tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-206766653786699542024-02-07T20:37:37.921-06:00Walk Kansas City!Promoting more walkable, livable, sustainable communities in Kansas City.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-74186297457290400632010-11-15T11:00:00.008-06:002010-11-15T11:24:05.105-06:00Imagine KC Series to Focus on Sustainable Community Efforts in KCOver a year ago, KCPT aired a program on what Kansas City would look like in the next couple of decades titled "Imagine KC". The show focused a lot on how our metro area would grow and the need for denser, sustainable communities complemented by mass transit. You can see a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkR0LO1kG6g&">clip of that show</a> on the right sidebar of this blog.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwPgR5zse41_ICsrWKfsoJPoE8PxVk1axIltWgy5_WmmX8mEgT30xEkhteQcV7zrJ8_JMLeaWxxvChWv65MjjzW6sfVwZQRaBhk9YXXWs2UeWr7eNchQBG3yQZqD3IOrdg0DQJJiGphM/s1600/ikc-logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="114" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwPgR5zse41_ICsrWKfsoJPoE8PxVk1axIltWgy5_WmmX8mEgT30xEkhteQcV7zrJ8_JMLeaWxxvChWv65MjjzW6sfVwZQRaBhk9YXXWs2UeWr7eNchQBG3yQZqD3IOrdg0DQJJiGphM/s200/ikc-logo.gif" width="200" /></a>It was a lively program featuring an interesting discussion of government officials, community activists, and regular citizens and brought focus to a sorely underdiscussed topic in this community - how will we grow?<br />
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I am pleased to see KCPT will be covering the topic in a <a href="http://kcpt.org/imaginekc/index.shtml">year-long series</a> beginning this Thursday at 7:30.<br />
<blockquote><i>Featured areas for the first episode will include looking at the revitalization of downtown Lee's Summit, the new Troost Bus Rapid Transit, and community involvement with projects like "Tulips on Troost." Throughout the series other possible topics could be trails and creating "walkable" communities, transportation in all its forms, using energy efficiency, conservation, urban design and ultimately what citizens can do to affect change in the region.</i></blockquote> KCPT has really done an outstanding job facilitating this discussion, and I hope more and more citizens get a chance to watch, discuss, and demand their elected officials give weight to developing sustainable communities as part of our future growth. <br />
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<object height="289" width="486"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jNHWETlIXgg?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jNHWETlIXgg?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="385" height="289"></embed></object>walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-3818933142105100422010-11-12T13:00:00.000-06:002010-11-12T13:00:04.818-06:00Lewis Diuguid of the Star Calls for More to Be Done for Bikes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb44STGMiNZwNpLqB-_hNF6hClZ7fOXT5BDA1QBX_DCewDDahMVo85su5eL1-mbqwG73FjpK2-WAR-l70rdRfoVzEJDzBh8h7t_u6p2XktSvl-m1b2Qlp2N11eXsCCp8WFvUileH4IUE/s1600/Lewis_Diuguid2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDb44STGMiNZwNpLqB-_hNF6hClZ7fOXT5BDA1QBX_DCewDDahMVo85su5eL1-mbqwG73FjpK2-WAR-l70rdRfoVzEJDzBh8h7t_u6p2XktSvl-m1b2Qlp2N11eXsCCp8WFvUileH4IUE/s1600/Lewis_Diuguid2.jpg" /></a>Another bit of older news, but a <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/17/2322413/from-the-northeast-to-the-northland.html">nice column by Kansas City Star columnist Lewis Diuguid</a> on the perils of riding your bike in Kansas City and the need for greater accommodations for bicyclists in our city.<br />
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<div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><blockquote><i>This town and its drivers are not ready to share the road with anyone not wrapped in a ton of glass, plastic and steel. I took quiet Admiral Boulevard to the Paseo and then to Independence Avenue. I got off that busy and dangerous road at Benton Boulevard, taking it south past The Concourse Fountain, where pink water was shooting in the air for breast cancer awareness. St. John Avenue took me home. It was a nicer route for bicyclists.</i><br />
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<i>One day, Kansas Citians will be ready to fully share the road with two-wheelers. But it may take gasoline going to $5 a gallon and more people parking their cars for the economical convenience of biking wherever they need to go.</i></blockquote><span><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/17/2322413/from-the-northeast-to-the-northland.html#ixzz150I4HdO8" style="color: #003399;"></a></span></div></div>walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-1602988035832481392010-11-12T10:00:00.001-06:002010-11-12T13:00:50.671-06:00Kansas City Awarded $4.25 million Grant for "Sustainable Communities"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWVFv85Td44jsiMekupN3LO1z5iHn6ZdwDBLvIM_PXjb4kr8KkHostVjTaEhNfqRXueVvH4jLpgUn9KGd41DXFra_y7H1JiXgkIM0xT4sr7SOM_lM4cAYLoZzjapiTE1rDwPHqer0u1g/s1600/hud_logo_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWVFv85Td44jsiMekupN3LO1z5iHn6ZdwDBLvIM_PXjb4kr8KkHostVjTaEhNfqRXueVvH4jLpgUn9KGd41DXFra_y7H1JiXgkIM0xT4sr7SOM_lM4cAYLoZzjapiTE1rDwPHqer0u1g/s200/hud_logo_small.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I am catching up on some old news, so here's a good piece of news from a few weeks ago. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has <a href="http://www.marc.org/newsreleases/marc101810a.htm">awarded $4.5 million to the Kansas City metro area</a> to support more liveable and sustainable communities. It is a new three year proposal called <i>Creating Sustainable Places </i>"intended to build economic competitiveness by connecting housing with good jobs, quality schools and transportation."<br />
