Notices by Brent Toderian (brenttoderian@mastodon.online), page 2

One of the most successful pedestrian streets in the world, the Strøget in Copenhagen was filled with cars until a 2 year pilot project in 1962. The opposition argued “no cars means no business” but the street has been a massive retail success, the city’s busiest shopping street.

“Even if autonomous vehicles eventually work perfectly — an enormous ‘if’ — they are likely to increase total emissions and crash deaths, simply because people will use them so much.” Good explanation of #JevonsParadox by ⁦@davidzipper⁩ in @verge.
https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/2/24232386/self-driving-car-jevons-paradox-robotaxi-waymo-cruise

STUDY: Researchers estimated that 730K people a year in the US lose their ability to live independently due to traffic pollution. This was approximately 15% of the total # who lost their independence, at an annual cost of $11.7bn (£9bn).
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/12/lower-air-pollution-may-help-preserve-older-peoples-independence-study

“One mile on a bike is a $.42 economic gain to society, one mile driving is a $.20 loss.”

“Which means that Copenhagen, a city of 1.2 million people, saves $357 million a year on health costs because something like 80% of its population commutes by bicycle, even in winter.”
https://grist.org/biking/one-mile-on-a-bike-is-a-42-economic-gain-to-society-one-mile-driving-is-a-20-loss/

A new NASA map shows temperatures of up to 160 degrees on Phoenix streets and sidewalks. All that unrelenting concrete and asphalt for cars. Not nearly enough trees. They start with ridiculous heat that’s only getting worse, and then make it much worse with bad design.
https://www.kjzz.org/news/2024-07-05/nasa-map-shows-temperatures-up-to-160-degrees-on-phoenix-streets-sidewalks

BIG NEWS: Montreal has become the largest North American city to eliminate mandatory parking space minimums for residential & commercial projects. The city’s new 2050 Urban Planning and Mobility Plan revealed the move, which apparently is in effect now.
https://cultmtl.com/2024/06/montreal-becomes-largest-north-american-city-to-eliminate-mandatory-minimum-parking-spots/

“Nearly 2,000 children under five are dying every day from air pollution, which has overtaken poor sanitation and a lack of clean water to become the second biggest health risk factor for young children around the world.

More than 8 million deaths, of children and adults, were caused by air pollution in 2021.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jun/18/almost-2000-children-die-every-day-from-air-pollution-report-finds

“Currently about 2/3rds of all Dutch children walk or bike to school, with 75% of secondary school kids cycling to school. By enabling safe and active travel, #Dutch cities prevent an estimated one million car journeys to school each morning.” — @modacitylife in #CurbingTraffic

A 5 yr Belgian study showed the BIG impact of increasing vehicle weight on road deaths & injuries. When a person on a bike or walking is hit by a pick-up, the risk of serious injury increases by 90% compared to a car. The risk of death goes up by 200%.
https://www.vias.be/fr/newsroom/des-voitures-plus-lourdes-plus-hautes-et-plus-puissantes-pour-une-securite-routiere-a-deux-vitesses-/

READ: Barcelona has a plan to create a city-wide network of quieter streets that are easier and safer to travel on foot or by bike. Instead of bumper-to-bumper cars, streets will be lined with trees, play parks, bike-lanes, benches and green people places.
https://www.politico.eu/article/barcelona-green-spaces-mental-health-superblocks-eixos-verds/

Just a reminder that while some cities are still debating whether to transforming a few blocks of 1 or 2 streets into places for people, this year Montreal is transforming 11 such streets across 7 neighbourhoods, equalling 9+kms, from car spaces to people places.
https://www.mtl.org/en/experience/stepping-montreal-pedestrian-only-streets

This Vienna street isn’t “closed” because cars have been removed. It has successfully been “opened” to everything else, to a diverse and invigorated civic life, because cars have been replaced by a multitude of wonderful things.

Language matters.

HT @dmoser for pic
#urbanism #OpenStreets #Vienna

“They cut speed limits, changed street design, removed space for cars…Now it appears that work is paying off. #Oslo and #Helsinki are reaping the rewards of committed action on making their roads safer, reducing pedestrian fatalities to zero last year.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/16/how-helsinki-and-oslo-cut-pedestrian-deaths-to-zero

REMINDER: Paris has released a new 5-Year Pedestrian Plan!
- 300 million € to be invested by 2026
- 100 new hectares of pedestrian space
- 100 more “streets for kids”
- Focus on 0 pedestrian deaths #VisionZero
- Longer pedestrian cross times geared to seniors
HT @david_belliard

Never forget, a 13-year study found that protected bike-lanes led to a drastic decline in fatalities for all road users.

ALL ROAD USERS.

And painted bike-lanes? No safety improvement at all. For sharrows, it’s safer to NOT have them.

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/05/29/protect-yourself-separated-bike-lanes-means-safer-streets-study-says

"Adding highway lanes to deal with traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to cure obesity." - Lewis Mumford in 1955.

We’ve known this for a LONG time, but we’ve put massive energy, money, space, and time into pretending we don’t know it.
#InducedDemand #lawofcongestion

This part of the Strand in London used to be a congested road for cars. Now it’s a magnetic place for people.

Good trade.

It can feel hard to muster the vision and leadership needed for smart urban change. But it pays off with a better city. Gorgeous pic by @livinglondonhis

The bank of the Seine in Paris. This used to be surrendered space for cars. For several years now it’s been a special place for people. All it took was leadership. Including fighting and winning a court battle when that leadership was challenged. HT @EmmanuelSPV for the great pic.

LISTEN: Paris’ BOLD bike-centric new climate action plan, profiled by Australian national radio hosted by the exceptional @greenj in this NEW interview with me. Deep dive into the Paris bike transformation, new public places, 15-Minute Cities and hosting the Olympic Games!
https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/blueprintforliving/blueprint-paris-bike-centric-new-climate-plan/103586688

READ: “Policies to help people walk & cycle such as low-traffic neighbourhoods can create public health benefits as much as 100 times greater than the cost of the schemes, a long-term study has concluded.” AND the benefits continue to grow even higher over time.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/08/health-gains-of-low-traffic-schemes-up-to-100-times-greater-than-costs-study-finds