News and views from around the web
- AB 529 may be the another step toward implementing California’s Complete Streets initiative. It is “a hot piece of legislation by Assemblyman Mike Gatto that already quietly cleared the State Assembly, seeks to give communities a little more leeway in setting local speed limits.”
- Lawmakers Introduce Reality-Based Plan to Achieve “Freedom From Oil” – “members of the Congressional Livable Communities Task Force suggested that providing more diverse transportation options to more people might help.”
- Here is an idea that Balboa Park should take note of – trading parking spaces for park spaces – “many of the country’s most popular urban parks are characterized by a conspicuous lack of parking.” Inspiration Point, the San Diego Zoo all have parking lots designed for peak usage and severely detracts visitors from the aesthetic appeal of Balboa Park. “some parks are “held hostage by the automobile,” In a city like San Diego that is very auto-centric cities, “striking the right balance between providing parking and maintaining a quality park can be a challenge. One step in the right direction is to charge a fee, a strategy that will encourage park users to choose alternative modes and help maximize the parking space that is available. Mid-density Minneapolis has been a leader in this area. The city recently installed meters that charge $1.25 per hour at its parks. Now that money is returning to the park system to help keep them attractive — a real win-win.”
- How can bicycles be a tool for economic development? In the video below, the Executive Director of Cycle Oregon, Jerry Norquist, talks a little about the history of CycleOregon, “the shift in conversation to promoting bicycles as an economic development tool.”