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Kansas City was just one of forty-five areas awarded grants. It will be interesting to see what projects the money is used for.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-68577566686919013942010-11-11T09:00:00.005-06:002010-11-11T10:24:27.856-06:00The Deficit Commission and its Effect on Walkable Communities<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZk_8zJfDMOMukHHt9GNOUhjCQZk3B7a8NeVCLJfK3me_1HqP5vDBRM-eamHcKhvo8nykAEp42hBxWikwflMAQ9D6_BwWk9WYHm6zviuyprrnk2a96NnSPIDXqfvvsdZC-xt-OiHsiKDA/s1600/national_debt_clock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="115" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZk_8zJfDMOMukHHt9GNOUhjCQZk3B7a8NeVCLJfK3me_1HqP5vDBRM-eamHcKhvo8nykAEp42hBxWikwflMAQ9D6_BwWk9WYHm6zviuyprrnk2a96NnSPIDXqfvvsdZC-xt-OiHsiKDA/s200/national_debt_clock.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>President Obama's Deficit Commission will soon come out with <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101110/ap_on_bi_ge/us_cutting_deficits" target="_blank">recommendations with how to reduce our national debt</a>.<br />
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Here is a <a href="http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/A_Politics/___Politics_Today_Stories_Teases/CoChair_Draft.pdf">draft of the power point presentation</a> on their policy recommendations.<br />
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There are three proposals in particular that could have major implications for urban growth and walkable communities.<br />
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<b>1. Eliminating the mortgage interest tax deduction</b><br />
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The mortgage interest tax deduction has helped subsidize home ownership, primarily in suburban areas. It has helped encourage larger houses, on larger lots, leading to more sprawl. Eliminating this at least removes the tax incentive to build bigger and gives a more level playing field for developers wanting to build denser housing projects.<br />
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<b>2. Raising the gas tax 15 cents to pay for transportation costs.</b><br />
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While I'm sure this would be unpopular, this could get more people out of their cars and using mass transit, increasing riderships and perhaps justifying new transit lines and newer dense transit-oriented development. And the hope is that at least some of the revenue generated by the tax increase would help fund new transit lines.<br />
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<b>3. Eliminating earmarks</b><br />
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I'm not sure if the Commission means eliminating all federal infrastructure projects entirely (and passing them onto states?). I suspect they mean adopting the infrastructure bank idea that used to have bipartisan support until some Republicans decided they didn't want to support anything supported by the President. The Infrastructure Bank would be an independent commission that would award federal funding on a more competitive base, leverage private money to put infrastructure projects where they would maximize investment, not based on the political process like they are now. This could dramatically help urban areas which need infrastructure projects the most, and we might see an end to major infrastructure projects in rural areas that help only a few residents but are built thanks to influential Congressmen (see the Bridge to Nowhere, for example)<br />
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These proposals face serious uphill battles to win approval as they will be very unpopular politically. But if politicians are willing to do the serious work this country needs to do to solve our deficit issues, urban areas could be the beneficiaries.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-84826052955099179062010-11-08T15:00:00.000-06:002010-11-08T15:05:44.499-06:00Travel + Leisure Gives KC Low Marks in Pedestrian Friendliness/Public Transit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuW0cThDSYEho8WIs3hfBTkOB8RVvYMwUdIBDLLRmBZ8lrHxj7VDZHEkHT0h7E_h1Lf5tLIcKdiA4lJZjcA3YKM9yownGvVRWGcD4YA1K5RaJQqW9S7E8XN2pBzaReL_tu4Fs20PPWCk/s1600/americas-favorite-cities-2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibuW0cThDSYEho8WIs3hfBTkOB8RVvYMwUdIBDLLRmBZ8lrHxj7VDZHEkHT0h7E_h1Lf5tLIcKdiA4lJZjcA3YKM9yownGvVRWGcD4YA1K5RaJQqW9S7E8XN2pBzaReL_tu4Fs20PPWCk/s200/americas-favorite-cities-2010.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>While many may focus on our <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/americas-favorite-cities/2010/category/local-specialties/barbecue">high marks in barbecue</a>, a bit more troubling in the <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/americas-favorite-cities/2010/city/kansas-city">rankings of Travel and Leisure </a>is our ranking in <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/americas-favorite-cities/2010/category/quality-of-life-and-visitor-experience/public-transportation-and-pedestrian-friendliness">pedestrian friendliness and public transportation</a>.<br />
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Maybe its time for us to put down the burnt ends and walk down the street?walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-60774000202568549492010-10-22T13:00:00.000-05:002010-10-22T13:14:45.269-05:00Improved Billboard?I don't endorse graffiti, but give credit for creativity.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H1osRRM5YeUHXUovHH3C7wbM3GAu9_kJIcEJ19uSNvWMB5ovCxz1nDtw5OLeyqk8lxEuRUytL44js3HrM5i6ILiOPuWnQHkIXLSPp-arnA-47HUOrCCf1StP-y9HGXFTuhAToL9PuoU/s1600/enhanced-buzz-24551-1287593310-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1H1osRRM5YeUHXUovHH3C7wbM3GAu9_kJIcEJ19uSNvWMB5ovCxz1nDtw5OLeyqk8lxEuRUytL44js3HrM5i6ILiOPuWnQHkIXLSPp-arnA-47HUOrCCf1StP-y9HGXFTuhAToL9PuoU/s320/enhanced-buzz-24551-1287593310-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-85997749170846993452010-10-15T13:00:00.005-05:002010-10-15T13:31:37.757-05:00Americans Walk Far Less Than Those in Other Countries<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87OrlewlT7NkKhfkyKeUsWo5WOizX_f4yn-Jkg0dwe137tZn1OtAPCca57uatpVHc4hIUXToVUnIHVlAsKVZX_L9E7ZDO_rrNI5marzcagdkVoDTy9KDqo6jdKLQOkV2LMeBHHL_c0nY/s1600/4yi7czc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh87OrlewlT7NkKhfkyKeUsWo5WOizX_f4yn-Jkg0dwe137tZn1OtAPCca57uatpVHc4hIUXToVUnIHVlAsKVZX_L9E7ZDO_rrNI5marzcagdkVoDTy9KDqo6jdKLQOkV2LMeBHHL_c0nY/s200/4yi7czc.jpg" width="200" /></a>It should really come as no surprise that Americans walk far less than their counterparts in other countries, and now we have <a href="http://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Abstract/2010/10000/Pedometer_Measured_Physical_Activity_and_Health.4.aspx">scientific data to support that claim</a>. From the <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_fitness_walking">Reuters news account:</a><br />
