Thursday, February 13, 2014
Overloaded Bikes in China's Cities
I studied abroad in China a few summers ago, and one thing that always astounded me was how people managed to travel miles across the city carting an incredible amount of people or cargo on a bicycle. You cannot fathom how frequently you see people like those in the photographs in the link below attempting to dart in and out of chaotic traffic at what are really pretty impressive speeds considering the loads they carry. After seeing this, it makes me pretty committed to biking as a method of transportation, because if these people can carry as much as they do, I feel like I can handle a bag of groceries or two for a couple miles.
World's Worst Public Transit
I came across this the other day, and while it's far from scientific, it is a reminder that even on the worst of days, even in the least public-transit friendly of America's large cities, it still could be worse.
Furthermore, I think it provided a nice summary of some transit systems with which I was not familiar. I also thought it rather interesting how there are some common problem themes with the major complaints people had about transit systems, those being:
1. Doesn't run far enough out or connect to destination locations
2. Doesn't have extensive hours
3. Problems with drivers or bureaucracy
This contrast the international systems highlighted, most of which seem to have problems with excessive crowds and unsafe systems.
Above all else, this article just made me really nostalgic and thankful for the Chicago L system.
Monday, February 3, 2014
Atlanta Shuts Down
I realize I'm a little late in posting this before the blog discussion day tomorrow, but I want to talk about the problems that Atlanta has recently faced with the inclement weather. Since Atlanta has a pretty sprawling metropolis and cars are a primary method of transportation without a mass transit system, the city has been hit especially hard by the recent winter weather. Here is an article detailing some of the problems:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/30/us/atlanta-ice-how-it-happened/
I thought it was interesting to note that perhaps if the mayor had more say-so some of the problems could have been avoided. Personally, I still am a bit confused as to how exactly two inches of snow could cause as much strife as it did in this instance, even in the south. However, as is implied in this article, better communication or organization could only help.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/30/us/atlanta-ice-how-it-happened/
I thought it was interesting to note that perhaps if the mayor had more say-so some of the problems could have been avoided. Personally, I still am a bit confused as to how exactly two inches of snow could cause as much strife as it did in this instance, even in the south. However, as is implied in this article, better communication or organization could only help.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
San Francisco's MUNI Problems
So, I'm going to start off with the disclaimer that I have never taken a course or really studied transportation or land use. That being said, I think it's quite interesting, but what I know as of right now is generally based on personal experience or the occasional reading I've done on urban planning.
For this blog, I think I'm going to focus on issues, articles, or commentary about various means of transport in very urban areas. I find public transportation and the benefits and problems with which it walks hand-in-hand to be interesting. I have lived in multiple large cities across the US, and the public transportation (or sometimes lack thereof) is something often noted and discussed by almost everyone within the general public.
Today, I'm going to comment on an article I read about San Francisco's MUNI system. The article I read can be found here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/28/muni-delays_n_3348793.html
Basically, the report comments on how the MUNI has a tremendously negative impact on the economy and wastes the time of countless commuters. It was actually published back in May, but as someone who was in San Francisco for almost four months this summer, I'm going to say the points they made are probably just as relevant now.
I took the MUNI to and from work almost every day. I lived in the Haight and had to commute to a pier on the eastern bay of the city, which is about a 3.5 or 4 mile commute. In total, between riding the bus and the walk from my stop to my office, my commute was 45 minutes. While I accepted it for what it was, it is a bit astounding. On occasion I would walk to or from work, and I could accomplish that in just over an hour. Now, the great cause for such a cumbersome commute via public transit I think is due to the high traffic volumes and high density of people, the very frequent stops of the buses, and the fact that buses must weave in and out of lanes around cars at times. It's a bit daunting really.
However, the regular delay of MUNI buses is one problem that, if it could be resolved, I think would save substantial time. I know personally my commute could have been up to 6 or 7 minutes shorter most days if the MUNI were to be more punctual. Many days one or more buses would catch up with ones ahead of them. San Francisco's MUNI system has not been substantially updated in some time, so I hope that perhaps through examining stop placement, or having fewer buses all convene at the same intersection on Market Street, or changing the routes such that for some the buses do not visibly and audibly struggle on the steepest of slopes and slow down commutes, some of the severe delays could be better prevented or avoided.
For this blog, I think I'm going to focus on issues, articles, or commentary about various means of transport in very urban areas. I find public transportation and the benefits and problems with which it walks hand-in-hand to be interesting. I have lived in multiple large cities across the US, and the public transportation (or sometimes lack thereof) is something often noted and discussed by almost everyone within the general public.
Today, I'm going to comment on an article I read about San Francisco's MUNI system. The article I read can be found here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/28/muni-delays_n_3348793.html
Basically, the report comments on how the MUNI has a tremendously negative impact on the economy and wastes the time of countless commuters. It was actually published back in May, but as someone who was in San Francisco for almost four months this summer, I'm going to say the points they made are probably just as relevant now.
I took the MUNI to and from work almost every day. I lived in the Haight and had to commute to a pier on the eastern bay of the city, which is about a 3.5 or 4 mile commute. In total, between riding the bus and the walk from my stop to my office, my commute was 45 minutes. While I accepted it for what it was, it is a bit astounding. On occasion I would walk to or from work, and I could accomplish that in just over an hour. Now, the great cause for such a cumbersome commute via public transit I think is due to the high traffic volumes and high density of people, the very frequent stops of the buses, and the fact that buses must weave in and out of lanes around cars at times. It's a bit daunting really.
However, the regular delay of MUNI buses is one problem that, if it could be resolved, I think would save substantial time. I know personally my commute could have been up to 6 or 7 minutes shorter most days if the MUNI were to be more punctual. Many days one or more buses would catch up with ones ahead of them. San Francisco's MUNI system has not been substantially updated in some time, so I hope that perhaps through examining stop placement, or having fewer buses all convene at the same intersection on Market Street, or changing the routes such that for some the buses do not visibly and audibly struggle on the steepest of slopes and slow down commutes, some of the severe delays could be better prevented or avoided.
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