tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post2306424498666202422..comments2024-02-01T04:37:41.878-05:00Comments on Cap'n Transit Rides Again: There are worse things than congestionCap'n Transithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-70761716047441263082012-11-03T01:13:23.443-04:002012-11-03T01:13:23.443-04:00I'm not familiar with London. However, I'm...I'm not familiar with London. However, I'm more familiar with Hong Kong, which uses much of the same traffic control methods as the UK (roundabouts, Z-crossings, beg buttons, pedestrian railings) a lot more frequently, and which uses pedestrian overpasses and underpasses very frequently as well.<br /><br />The one positive thing I had to say about the whole thing has to do with the beg buttons. I don't quite like the concept of "begging" for a chance to cross the road much, but each crosswalk had bumpy surfaces just before the curb, and the beg buttons (which were at every intersection) emitted a constant, ear-splitting beeping noise. Whenever the beeping was slow, it meant "don't walk." Whenever the beeping was fast, it meant "walk." Whenever it was fast but in short blips, it signaled a change in the light.<br />There were crosswalk lights, too, but the amount of provision for the blind at intersections was staggering. It was certainly more audible than the NYC beg buttons - they can be hard to hear over the din of city traffic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-44281445365914924092012-10-30T00:50:40.349-04:002012-10-30T00:50:40.349-04:00Great post; I'm also interested in the details...Great post; I'm also interested in the details that make an urban landscape more or less pedestrian-friendly. Here in Toronto I'm a big believer in the power of using surface transit wisely to do just that: Toronto's most pedestrian-friendly neighbourhood (Kensington Market) is a square with each side having a different, heavily-used streetcar route. Three of the routes run in mixed traffic meaning that when the streetcar stops in the center lane to let passengers off or on, all traffic including curb-lane traffic, must stop. Pedestrians on these and other (non-streetcar) roads have an implicit sense of ownership of the streets, which as a cyclist can be somewhat annoying as they step into the road without even looking ;) Still, on the whole it's great and I wouldn't want buses.Bradleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16873253520311302335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-52715883314836115952012-10-29T14:59:44.381-04:002012-10-29T14:59:44.381-04:00I had two great examples for pedestrian grade sepa...I had two great examples for pedestrian grade separations that I used to show students at a Boston-area school the issues...<br /><br />Question 1 was: how many of you are familiar with the ped bridge over Huntington Ave that connects the Prudential Mall with Copley Place? (Everyone knew.)<br /><br />Question 2 was: how many of you are familiar with the ped crossing under Mass Ave at the Orange Line station? (Blank stares. This was around the corner from school, yet no one knew it was there.)<br /><br />Then we noted that the city had recently put in a crosswalk at-grade at Mass Ave, because that's where people wanted to cross, and that even at the Pru, the existence of the ped bridge had not negated the need for street-level crosswalks, which still exist... the point being that a ped crossing can be useful if it connects two very strong attractors, but even then, it doesn't do much for people on the street.<br /><br />LA's downtown has much of the same silliness. You can go for blocks without going down to street level, but guess where everyone crosses. And in Universal City, Metro might end up building a ped bridge over Lankershim that no pedestrian wants. Yes, there <i>should</i> be an exit from the subway station on both sides... but there still need to be good crosswalks.LetsGoLAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06107329708370977966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-58609852975880206932012-10-28T20:09:51.502-04:002012-10-28T20:09:51.502-04:00Or maybe more apropos: http://capntransit.blogspot...Or maybe more apropos: http://capntransit.blogspot.com/2012/01/navy-road-and-projects.htmlCap'n Transithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-8484126504799853262012-10-28T20:09:13.039-04:002012-10-28T20:09:13.039-04:00Yeah, how about no, Modorney? http://capntransit.b...Yeah, how about no, Modorney? http://capntransit.blogspot.com/2012/08/whos-getting-out-of-way.htmlCap'n Transithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17057887736728828646noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-85636664621452169472012-10-28T17:53:33.794-04:002012-10-28T17:53:33.794-04:00At transit stations, it would be possible to add a...At transit stations, it would be possible to add an entrance on the opposite side of the busy street. Naturally, non-transit pedestrians would use it as well. <br /><br />Skybridges would also work, but in the US, disability codes require a long ramp or elevator. <br /><br />Some cities have implemented this with second floor retail, providing multiple uses for the bridges.modorneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02074873148001935699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-85888363903112921372012-10-27T16:31:14.810-04:002012-10-27T16:31:14.810-04:00Yet England has one of the lowest pedestrian death...Yet England has one of the lowest pedestrian death rates in the world. <br /><br />Beg buttons have their uses. At most of Londons crossings they have no use as all lights are under the cities traffic managements control. <br /><br />It's just a hold over from a standard design. <br /><br />But further out from the centre, the buttons do have use where late in the evenings where traffic levels are lower light will change at pedestrian request rather than having to wait for a full light cycle. <br /><br />London's streets are not wide enough for moving traffic and parking. Often parking has been eliminated in favour of Bus lanes. <br />So often pedestrians are walking along streets with moving traffic next to them. <br /><br />In recent years there has been a trend to eliminate pedestrian railings at junctions as part of street decluttering. But it has hit a snag. Earlier in the year there was a hugh and cry because pedestrian deaths did not fall this year. It turns out this is due to 7% higher accident rate at some junctions where railings have been removed. <br /><br />There is now a review to make sure that any future removals are more carefully considered.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08255709757074026969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5862444008740250372.post-89478320202408045832012-10-26T01:49:26.425-04:002012-10-26T01:49:26.425-04:00Those pedestrian "features" existed long...Those pedestrian "features" existed long before congestion pricing. <br /><br />England also has an odd law system where the cars have the absolute right of way at intersections without marked crosswalk.<br /><br />Note the paint here<br />http://goo.gl/maps/7Zr0w<br /><br />The crosswalk is behind the stop/yield line, and as a pedestrian, you are expected to wait to cross even these minor streets until the cars are done. You could find yourself halfway across these tiny roads and a very quick moving car would not even slow for you, as theyd assume youd know to stop. <br /><br />On the other hand, the zebra crosswalks (shown off to the right) are very well respected, but are rare. James Sinclairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00948509061118072998noreply@blogger.com