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<blockquote><i>Adults in western Australia average 9,695 steps a day. The Swiss followed with 9,650, while the Japanese clocked in with 7,168 steps. But Americans straggled far behind with just 5,117 steps.</i></blockquote><blockquote><i> "We were surprised that the levels of physical activity were that low," said Dr. David R. Bassett, of the University of Tennessee, the lead author of the study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise.</i></blockquote><blockquote><i> "Five thousand steps is really pretty inactive," he added.</i></blockquote><br />
And while we may need to hit the gym more, the author suggests that the main culprit has to do with the lack of walking in our day-to-day environment.<br />
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<blockquote><i>Bassett thinks America's car culture and lack of adequate public transportation provide fertile ground for couch potatoes.</i></blockquote><blockquote><i>"People do have to exercise," he said. "But our overall environment does not lend itself to promoting an active lifestyle."</i></blockquote>Indeed, there is a clear link between <a href="http://dc.streetsblog.org/2010/08/20/researchers-confirm-link-between-active-transportation-and-better-health/">biking or walking to work, and positive health outcomes.</a><br />
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We can also see that <a href="http://www.thetransportpolitic.com/2010/10/13/transit-mode-share-trends-looking-steady-rail-appears-to-encourage-non-automobile-commutes/">cities that invest in rail transit tend to have an increase in walking</a>. As <a href="http://www.infrastructurist.com/2010/10/14/new-research-shows-americans-dont-walk-much/">Infrastucturist nicely summarizes</a>:<br />
<ul><li><i>All cities experienced a slight increase in commuter walking, at 1.8 percent</i></li>
<li><i>Cities without rail had a 2.7 percent decrease</i></li>
<li><i>Cities with rail but no major new rail investments saw a 1.7 percent increase</i></li>
<li><i>Cities with major new rail investments jumped 4.2 percent</i></li>
</ul> Just something to think about as our health care costs continue to skyrocket.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-10584045614255023062010-10-14T09:00:00.005-05:002010-11-08T15:06:07.714-06:00Forbes Thinks KC is Dangerous Because it Drives Too Much?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyspur9_fiyeIR_SGcQdj7a8RpYjybN5Nno8_sA67KsNJZ-z5xxKD4Bw342uc_slaSioRQj3MGRgUs6GlLM3Wvz8qF-0xmRjGEgIjEpxZ-OB-BlQXGHpQIWu0ZeIMA7_y9gf0cWzX-8Hk/s1600/forbes-logo-large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyspur9_fiyeIR_SGcQdj7a8RpYjybN5Nno8_sA67KsNJZ-z5xxKD4Bw342uc_slaSioRQj3MGRgUs6GlLM3Wvz8qF-0xmRjGEgIjEpxZ-OB-BlQXGHpQIWu0ZeIMA7_y9gf0cWzX-8Hk/s200/forbes-logo-large.jpg" width="200" /></a>Forbes comes out with a lot of lists as a way of bringing attention to its publication in the <a href="http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/more-layoffs-at-forbes-magazine/">wake of sagging revenues</a>. Their most recent list is the <a href="http://blogs.forbes.com/francescalevy/2010/10/12/real-estate-lifestyle-danger-housing-cities/">Most Dangerous Cities in America</a>, and to the ire of the local chamber of commerce, Kansas City ranks high on the list at number three.<br />
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Of course, it comes with this caveat.<br />
<blockquote><i>“There are zones in safe cities that are way off the chart for crime rates, but when you average it across all of the city, it doesn’t look so bad,” says Bruce McIndoe, president of Maryland-Based iJet Intelligent Risk Systems, a risk-assessment firm.</i></blockquote> Which is of course true. If you live in Brookside, I'd say you're probably as safe as if you lived in Plano, Texas (<a href="http://www.forbes.com/2010/10/11/safest-cities-america-crime-accidents-lifestyle-real-estate-danger.html">the safest city in America</a>!). In fact, if you lived in the great majority of Kansas City, you're generally safe. Crime, particularly violent crime, is very concentrated in this area. <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2009/01/24/999590/murder-factory-part-1-64130-the.html">Six percent of the population in the zip code 64130 make up 20 percent of the murders and voluntary manslaughters in the city</a>.<br />
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Another interesting point raised by a professor of mine relates to the factors they used.<br />
<blockquote><i>We used FBI data on the number of violent crimes per 100,000 residents in 2009, and Department of Transportation data on the <b>number of traffic fatalities</b> per 100,000 residents in 2008 (the most recent available).</i><b> </b></blockquote>Notice anything about the list? They all tend to be car-centric metro areas. Sure Atlanta, St. Louis and Miami have light rail systems, but they are all still heavily dependent on automobiles. <br />
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It is interesting that Forbes is telling us that what makes a city dangerous is not only the criminals that inhabit a city, but the careless drivers that populate a city, and I applaud them for including that as a criteria. Being a safer city is not just about reducing crime, its about reducing traffic fatalities as well.<br />
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Any new light rail campaign should make this part of the campaign - Make Kansas City <i>Safer</i>. Take these careless drivers off the road. Get fewer people driving.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-61110390861799410542010-10-07T14:00:00.001-05:002010-10-07T13:57:21.084-05:00New Documentary About Commuter Rail Line in Overland Park<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivz1-3YwWlEqoJK6n3Cpkasi7gzvZwaOyrbxYydjNCgAWycFyCprz5pG7Cnw5Jgb1_5b_t3YvSyEVviNnfCzLLqvoWRFQbgEjDdkVGVO1cGSs7_E-fSiO6Ywk0B7jYktFybOsu7-9z-E/s1600/strang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivz1-3YwWlEqoJK6n3Cpkasi7gzvZwaOyrbxYydjNCgAWycFyCprz5pG7Cnw5Jgb1_5b_t3YvSyEVviNnfCzLLqvoWRFQbgEjDdkVGVO1cGSs7_E-fSiO6Ywk0B7jYktFybOsu7-9z-E/s200/strang.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Commuter rail in Overland Park? Unthinkable! Well there used to be a <a href="http://leespeaks.com/scribbles/amstudies/12_dt_strang.html">well functioning commuter rail line called the Strang Line</a>, running from 7th and Oak, through Westport, and on down to 80th and Santa Fe. The line stopped running in 1940, but there are still remnants of the line around Johnson County.<br />
