit agencies around the country are dealing with budget issues, many have suggested all-or-nothing far increases and service cuts which will impact thousands of those cities workers, poor disabled, students, not to mention tourists etc.

In that light, I present the recently released (as of this morning) MBTA Budget-O-Matic (thanks Universal Hub for the title)

Fix The T Budget Tool from MAPC

Fill it out!  Each option has a small description of what it means and you get to choose any combination of possibilities to help fix the issues with the T (many of which will help fix the longer term funding issue as well)  You can easily submit your proposal into the database at the end with an email address.  At which point you can see what choices every body else has been making.

I suggested something similar to my contact at the MBTA and MAPC(Metropolitan Area Planning Commission) in my position with the City of Cambridge.  I also passed my suggestion around the office.

 This was based on something I noted on some blog (maybe Bikeportland.org?) which showcased a tool used by Portland's TriMet agency (now closed but you can see the suggestions) to allow citizens deal with its budget issues.  The issues at TriMet were very different but the idea is the same. I would like to think that a very small part of the creation of this was as a result of my forwarding on the tool they used. (I can dream right?)

If your transit agency is dealing with issues (be you in Germany, Canada, US etc) pass this information along, get a local newspaper, popular blog, planning agency, or city to take up the issue and put together a tool like this that allows folks to make changes, rather than just complaining at a meeting.

The wind is a blowin

I almost got blown off the bike multiple times on the way home.  It's actually mostly a problem when stopped since one can not compensate by turning into the wind like you could when moving.

Also wearing shorts with this kind of wind is fine except for the dirt/crap on the roads gets blown onto your legs(also face, mouth, eyes etc) at a high rate of speed, and it hurts!

We have not had enough snow/rain to clean the roads yet so while the temperature was very nice today (hit a record of 68F at Logan Airport) that wind made things a bit less enjoyable.

I will be back tomorrow with another segment in my UK canal path series, stay tuned!

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 4

The series continues with part 4

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Google Maps Link

Google Maps Link

The first marina and long term "parking" area for the narrow boats (or other craft).  There are a number of these facilities along the route and typically are set up like RV parks in the US, with water, electricity, gas etc.  There are also numerous short term moorings along the way, you saw one earlier before one of the locks.

Google Maps Link

There might have been locks here at some point, but they are long gone now.

Until next time.If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License -John

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 3

The series continues.

Part 1
Part 2

Google Maps Link

Second manual lock section I came to.  These are operated by the maintenance staff of British Waterways.  Passage is by request (with significant notice).  The white truck on the hill is from British Waterways and is waiting for a boat to arrive.   Note the Catenary system to the right for one of the British Rail main lines.

Google Maps Link

If you look closely to the right of the canal you can see the mooring spots for boats waiting to go into the locks.  I didn't know there were locks at this spot until I came around the corner, they were quite well hidden.

Google Maps Link

Third lock, also operated by British Waterways.  Nobody coming when this was taken though so most likely a boat was coming from the Leeds area heading north, and the worker at the previous lock would drive up here to get it ready once the boat had past.

Until next time. If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. -John

UK Canal Path Photos: Part 2

For the second in the series of canal photos from my 2009 study abroad in Leeds.
Part One

Google Maps Link

A very small field of what I presume is wild Rapeseed.

Rapeseed oil (modified into Canola in the US) is grown quite a bit in the EU for bio-diesel but also for cooking.  It was grown all around Yorkshire and I was able to buy locally produced and processed rapeseed oil for cooking  from some of the farmers markets in Leeds.

Google Maps Link

Google Maps Link

Until next time, If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. -John

The first in a planned series: UK Canal Path Photos

As I slowly work back into putting up a couple posts a week I want to start out with the basics of some of my most popular posts over the past couple years.  That of Photography of Infrastructure.

Now as writing a huge piece (blog wise) for each set of images and taking you through the area being featured is quite a bit of writing and research and still a bit much for me at the moment, I will instead feature a photograph every couple days or so that is part of a larger trip or series.

On some of them I will add a few notes and I will try to get Google maps links for the approximate location in case you are visiting the area and wish to see more.

I will start out with some of my more enjoyable trips in the UK (ok pretty much all of them were enjoyable, even my commute to the university if you didn't mind playing leapfrog with the buses and lorries or getting squeezed at the intersections when the bike-lane became way too narrow)

Lets start out with a trip I took to the town of Saltaire a UNESCO World Heritage Site, just north west of Leeds in Yorkshire England.  I took this trip at the end of May in 2009. Enjoy.

Starting out:
Leeds (Kirkstall) 10:22am
Google Maps Link

Note the helmet which I did not wear for the entire trip.

Google Maps Link

Google Maps Link

The first of many manual locks I would see on this trip.  The Canal is active as you will see later.

Until next time, If you would like larger copies of any of the pictures in this series please send me an email or add a comment and I will gladly provide.  All images are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. -John

Guerrillas in the City (no not those Gorillas)

Apologies for the long time between posts.  I have been busy as usual.  None the less I do hope to update more often and will be starting slowly with one or two posts a week and work forward from there.  Here is a great Friday article I came across earlier this week.

This comes from the folks at CityFabric (check out their cool city map based shirts!!!)

Image from newraleigh.com

These are simple way-finding signs placed in a couple neighborhoods in Raleigh North Carolina (a somewhat unlikely place you might think)

The effort was picked up by the Atlantic Cities and by the BBC but I have yet to see it come up on my blog feed (which is quite surprising!)

The BBC link has a video attached which is a nice combination with the print articles on this effort.

Read the newraleigh.com article here (or click the picture)

The Facebook page for this effort is here

This is exactly what we need in many communities; simple, stylish, and cheap.  It gets the point across and gives folks quick information in a way that they can understand.  (the little QR code links to a Google map with walking directions to whatever destination is mentioned on the sign)

No this is not a good long term solution but it was clearly enough to get the attention of the city and international media to such an extent that the city is now looking at making and expanding these signs (albeit in a more code compliant way).

There are quite a lot of people that want to help make their city or town better.  However, I feel that many local governments are stuck in a format of engagement that does not bring many people on-board with a program or truly allow good discussion.  Cities and communities need to work harder to identify needs and work with needs that the community has identified as well.  Our cities and towns can be stronger than they are now, and must be.  It is people power pure and simple, but it needs to be tapped properly.

Even the City of Cambridge, MA (where I work) can do a better job (actually they are doing a better job and are adopting some new outreach techniques I helped develop in the grant program I coordinate).

Lets have more guerrilla signs for walking, biking, transit.  More guerrilla gardening and knitting.  These things are helpful and make our community better.  They make us smile and think about what a great idea that is.  They may not be legal and may only last a couple weeks but sometimes that is enough.

Lets have more engagement with the community that we live in, sometimes it only takes one or two people to get the ball rolling.