The path to our sustainable future

Green parking decks surely ain't it.

The seven-level, $40 million deck, which opened at the beginning of the year, is not just green philosophically. It’s green, literally.

The garage’s three entrances feature “green walls,” tufts of vertically growing euonymus shrubs kept vibrant by a built-in drip-irrigation system.

The walls help to reduce “reflexive heat, the warmth that bounces off buildings,” Willis said.

And although its specific sustainability benefits aren’t great, acknowledged Paul Manning, director of project management, “it softens the whole feeling of a parking garage and it does have an aesthetic benefit. It’s a lot better than a big neon sign saying ‘entrance.’”

Continue reading The path to our sustainable future

Livable streets

Great, informative video from Streetsblog via KdN.

Continue reading Livable streets

Bikes

City of Durham is trumpeting that we were named a bike friendly city at the Bronze level by the League of American Bicyclists.

My first reaction was that i must be living on the wrong side of town, because i felt far safer cycling in Brooklyn than i ever did in Durham. But i've been chatting with a few of my friends and they tell me that things are definitely getting better on the roads for cyclists, and this designation is well deserved.

So keep up the good work, and share the road, OK?

UPDATE: One of my grouchy friends agrees with my original thoughts, via FB:

It is nice to see slightly more people cycling in Durham, but someone has been hitting the pipe a little too hard if they think Durham is worthy of award and recognition on this front.

Continue reading Bikes

This made my day

From the folks at Triangle Business Journal, a searchable database of motor vehicle accident* locations in the Triangle between 2007 and 2009, based on data provided by NCDOT.

The database does not include information about injuries, fatalities, damages, etc., and appears to only include vehicle/vehicle interactions, not vehicle/pedestrian.

Here's the data for Roxboro St.

If you don't want to follow the link, here's some tidbits.

Club & Roxboro - 116
I-85 & Roxboro - 93
I-85 & Avondale - 63
Avondale & Foushee - 63
Avondale & Roxboro - 61
Roxboro & Roxboro - 24 (Yeah, i don't know where that is either.)
Avondale & Markham - 24
Markham & Roxboro - 20
I-85B & Roxboro - 17
I-85B & Avondale - 15
Avondale & Camden - 13
Avondale & Avondale - 10

If you're keeping track, that's a total of 519 reported motor vehicle accidents over a 3 year period, just in this section of the map. I chose it not only because i live pretty much in the middle of this mess, but because, around 4 or 5 years ago, NCDOT finished their "improvements" of the I-85 corridor, including "upgrades" to Roxboro and Avondale. (If you head further north up Roxboro, say as far as Infinity, add a couple of hundred more wrecks to the list at various intersections.) It's also the part of the city where i spend the most time on foot, with the least feeling of safety. Speed limits of 35 mph, already too high for residential & retail streets, are routinely ignored. 80th percentile speeds are well above 40, and speeds over 50 were clocked every hour of every day when we've had the radar counter out. A high speed of over 90 was recorded on Avondale near Camden a couple of years ago.

To put things in perspective, 3 of the top 4 intersections for wrecks in Durham County are on Roxboro St., and all 5 of the I-85 interchanges in town (Avondale, Roxboro, Duke, Geuss & Hillandale) make the top 20. Only 3 of the I-40 interchanges are in the top 20, despite I-40 carrying much more traffic than I-85, although I-40 and Fayetteville is the worst intersection in Durham in absolute numbers. I'd like to see the traffic volume counts for that intersection (138 collisions) compared to Club and Roxboro with 116 collisions. I suspect Fayetteville at 1-40 carries twice as many vehicles per day as Roxboro at Club/Foushee/I-85.

I wonder which of our city leaders has looked at the article, and what, if any, policy changes might come from this data? Better enforcement of traffic laws, perhaps? Some transit decisions to reduce the volume of traffic along the length of Roxboro to make it safer and more pedestrian friendly? Or just a shoulder shrug, same old same old, and hope for the best?

=====================
* I'm not a big fan of the term "accident" when it comes to motor vehicle collisions. Most of the time, there's something preventable that took place, whether it's speeding, driving while distracted, driving while impaired, or general stupidity behind the wheel of a 3000 pound machine moving at 40 mph or faster.

h/t to Durham/Orange Friends of Transit

Continue reading This made my day

Durham Central Market news

Got some news over the past few days that the Durham Central Market, a new co-op attempting to get off the ground in town, has settled on a location. (I'm an owner/founding member/whatever you call it of the market, but not at all involved in any decision making aspect.)