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There is a <a href="http://sunpublications.com/201009294996/news/pbs-documentary-about-overland-park-s-strang-line-debuts.html">new documentary about the history of the rail</a> showing at the Rio Theater, with plans for KCPT to run the program in the future.<br />
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Its interesting that Overland Park was made possibly in large part because of commuter rail. As its suburbs, particularly inner-ring suburbs, became more working class, it will be interesting if commuter rail becomes once again a necessary lifeline to connect workers to jobs, or if it will continue to require its working population to invest in automobiles as a cost of living there. walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-17813846821468339422010-10-06T10:00:00.001-05:002010-10-06T10:08:45.292-05:00International Walk to School Day<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVu03jlEsTxn1vRzOA8hxEhjKmoKrvm6CDKthZVKxpEk9mprnewZ3OLZZ_YIbTUIUk96RxUENKyDlClRcc-vNrRQuHu1RvdCa26huWTsv-AAUqPpvTaUa2l5Vvcs_Js8xiEjCxQ0KWDvI/s1600/tualatin-schools-participate-in-international-walk-bike-to-school-day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVu03jlEsTxn1vRzOA8hxEhjKmoKrvm6CDKthZVKxpEk9mprnewZ3OLZZ_YIbTUIUk96RxUENKyDlClRcc-vNrRQuHu1RvdCa26huWTsv-AAUqPpvTaUa2l5Vvcs_Js8xiEjCxQ0KWDvI/s200/tualatin-schools-participate-in-international-walk-bike-to-school-day.jpg" width="200" /></a>Today is <a href="http://www.walktoschool.org/">International Walk to School Day, </a>and over five thousand schools across the country will participate in an effort to promote safer walking routes and more physical activity for children.<br />
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What should also be promoted however, is the fact that many of the areas around our schools are simply not safe. Simply putting up signs that warn of "Children Crossing, Slow Down" is not enough to slow down traffic and make an area safe for children to cross. A <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2010/10/04/2273699/child-struck-by-vehicle-near-olathe.html">child was struck in Olathe this week,</a> the <a href="http://walkkansascity.blogspot.com/2010/09/seven-year-old-gardner-boy-hit-by-car.html">third child struck by an automobile near a school this fall</a>.<br />
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Cities and schools should be looking at better ways to slow down and reduce traffic around school buildings. Suburban schools tend to be located in exclusively residential areas. Cities should discourage the use of streets leading into schools to be used as main arterials. This may mean road diets (street thinning), reduced speed zones (all the time, not just during school hours), roundabouts, and stop signs. Instead of maximizing speed and efficiency on all roads, cities should begin thinking about moving traffic into certain corridors, while actually slowing down and reducing traffic in other areas where pedestrian traffic is likely.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-85205526314359159812010-09-29T13:00:00.000-05:002010-09-30T09:28:08.868-05:00Is High Density Required for Transit in KC?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOh4i19I3rh7VwCUYI7w9p_V0mCLkzdqgzNK0WjSxI6Sj5itfh3e8dzTkL-NlqBnqXgX4w_F9dl4PZPl7dhT-iJ7Mrr1vkO4CEoltyx6VRBnfnwQTrH2SFw8mav5MJqTsazOO8Wk5qBhc/s1600/travel-news-walk-score-new-york-street-full.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOh4i19I3rh7VwCUYI7w9p_V0mCLkzdqgzNK0WjSxI6Sj5itfh3e8dzTkL-NlqBnqXgX4w_F9dl4PZPl7dhT-iJ7Mrr1vkO4CEoltyx6VRBnfnwQTrH2SFw8mav5MJqTsazOO8Wk5qBhc/s320/travel-news-walk-score-new-york-street-full.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Human Transit has an <a href="http://www.humantransit.org/2010/09/the-perils-of-average-density.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+HumanTransit+%28Human+Transit%29">interesting post on the relationship between density and transit</a> and pokes holes in some of the fallacies.<br />
<blockquote><i>Transit does depend on density, but there are three problems with saying that “transit requires high density.” <br />
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* First, it offers no hope to places that are already built at low densities and unlikely to change. <br />
* Second, it gives public transit in low-density areas an excuse for descending into a cycle of underinvestment, official neglect, and lazy operations, because after all, nobody expects public transit in low density areas to be any good anyway. <br />
* Third, it invites sweeping claims about transit’s viability based on the overall average density of a city, claims that, as we’ll see, make no sense at all.</i></blockquote>Of course, we hear this argument all the time when transit is raised here in Kansas City. Transit can be a way to build up density. But since we already have low density, transit won't work here. <br />
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I think this is an astute point as well:<br />
<blockquote><i>The emotions are inevitable: Whenever we talk about urban form,</i> people hear us making judgments about their homes<i>. I can stand in front of a group of citizens and talk about how a certain kind of development pattern implies certain consequences for transit, and thus for sustainability, and thus for civilization. As we talk, it may appear that we’re having a thoughtful and educational discussion about good and bad design. But some people in the audience have chosen to make their homes in the very development pattern that I’m describing, and to those people, </i>I’m saying that their home is good or bad<i>. </i></blockquote>If you talk about say a RCP light rail plan and the need for higher density, you will get resistance from Northlanders...even suburbanites for whom the the rail will not even affect. Some of that I'm sure is anti-tax sentiments, but I don't think we should overlook the defensiveness of suburbanites. No one likes being told they are making bad choices, particularly about big things like the choice of where and how to live. Implicit in the arguments for density and transit is a critique of suburban sprawl. <br />
