A policy that encourages cars to keep moving privileges cars at the expense of pedestrians and bicyclists. Since drivers, for the most part, already believe that they have priority on the road, in places where there are many more walkers and bicyclists, drivers able to drive more quickly because of fewer impediments would likely feel [...]
Tag Archives: Culture
$55 million Maplecrest extension approved
by Jon Swerens on June 24, 2008, in Culture, Transportation
I honestly want to hear John Kalb‘s view on this project: Less than a week after a majority of members expressed serious doubts about the project, Allen County Council on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the extension of Maplecrest Road from Lake Avenue south to Adams Center Road. The 6-1 vote in favor of a $25 million [...]
Come, let us rezone together
by Jon Swerens on June 24, 2008, in Downtown, Urbanism
I’m completely ripping off The News-Sentinel’s headline above, but it’s too good not to. (BTW: Great headline, Caleb!) In his column today, Kevin Leininger comments on the proposed rezoning of 633 properties in a “downtown edge” zone. On paper, perhaps, the proposed changes — intended to codify earlier downtown improvements plans — don’t seem all [...]
The stubborn neighbor
by Jon Swerens on June 20, 2008, in Culture, Neighborhoods
You’ve heard of the woman who lived in this house, haven’t you? Here’s the lead to the story in the Seattle P-I: Edith Macefield died at home, just the way she wanted. The Ballard (Wash.) woman who captured hearts and admirers around the world when she stubbornly turned down $1 million to sell her home [...]
‘Is America’s suburban dream collapsing into a nightmare?’
by Jon Swerens on June 20, 2008, in Culture, Neighborhoods, Urbanism
The above is the provocative headline on a story on cnn.com. After some description of the foreclosures in suburbia, the story focuses on the shifting attitudes of homeowners. “The American dream is absolutely changing,” (Christopher Leinberger, an urban planning professor at the University of Michigan and visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution,) told CNN. This [...]
Bacteria that eat waste and poop petroleum
by Jon Swerens on June 19, 2008, in Culture, Transportation, Urbanism
What in the world? We’re talking about the genetic alteration of bugs — very, very small ones — so that when they feed on agricultural waste such as woodchips or wheat straw, they do something extraordinary. They excrete crude oil. Unbelievably, this is not science fiction. Mr Pal holds up a small beaker of bug [...]
“WHO-O-O is it?”
by Jon Swerens on April 26, 2008, in Community, Philosophy
After seeing the title of this post and the video grab above, did you involuntarily say to yourself, in a tough New Yawk accent, “It’s the plumber. I’ve come to fix the sink”? If you did, then you are the reason for this blog post. In case you don’t know, the above picture is from [...]
10 reasons cities are works of art
by Jon Swerens on April 25, 2008, in City culture, Downtown, Urbanism
The Work Research Foundation‘s Comment magazine published a little point of view piece called “Public Arts in the City: with reference to Chicago.” Not only does the author — Clinton Stockwell, the executive director of the Chicago Semester — give ten positive reasons for considering cities as works of art, he peppers his short essay [...]
Politics can’t save urbanism
by Jon Swerens on April 23, 2008, in Architecture, City culture, Urbanism
Yesterday, I pointed to this article at City Journal about how New Urbanism may have changed the conversation about urban planning, but it hasn’t changed the culture. The article points out how many New Urbanists have grabbed on to the “climate change” movement, hoping its momentum will bring its “community-building ethos into the mainstream.” And [...]
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