The new site is at the corner of Mangum and Broadway, a currently vacant lot just south of Little Five Points.

I'm pretty happy about this location, because it's just on the edge of walking distance from my house (1.1 miles), and a much more pleasant walk (especially after the city finishes its planned sidewalk construction in my 'hood over the next year or so) than the shorter walk under the freeway to Compare Foods.

But a couple of thoughts occur. First, how much parking is the Planning Department going to require for a grocery store at that location? I hope the co-op asks for a waiver from whatever number the city and county come up with, and make an attempt to minimize the parking lot footprint on the site.

Second, Mangum is a one-way street. Manageable in a car, but for patrons who live north of the site, and want to use public transportation, you're either stuck heading home with your grocery bags via the downtown terminal, or schlepping your bags a couple of footbal fields over to Roxboro and Dowd. You'd hope that one of the advantages of locating a grocery store in this part of town is that it would give those residents who don't drive a more convenient option than a taxi to Kroger or Compare. But for some of our elderly residents, this is still going to be problematic.

Hopefully, the Market folks will add their names to the growing list of people who think converting Mangum and Roxboro back to two way streets makes sense.

Continue reading Durham Central Market news

The awesome power of Dependable Erection

One of my absolute favorite things to whine about the past few years has been the patch of curbside mud on Avondale Drive that serves as my nearest bus stop. Since the bus doesn't really go anywhere that i need it to, i never take it, but there's usually a couple of people waiting for a ride downtown in the morning, standing in the mud or the hot sun, or sitting on the trash can.

I've made several requests over the years to have a shelter installed there.

What a surprise to come home to from the recent road trip:

I think it's worth celebrating myself.

Continue reading The awesome power of Dependable Erection

Good transportation news

City press release:

To put more focus on transportation and transit issues facing Durham and the Triangle region, Durham City Manager Tom Bonfield has announced the creation of a new Department of Transportation for the City of Durham to be headed by long-time transportation manager, Mark Ahrendsen.

Mark's one of the good guys in city government. I'm looking forward to seeing some real movement on transportation issues now that it's a separate department.

Continue reading Good transportation news

Feasibility

I'm polishing my journalism cred by reprinting this press release from the city.

What: Downtown Durham Loop Two-Way Traffic Feasibility Study



Who: City of Durham Department of Public Works, Transportation and Engineering Divisions



When: Thursday, October 15, 2009, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.



Where: Durham City Hall

Committee Room, Second Floor

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, N.C. 27701



Fast Facts:

* The City’s Department of Public Works is ready to present conceptual designs showing two alternatives for converting the downtown loop into two-way traffic. This workshop is in direct response to the growing interest to convert the streets that comprise the “downtown loop” (Roxboro Street, Morgan Street, Great Jones Street, and Ramseur Street) from one-way to two-way traffic to improve vehicular access to the downtown core and potentially facilitate economic redevelopment.



* During the past 12 months, Kimley-Horn has been working with the Transportation and Engineering Divisions of the City’s Department of Public Works on the feasibility study for converting these downtown streets to two-way traffic operation. Kimley-Horn studied the existing and projected year 2025 traffic conditions and has developed functional roadway/pavement marking plans for two conversion alternatives.



* City staff will be on hand to discuss the project, present the conceptual designs, answer questions, and take note of any comments and concerns at this early phase in the project.



* Additional information, including project maps of the proposed two-way conversion alternatives, is available on the City’s Web site at www.durhamnc.gov/departments/works/2_way_traffic_study.cfm.



* For additional information or to submit comments on the conceptual designs, contact Tim Jackson, project manager with the City’s Department of Public Works, at (919) 560-4326, ext. 30255 or via e-mail at Tim.Jackson@durhamnc.gov.



* The City will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in this information meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Jackson as early as possible so that arrangements can be made accordingly.
===================

Neighborhood, bike, and pedestrian listservs are already urging people to attend the session to weigh in on the need for the city to make this project one that serves other needs than improving "improve vehicular access to the downtown core."

Looks to me like once this is done, making Roxboro and Mangum two way between downtown and I-85 is not only easy, but pretty much a necessity.

Continue reading Feasibility

The problem

. . . when he is a passenger in a car, it makes him nervous when the driver starts talking on the phone. But Mr. Hill, who is polite and deferential, said he doesn’t want to badger drivers about the risks.