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KCPT ran a program last year called <a href="http://cove.kcpt.org/video/1468240532/">"The Next American Dream"</a> about the revitalization of downtown. They advocated for even greater density and urbanization of the metro area. But they were also smart not to criticize suburbanization. They emphasized greater "choice" - urban living for some, suburban living for others. This will be key for any discussion on light rail or higher density plans.<br />
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The last point I think is key:<br />
<blockquote><i>Transit reacts mainly with the density right around its stations. It is in the nature of transit to serve an area very unevenly, providing a concentrated value around its stops and stations and less value elsewhere. So what matters for transit is the density right where the transit is, not the aggregate density of the whole urban area.</i></blockquote> What matters not is the density of the Kansas City metro area, or Kansas City proper, or even the imaginary boundaries of the River Market/Crown Center/Plaza corridor. What matters is the density around the transit nodes we select. If you put transit stops at the River Market, in the Financial District, at the Convention Center/Power and Light District/Sprint Center, at the Crossroads, at Crown Center/Union Station, at Westport at the Plaza, at Brookside/UMKC - will there be sufficient densities around those nodes?walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-11467898631148508902010-09-29T10:00:00.000-05:002010-09-29T10:00:10.502-05:00League of American Bicyclists Recognizes Bike-Friendly CompaniesThe League of American Bicyclists has honored those Kansas City area businesses and organizations <a href="http://www.marc.org/newsreleases/marc092310.htm">that are the most bike-friendly</a>.<br /><blockquote><br /><blockquote><div align="left"><strong>Fall 2010 Kansas City Area Bicycle Friendly Businesses</strong> <br /><strong>Silver Level</strong><strong> </strong></div><ul><li>360° Architecture </li><li>Family Bicycles, LLC </li></ul><strong>Bronze Level</strong><br /><ul type="disc"><li>Foth Infrastructure and Environment — Kansas City </li></ul><strong>Honorable Mention</strong><br /><ul type="disc"><li>City of Mission, Kan. </li><li>City of Shawnee, Kan.</li><li>Mid-America Regional Council </li><li>Sprint Nextel </li><li>UMB Financial Corporation </li></ul></blockquote></blockquote>walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-18787486783122623832010-09-28T11:00:00.000-05:002010-09-28T13:56:21.824-05:00New Bus Rider Concludes KC Buses Ain't So Bad!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Nice column <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/24/2247920/enjoy-the-sights-and-sounds-of.html">from a reader at the Star about his first time using the MAX.</a><br />
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<div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><blockquote><i>Initially I dealt with the fear that the bus would be dirty, noisy and crowded with “people who rode the bus.”</i></blockquote><blockquote><i>What a pleasant surprise to be proven wrong. If only I had opened up my commuting horizons earlier.</i></blockquote><blockquote><i>A window into the lives and habits of people in my own neighborhood, as well as the wide variety of those in neighborhoods between my own and the office has blossomed. </i></blockquote></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/24/2247920/enjoy-the-sights-and-sounds-of.html#ixzz10kPmLoof" style="color: #003399;"></a></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjRj6aypHHcBHWoD8QqPaAHzy3iI0Bro1qgDgot8X1tN3QBCLth2cVPnaHmO9eV5wtAB1LOMobfg5b_k0oG7IiO0kOqlnd0jStNpkxVsIdxHhULS0_okFis9Sa6plINWuaaeh8YF0xU4/s1600/ride+to+work+inside+the+bus.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjRj6aypHHcBHWoD8QqPaAHzy3iI0Bro1qgDgot8X1tN3QBCLth2cVPnaHmO9eV5wtAB1LOMobfg5b_k0oG7IiO0kOqlnd0jStNpkxVsIdxHhULS0_okFis9Sa6plINWuaaeh8YF0xU4/s200/ride+to+work+inside+the+bus.JPG" width="200" /></a>I had a short conversation this weekend with a gentleman who used to live downtown, but now lives in the suburbs telling me about how he used to ride the bus to attend Kings games at Municipal, but he would "never ride the bus now" for it was far too dangerous. When I asked him the last time he rode the bus, he said it was decades. So how did he know it was dangerous?</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">I encourage everyone to at least give the bus a chance, particularly when arriving at some of Kansas City's larger events. Yes, it could be more convenient than it is now, but any preconceived notions about lack of safety, smelly riders, or being hassled by poor people will be pretty quickly dismissed. And you may find avoiding dealing with bad drivers to be a welcome experience.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><br />
<a href="http://www.kansascity.com/2010/09/24/2247920/enjoy-the-sights-and-sounds-of.html#ixzz10kPmLoof" style="color: #003399;"></a></div></div>walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-2106070684819581772010-09-28T09:00:00.000-05:002010-09-28T13:49:00.688-05:00Public Transit Ridership Up Nationwide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-2eIBpIdvOcvU9ds5c083VGXFw5HjDjq-16ng4tGL0wVS66B4EAaS8TEdIcL9McudmywwaaHxqlJwobtTG2Zw4Vv6F7SoYAdPPLqximwbi54Kv4L3gePCMRf7b5HFl7tf01bb6LtHWY/s1600/26bus_600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="110" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS-2eIBpIdvOcvU9ds5c083VGXFw5HjDjq-16ng4tGL0wVS66B4EAaS8TEdIcL9McudmywwaaHxqlJwobtTG2Zw4Vv6F7SoYAdPPLqximwbi54Kv4L3gePCMRf7b5HFl7tf01bb6LtHWY/s200/26bus_600.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>2008 saw a dramatic uptick in public transit usage nationwide as oil prices soared. Well oil prices have stabilized, yet <a href="http://transportationnation.org/2010/09/23/apta-public-transit-up-for-the-first-time-since-late-2008/">public transit ridership has slightly increased</a>.<br />
<blockquote><i>The American Public Transit Association <a href="http://www.apta.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/2010/Pages/100921_Ridership_2nd_Quarter.aspx">is reporting </a>that transit trips ticked up by 0.1 percent in the second quarter of 2010. APTA says that may be because the economy is actually shivering to life. “History shows that as the economy grows, public transit ridership tends to increase. This rise in ridership offers a glimmer of hope that we may be coming out of the economic recession and ridership will continue to move upward.”</i> </blockquote>It is promising to see ridership numbers stabilize, despite the recession (or perhaps because of the recession?) However, it is vital this surge in ridership is not undermined by slashing transit budget and making transit even less convenient for the people that need it most now.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-62469629294422859162010-09-27T15:00:00.000-05:002010-09-28T13:47:49.391-05:00Prairie Village Community Improvement District<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR-zeza7_vTVt4boLP9hu0x-DwWa_3JjgGf0lO4RSBfEHuiwS2XaXz7RMDGy-ykTkkIyEwAE7gWCuHvn1SHn7n6U1OMs3lVoW4w2eu1AG7-WwmjCzTY7d_Aw1nQbtERbUMSEoI4IbC24/s1600/app_full_proxy.php.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwR-zeza7_vTVt4boLP9hu0x-DwWa_3JjgGf0lO4RSBfEHuiwS2XaXz7RMDGy-ykTkkIyEwAE7gWCuHvn1SHn7n6U1OMs3lVoW4w2eu1AG7-WwmjCzTY7d_Aw1nQbtERbUMSEoI4IbC24/s320/app_full_proxy.php.png" width="320" /></a></div>Prairie Village has approved a <a href="http://www.pvkansas.com/citygov/CouncilConsidersCID.shtml">1% sales tax increase in only the Village Shops at Prairie Village and Corinth Shopping District</a> to fund the Community Improvement District that will renovate the two shopping districts. <br />
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You can see the proposed improvements <a href="http://www.pvkansas.com/citygov/documents/September20thCIDPacket.pdf">here on pages 43 and 97</a>. There are some pedestrian-oriented improvements that will be integrated. The crosswalks will be emphasized more in the Village Shops center. The Corinth center will have a new courtyard for pedestrians to mill about and relax. Bike racks will be included and both developments will be integrated with a proposed trail.<br />
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Still, it strikes me as a missed opportunity. Both developments will still be areas to drive to and park, rather than centers that residents can walk to from their homes, despite the fact that Prairie Village can boast a sizeable biking and walking population. No parking is being reduced despite the fact that neither center has its lots much more than half full. Parking still lines Mission Road, which should be a walkable, pedestrian-friendly road that connects the two centers together.<br />
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City Councilmembers have emphasized wanting to preserve a "village"-type atmosphere for Prairie Village, and this will be a long-term development that will take decades (the tax runs for twenty-two years). My hope is that over time, as the economy recovers, the CID will be able to make more dramatic changes that fundamentally alter the auto-centric layout of the development and foster a more walkable community in Prairie Village.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-82921649112118584092010-09-27T11:00:00.000-05:002010-09-28T13:46:29.040-05:00Sanders Lays Out Commuter Rail Specifics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhba90MpqcpIJXHrmp_h56wyQ0u4_Xp_Y77OkAJdXrzZQL5eu4E4YaZf1Q9-tt4UwOPzwJwwuQaWz9Mbzxex8ZRZMSshTXk6b38vqLW6BJC9rHlUPd8RvZ1jbFas7GXlZC1sMKtmG42Gnc/s1600/Mike_Sanders_Speak_420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhba90MpqcpIJXHrmp_h56wyQ0u4_Xp_Y77OkAJdXrzZQL5eu4E4YaZf1Q9-tt4UwOPzwJwwuQaWz9Mbzxex8ZRZMSshTXk6b38vqLW6BJC9rHlUPd8RvZ1jbFas7GXlZC1sMKtmG42Gnc/s200/Mike_Sanders_Speak_420.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Jackson County executive Mike Sanders <a href="http://www.examiner.net/news/x1380101153/Sanders-Commuter-rail-for-Kansas-City-is-cost-efficient">unveiled more specifics on his proposed commuter rail plan</a> that would be able to take commuters from as far as Blue Springs all the way to Union Station. <br />
<blockquote><i>Six lines in Jackson, Clay, Platte and Wyandotte counties would converge at Union Station. The system would operate 16 hours a day, mainly to get people to and from work but also to the airport, big sporting events and major shopping areas. The trains would scoot along at up to 70 mph and have amenities such as Wi-Fi. “Put your bicycle on there if you want to,” Terry said.</i><br />
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<i> Terry puts the price tag at slightly more than $1 billion – less than $8 million per mile, far lower than systems in other cities – mostly because 70 percent of it uses tracks or old rail corridors that are already in place and are underused or not used at all. The line through Independence, Blue Springs and Grain Valley, for example, would use Kansas City Southern tracks that currently handle only five trains daily – four of them at night.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Its also interesting they note that the price tag - while large - is less than a third of what it would cost to expand I-70 by one lane. </i></blockquote><br />
I applaud Mike Sanders for using his political capital on such a project. While it has its flaws, its one of the most serious mass transit proposals this metro area has seen, and he is actually going out and winning support for it, rather than letting others do the heavy lifting. <br />
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Its also embarrassing that Johnson County refuses to participate in this.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-24297096181787701202010-09-27T10:00:00.000-05:002010-09-28T13:45:37.353-05:00MoBikeFed Hosts Bike Safety Course<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTsk6U4-S4zDwOGz-lqXsk8KWwVWJUzANs00vfs-pdLqHg6AgGb40xTLFI5H7m-ov8Ds0xjReFATJaWQpOoQP7Fq_SQB1dviu5pS73WGRTsH6_4VXGkrjOjggFIB0H3GQG3lQtQzZspo/s1600/800px-Tour_de_Natur_2008_Schwalmstadt_Michelsberg_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTsk6U4-S4zDwOGz-lqXsk8KWwVWJUzANs00vfs-pdLqHg6AgGb40xTLFI5H7m-ov8Ds0xjReFATJaWQpOoQP7Fq_SQB1dviu5pS73WGRTsH6_4VXGkrjOjggFIB0H3GQG3lQtQzZspo/s200/800px-Tour_de_Natur_2008_Schwalmstadt_Michelsberg_3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>MoBikeFed will be <a href="http://mobikefed.org/content/mobikefed-invites-you-traffic-skills-101">holding a Traffic Skills 101 course</a> to educate bicycle riders on bicycle safety tips, including "bicycle safety checks, fixing a flat, on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques and includes a student text book."<br />