“I hope they don’t have to go through what I did to realize it’s a problem,” he added.

Emphasis mine.

Earlier in the article, we discover what Mr Hill went through. And that was a red light. At 45 mph.

The result of which is that a woman died.

But of course, it's what he went through, pleading guilty to negligent homicide ( misdemeanor), that's the real problem here.

The 61 year old woman he killed is, of course, just as dead as if she had been killed by some gun-toting gang banger.

And even worse?

The states that rejected any efforts to limit distracted driving this year include Oklahoma.

“I’m on the phone from when I leave the Capitol to when I get home, and that’s a two-hour drive,” said Tad Jones, the majority floor leader in the Oklahoma House, who helped block the legislation. “A lot of people who travel are used to using the phone.”

Fuck you, Tad Jones. On behalf of the 2600 Americans who died in traffic accidents caused by "distracted driving" last year.

Continue reading The problem

Remembering Bruce Rosar

From DD on the Durham Bike and Ped list:

But for now, I would suggest promoting two things Bruce was passionate about. First, follow the rules of the road to stay as safe as possible. Second, join and support the newly formed statewide advocacy group that Bruce was instrumental in starting and served on the board of: NC Active Transportation Alliance. Go to www.ncactive.org and you'll find where to send a check, or, even easier, how to join using PayPal. I'm not sure how many members they have now, but I know it's on the low side because they're just getting started. Let's change that.

If you're on another list, feel fee to cross-post this, so everyone knows about the NC ATA and Bruce's involvement with it.

Continue reading Remembering Bruce Rosar

Local bicycle advocate killed on the road

Just, well, fuck.

A well-known biking enthusiast died Saturday after a collision with a car at the intersection of South Salem Street and Apex Peakway, Apex police said.

Bruce Rosar, 56, of Cary, has been bicycling in the Triangle area for years, serving as director of the N.C. Active Transportation Alliance and founding member of numerous other organizations, according to his Web site.

Rosar and a Honda passenger car were traveling along South Salem Street when the accident happened just before noon Saturday, said Capt. Ann Stephens of the Apex Police Department.

UPDATE: There are a number of stories published in local media on Bruce's death. I keep coming back to this at the WRAL site:

Police Capt. Ann Stephens said a preliminary investigation shows the vehicle was traveling south on Salem Street and the bicycle was going north on Salem Street. The cyclist turned left toward the Apex Peakway and crossed into the path of the vehicle.

Stephens said the vehicle involved in the wreck stopped at the scene.

"The guy (driving the vehicle) didn't even have a chance to react. It was like instantaneous. He just went 'boom' and hit the car," witness Peter Schenck said.

Which just seems so unlikely, given Bruce Rosar's credentials as a bicycle safety instructor. But i suppose we'll learn more in the fullness of time.

Meanwhile, though, this really pisses me off:

In recent weeks, the police department has recorded an increase number in cyclists in the area. Police have also seen more complaints from motorists that cyclists are not following the rules of the road, Stephens said.

In the past month, Stephens said, police have started a campaign to make cyclists aware of the dangers on the road and remind them that they are required by law to follow the same rules of the road as motorists.

Emphasis mine.

Given that bicycle/motor vehicle interactions almost always end badly for the bicyclist, what are the police doing to remind motorists that bicycles have as much right to the road as anyone else?

(Note - i've changed the title of the story to something a little more appropriate, after a night's sleep.)

Continue reading Local bicycle advocate killed on the road

My new favorite bus stop

Long time readers will note that i occasionally post photos of some of the less attractive bus stops on the DATA system. I'd really like to do more of that, but the day job keeps getting in the way.

The two stops in the 1800 block of Avondale drive have been regular features here, mostly because they're the ones closest to my house that, if i used the bus, i'd end up spending a good portion of my day at. Fortunately for me, i am not one of those many Durham residents with no other options, because those bus stops are, quite frankly, degrading.

Last Friday afternoon, i was part of a team of 5 volunteers and two city officials conduction a ComNET survey of Avondale Drive. We found a number of items (graffiti, busted storm drains) that should be pretty easy to take care of, and some code violations that the city hasn't shown a lot of interest in enforcing in the past. In the past 7 years, i've probably walked up and down this stretch of Avondale Drive 50, maybe 75 times. And i've never noticed the mid-block bus stop, between the day care center and the first private house on the west side of the street. It turns out that, as the crow flies, this bus stop is even closer to my house than the ones down the hill. But i'd have to wade through the creek and cross a couple of back yards to get there, so i'll take my chances elsewhere, thanks.