<br />
Bicyclists can do their part by becoming safer, more aware riders who legally follow traffic signals. But it will also take drivers becoming safer, more aware drivers who legally follow traffic signals if we can avoid awful <a href="http://www.kctv5.com/news/25135115/detail.html">incidents like this one</a>. Integrating bicycle safety and rules on bicycles as part of driver's education courses may not be a bad idea in getting drivers to at least acknowledge sharing the road.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-76438495593609371732010-09-20T13:00:00.000-05:002010-09-27T15:46:02.101-05:00MARC Presentation on Sustainable Communities<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJfACJP2sMI/AAAAAAAAACw/vSe2eV3mNJo/s1600/61-%2BvMwbHXL._SCLZZZZZZZ_AA250_The-Natural-Step-for-Communities-How-Cities-and-Towns-can-Change-to-Sustainable-Practices.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJfACJP2sMI/AAAAAAAAACw/vSe2eV3mNJo/s200/61-%2BvMwbHXL._SCLZZZZZZZ_AA250_The-Natural-Step-for-Communities-How-Cities-and-Towns-can-Change-to-Sustainable-Practices.jpg" width="200" /></a>MARC continues its <a href="http://www.marc.org/Sustain/Leadership_Programs/Leadership_Series/index.asp">2010 Leadership Series</a> with a <a href="http://www.marc.org/Sustain/Leadership_Programs/2010/SustainCommunities.asp">presentation from Sarah James</a> a city planner and author of the book "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Natural-Step-Communities-Sustainable-Practices/dp/0865714916">The Natural Step of Communities: How Cities and Towns Can Change to Sustainable Practices</a>."<br /> <i> </i><br /><i>Participants will learn:</i><br /><blockquote><ul><li><i>What is and is not sustainable</i></li><li><i> Why a project-by-project approach is not enough</i></li><li><i>How broad participation in sustainable change makes a difference</i></li><li><i>How to bring about comprehensive community sustainability</i></li><li><i>Cost savings through sustainable development</i></li></ul></blockquote> James will speak Friday, October 8 from 8-10 a.m. at the Sylvester Powell Center in Mission, Kansas.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-80619397779620976602010-09-20T10:00:00.000-05:002010-09-27T15:46:02.110-05:00Kansas City Seeks Input on Street and Traffic PlansJust a reminder from <a href="http://letsgokc.com/archives/509">Let's Go KC</a>, that the city of Kansas City is seeking public input on its street and traffic plans.<br /><blockquote><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJPLo-uz4NI/AAAAAAAAACo/etil-zI103s/s1600/vfiles29151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJPLo-uz4NI/AAAAAAAAACo/etil-zI103s/s200/vfiles29151.jpg" width="200" /></a><strong>Stop by one of these open houses to voice your opinion, all from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.</strong><br />North Community Center on Monday, Sept. 20.<br />Tony Aguirre Community Center on Tuesday, Sept. 21.<br />Gregg/Klice Community Center on Wednesday, Sept. 29.<br />Line Creek Community Center on Thursday, Sept 30.<br />Marlborough Community Center on Tuesday, Oct. 5.<br />Hillcrest Community Center on Thursday, Oct. 7.</blockquote>walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-8388441432695948072010-09-17T14:00:00.000-05:002010-09-27T15:46:02.113-05:00The Pitch: KC's Bus Service is Pretty Lousy<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJPDa0RgUkI/AAAAAAAAACg/ibDXle_6f9U/s1600/seymour+green+150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJPDa0RgUkI/AAAAAAAAACg/ibDXle_6f9U/s1600/seymour+green+150.jpg" /></a>The Pitch steps up this week with a <a href="http://www.pitch.com/2010-09-16/news/kcata-bus-service-still-lousy/">pretty decent expose on how the city continues to raid the coffers of the Kansas City Area Transit Authority</a> to the tune of $5.4 million, over one-sixth of the tax revenues generated by the 0.5 percent sales tax that is supposed to be dedicated to public transit.<br /><blockquote><br /><i>By any name, it keeps growing. The city's 18.3-percent cut follows a pattern of steady increases. In the 2003-04 fiscal year, the city kept only 4.6 percent of the sales tax....</i><br /><br /><i>An accountant by training, Rogers has put together a spreadsheet indicating that the city has withheld $22 million from the ATA during the past eight years. </i></blockquote>We keep hearing how Kansas City should not build a light rail because people don't even use the bus system. Well people aren't going to use the bus system if its perpetually underfunded, inconvenient, and doesn't go everywhere riders need it to go.<br /><br />It also begs the question of whether the KCATA might be better of serving as its own political unit, raising its own funding through a sales tax where it can keep all of its revenues, and being the truly regional authority it needs to be for this to be a healthy metro area.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-22466646503194196922010-09-17T13:00:00.000-05:002010-09-27T15:46:02.116-05:00Public Transit Helps You Lose Weight<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJJhL-tBsZI/AAAAAAAAACY/53Pz6Eo_ZiU/s1600/fat_american_walking_dog_from_car-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="216" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJJhL-tBsZI/AAAAAAAAACY/53Pz6Eo_ZiU/s320/fat_american_walking_dog_from_car-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Its always been a theory among transit advocates that if you implement a successful transit line, a welcome effect is a healthier populace. Well now there is evidence to support that claim as seen in a <a href="http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/authored_newsitem.cws_home/companynews05_01573">study of the Charlotte, North Carolina metro area</a>. <br /><blockquote><i>Increasing the availability of public transit systems is one among a number of modifications to the built environment that offers opportunities for increasing physical activity and reducing the prevalence of obesity and its associated problems. In a study published in the August issue of the </i><i>American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University and the RAND Corporation found that construction of a light-rail system (LRT) resulted in increased physical activity (walking) and subsequent weight loss by people served by the LRT. These findings suggest that improving neighborhood environments and increasing the public's use of LRT systems could improve health outcomes and potentially impact millions of individuals.</i></blockquote>In this age of spiraling health care costs and and an alarming rise in obesity among younger generations, it makes sense for public policy to encourage people to get off their duff, walk out their door, and walk down the street.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-89311573089118424692010-09-16T15:00:00.000-05:002010-09-27T15:46:02.120-05:00How to Slow Down Streets For ChildrenBold. But I like it.<br /><br /><object height="289" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8r26AwT7PTM?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8r26AwT7PTM?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="289"></embed></object><br /><br />From the Canadian organization <a href="http://www.preventable.ca/">The Community Against Preventable Injuries</a>.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-17511871074130596402010-09-16T13:00:00.000-05:002010-09-27T15:46:02.123-05:00Park(ing) Day is September 17This Friday is <a href="http://parkingday.org/">Park(ing) Day</a> an "annual, worldwide event that inspires city dwellers everywhere to transform metered parking spots into temporary parks for the public good." Kansas Citians will be reclaiming parking areas at 11th and Grand downtown at various parking lots at UMKC, and at Independence Center and Independence Square in Independence.<br /><br />Here's a great video showing how a car-dominated area can be converted to a much more enjoyable people-dominated area.<br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/6853213?portrait=0&color=ffffff" width="400"></iframe><br /><a href="http://vimeo.com/6853213">PARK(ing) Day: User-Generated Urbanism</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/bloch">Brandon Bloch</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-57482838207518796412010-09-16T10:00:00.000-05:002010-09-27T15:46:02.126-05:00Walk-Friendly Communities Program<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJI6somoRMI/AAAAAAAAACQ/TZED4k66wbI/s1600/img-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TJI6somoRMI/AAAAAAAAACQ/TZED4k66wbI/s200/img-5.jpg" width="200" /></a> "<a href="http://www.walkfriendly.org/index.cfm">Walk Friendly Communities</a>" will be giving grants in November to communities that establish or recommit to a high priority for supporting safer walking environments. This is similar to the "<a href="http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bicyclefriendlyamerica/communities/">Bike Friendly Communities</a>" program which of course awards grants to communities that support safer biking environments. Our own <a href="http://www.bikeleague.org/blog/2010/09/bicycle-friendly-communities-announced/">Lee's Summit earned "honorable mention"</a> in the most recent award.<br /><br />This is a terrific program that Kansas City communities should be aggressively applying for. While receiving an award may take several applications, the process can still help communities guide their plans for developing more walkable, bike-friendly communities.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20676665378669954.post-44600082019974833102010-09-09T09:00:00.000-05:002010-09-27T15:46:02.130-05:00McPaper Trumpets Streetcar SuccessUSA Today recently brought attention to some of the success stories of the Portland Streetcar system, which not only generates manufacturing jobs here in the States, but also spurs economic development in formerly blighted areas.<br /><br /><blockquote><div class="inside-copy">In 2008, a study by the city found that Portland's streetcar system had generated $3.5 billion in investments and prompted construction of 10,212 housing units within two blocks of the line.</div><br /><div class="inside-copy">The Pearl District has had "a fraction" of the business closures experienced by other Portland neighborhoods during the recession, says Joshua Ryan, executive director of the Pearl District Business Association.</div><br />"It's the hottest place in the city," he says. "It's the safest district, the cleanest district. ... The benefits of streetcars have surpassed our expectations."</blockquote><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TIjjZK47kZI/AAAAAAAAAB4/xWgvPImQLp0/s1600/kc182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_f629Rago7gA/TIjjZK47kZI/AAAAAAAAAB4/xWgvPImQLp0/s320/kc182.jpg" /></a></div>Kansas City at one time had one of the most extensive streetcar systems in the United States, with lines even running as far as <a href="http://www.vintagekansascity.com/thisweekinkc/streetcars.html">Leavenworth, Olathe, Lawrence and St. Joseph</a>. The system was purchased and dismantled by General Motors so that people could buy their automobiles, and we have been without a rail system ever since. KCATA is currently studying the feasibility of a <a href="http://www.kcata.org/light_rail_max/kansas_ctiy_streetcar_concept/">River Market-Crown Center route for a streetcar</a>. <a href="http://urbanstl.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3162%3Aloop-trolley-lands-25m-in-federal-support&catid=5%3Atransportation&Itemid=11">St. Louis recently won federal funding for a downtown loop trolley</a>.<br /><br />Streetcars are a quaint, slow mode of transit that is nice for a neighborhood you are trying to slow down and improve walkability. For example, I think a streetcar would be wonderful at tying the Country Club Plaza with the Nelson-Atkins Museum, UMKC and Brookside. I'm not so sure it works as well as a major spine running through the heart of a city. If you want to travel from the River Market to Crown Center (and possibly onto the Plaza), you will want something that is at least competitive, if not faster than an automobile. With a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_rail">top speed of about 30 mph</a>, I'm not sure a streetcar will be that competitive mode of transportation.walkkchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13125261674393629701noreply@blogger.com0