It provides a full 1 square foot of clay to stand on while you're waiting for the bus, with little or no safe pedestrian access to either get to the stop, or cross the street once you've exited the bus. And a healthy helping of poison ivy (highlighted in yellow) while you wait.

I doubt that bus riders are terribly visible while they're waiting here.


This last picture requires some explanation. On this side of the street, the bus is heading downtown. so it's destination is the new transfer station, not Durham Regional Hospital. In fact, if you board the number 9 bus thinking that you're going to Durham Regional Hospital, you're in for a surprise when you get to the transfer station: "Note: Route 9 is connected to Route 11. When the bus arrives into the Downtown Transfer Facility from Route 9, it will depart and serve Route 11, Duke University and Hillsborough Road."

So not only is this bus not heading towards DRH, you're going to have to transfer to get to DRH once you get downtown.

So while we're all patting ourselves on the back that US News & World Report thinks our greenways make us one of the top 10 places to live, spare a thought for those Durhamites who have to rely on public transportation to get to their jobs, the grocery store, or the emergency room. This is what we offer those who have no choice.

Continue reading My new favorite bus stop

Bus shelter update

My request for bus shelters at the stops in the 1800 block of Avondale Drive has been forwarded from Durham One-Call to DATA.

Given that it's a holiday weekend, i'm going to wait until Tuesday morning to followup with my DATA contact. Stay tuned.

Continue reading Bus shelter update

Another small step

Last week i was surprised to see this little line in the minutes from the most recent PAC 2 (Partners Against Crime - District 2) meeting:

"Question of whom to call for having a covered shelter installed at a Bus Stop. This is Durham One call – 560-1200."

I've occasionally posted pictures of some of Durham's neglected bus stops, and Lord knows there's a lot of them.
Somewhere between 80 and 90% of all the bus stops in Durham lack shelters or benches. Partially because it's convenient, but also because they are fairly well used and both unsafe and unsightly, i've kind of adopted the bus stops in the 1800 block of Avondale Drive.

Seriously? This is all you need to do to get a covered shelter installed at a bus stop?

I'm going to try this out immediately for the bus stops on Avondale Drive and let everyone know how it works.

That's what i posted back to the PAC2 list. I called One-Call and requested bus shelters for the Avondale Drive bus stops on Friday. I didn't get a tracking number for the request, because the operator wasn't sure how to process it, bu i expect to hear back soon, because of this announcement by Councilman Woodard to the last on Monday night:

I'm pleased to report that the City will [use] ARRA (stimulus) funds to provide 20 new bus shelters with solar lights, 20 new bus benches, and more trash cans at bus stops. I don't have the exact locations right now.

None of the elaborate plans for light rail and other mass transit will work until we enhance our bus service and make it transportation of choice, not just chance. Some of us--elected and appointed officials--are working hard to make that happen.

Twenty's a small step in the right direction; and since we can't count on stimulus funds every year, we're going to need to figure out another source of funding to move this project along in subsequent years. But the notion that we need to make bus service the "transportation of choice, not just chance" is especially welcome.

Continue reading Another small step

Good news for pedestrians

From the City:

The long-awaited demolition and replacement of the pedestrian bridge at Alston Avenue will begin later this month and motorists are asked to take note of planned overnight traffic detours on NC 147.



Beginning May 26 and lasting approximately two weeks, the City’s contractor, S.T. Wooten Corporation, will begin their first road closure of NC 147. Traffic will be rerouted using Briggs and Alston Avenues as detours from 11 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. as crews complete the demolition of the old pedestrian bridge structure.



After demolition is complete and the new bridge span arrives, crews will again close NC 147 during these same hours and using these same detour routes for the duration of setting the new bridge span into place. An announcement regarding the second closure will be provided to the public once this date is set.

I think i blogged about this when the design was first unveiled around 3 years ago, but i'm too lazy to check. Here's a picture.

For an interesting read, click here, and check out the section called "Background."

Continue reading Good news for pedestrians

Noted with interest

NYTimes:

The idea seems to cut against the very grain of New York: to transform much of the city’s most storied avenue, Broadway, from a river of blaring cars, trucks and taxis into a planter-lined oasis for pedestrians, bicyclists and picnickers.

But on Thursday, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg unveiled a plan to do just that: Vehicles would be barred entirely from Broadway at public plazas in Times Square and Herald Square, and would share the thoroughfare with a bike lane and a promenade along the rest of the stretch from 59th Street to a new plaza at 23rd Street.

The city plans to start making the changes in late May, and more alterations are possible in the future.

Mr. Bloomberg said the plan would relieve traffic congestion and make more room for pedestrians, enhancing some of the city’s most popular public spaces. But it could also change the very nature of some of Manhattan’s busiest and most famous areas, including the theater district, Times Square, the fashion district and Macy’s front stoop.

“People avoid Times Square because the traffic is so terrible and people are getting pushed out into the streets — the sidewalks can’t handle it,” Mr. Bloomberg said at a news conference in a restaurant at the Marriott Marquis, a hotel overlooking Times Square, where a giant image of the rock star Ozzy Osbourne flashed behind him on an electronic billboard.

“People don’t come to look at cars stuck in traffic,” the mayor said. “They come to look at the lights, the buildings and the excitement, and this is going to have a lot more of it.”

I can only assume that having had his plan for congestion pricing in Manhattan thwarted, the Mayor has decided to make driving on the avenues such a challenge that nobody will want to do it anymore. Good luck to him.

Continue reading Noted with interest

Welcoming the 21st Century

N&O:

Zipcar, which is described as the world's largest car-sharing company, has arrived on the Duke University campus.

Four self-service vehicles are available for rent on Duke's West Campus: two hybrid Toyota Priuses and two Toyota Matrixes.

Chuck Catotti, director of event management at Duke, said the "green" aspects of the program give people who want to reduce their carbon footprint more transportation choices.

"When you talk to people about why they can't consider alternative transportation, people often have lots of reasons," said Catotti, who oversees parking and transportation services. "This is one of the ways that help lower the barriers for being able to participate in alternative transportation."

Maybe they'll be successful enough to expand the service to the rest of Durham? Zipcar or one of their competitors combined with a more functional bus system (and sidewalks!) would make Durham a much happier place to get around in. Although why Duke's Zipcar rates are higher than, say, Philadelphia, is a little confusing. Must be that competition thing.

Continue reading Welcoming the 21st Century

Maybe you could upgrade the bus stops while you're at it?

DATA officials said that if Congress makes the money available, they could use $32.5 million to expand public transit service in the city.

The system's wish list includes $9.1 million to buy more buses, $7.5 million to pay for three years' worth of fare-free service and $4.2 million in support for a proposed downtown circulator route.

Officials also told DOT they could put $10.2 million into Durham Access, the city van service for disabled and elderly residents. Some would go to buying more vans, but the bulk of the money would subsidize expanded operations.

Seriously, isn't spending money on improving conditions that bus riders have to deal with more important than going to a fare-free system? Can't we work with employers to develop tax breaks for subsidizing bus fares, and spend capital on, you know, capital improvements?
This is a typical Durham bus stop. It practically screams "Don't take the bus unless you have absolutely no other choice." If you treat your bus riders like dirt, so what if you give them free service?

Continue reading Maybe you could upgrade the bus stops while you're at it?

Didn't see that coming

We need more parking decks in Durham!

New research illustrates the health benefits of regular biking, walking or taking public transportation to work, school or shopping. Researchers found a link between "active transportation" and less obesity in 17 industrialized countries across Europe, North America and Australia.

"Countries with the highest levels of active transportation generally had the lowest obesity rates," authors David Bassett of the University of Tennessee and John Pucher of Rutgers University conclude.

Americans, with the highest rate of obesity, were the least likely to walk, cycle or take mass transit, according to the study in a recent issue of the Journal of Physical Activity and Health. The study relied on each country's own travel and health data.

Only 12 percent use active transportation in the United States — 9 percent walk, 1 percent ride a bike and 2 percent take a bus or train — while a quarter to a third are obese, the study said.

Continue reading Didn't see that coming

Noticed around town

Forget that post i made last week about gas prices going up. Clearly a temporary aberration. Gas is in the $1.60s most places.

Hooray for the recession!

Also noted - a Zip Car in downtown Durham on Friday afternoon. Must be one of those UNC folks. I put Durham at 3 years minimum before we get Zip Cars or one of their competitors in town, more likely 5 or 6.

Continue reading Noticed around town