City Comforts, the blog

Madrid Replaces a Highway with Park Space

You think the article starts off as typical faux urbanism -- against cars at the surface, more "open space," and all the other 1950s conventions -- but it ends with an O.Henry ending i.e. a surprise finish. 

In times of economic hardship, large infrastructural projects are usually welcomed for creating jobs and building public assets. The works of the WPA in the USA during the great depression are often referenced in this way. Certainly the Madrid Rio, seen alone, is a valuable addition to the city that has done much to correct decades of neglect and bad planning. But in Madrid, these projects were undertaken not in a crisis, but in the heat of a speculative boom. In all this excitement, and with seemingly overflowing municipal coffers, urban renewal was not undertaken in an incremental way — it was an attempt at instant transformation. What's more, the rush seemed too political, a kind of legacy-making that was more pharaonic than benevolent. via sustainablecitiescollective.com

"Be careful what you wish for."

For those of you wondering what Donald Trump's appeal is outside the crazy Birther/Neo-Birther camp, you need look no further than last night's speech before a well-lubricated crowd at the Treasure Island casino in Las Vegas, where the Donald dropped multiple F-bombs while accusing our nation's politicians of being "stupid" and "blood-sucking." via slog.thestranger.com

Donald Trump, GOP frontrunner for 2012, is a tacky, self-serving creep addicted to gazing in the mirror of public attention. So what? If he's warped, he's warped in a way that represents a dark and highly productive side of the American psyche. via crosscut.com

If someone has the idea that Obama released the birth certificate to make Trump look good because Trump could be a weak and comical Republican nominee. think of the old expression "Be careful what you wish for."

I think that Trump is tapping into a vein of anxiety and fear which is making him a very effective candidate. Don't laugh too soon.

"Big Ass Fans are the Prescription for Comfort"

Founded by six Harvard School of Design graduate students, MASS Design Group was presented with an opportunity to design a hospital in Rwanda for the Partners in Health organization. The group utilized design as a tool to help combat the spread of disease, keep patients comfortable and manage Rwanda’s unique climate.

via hvls.bigassfans.com

Harvard says so. 
Therefore it is true, 

How people used the streets

via www.youtube.com

Definitely worth watching. And listening to.

(Read the comments below the video.)

Tunnel wins if Surface/Transit framed as only alternative to the tunnel

Some sensible talk about the inapt comparison to Seoul's freeway tear-down. 

The SDOT Blog, Grist and the Slog all have posts covering a lecture about how Seoul torn down an elevated highway and replaced it with a stream, finding parallels with the Alaskan Way Viaduct...Whether or not you agree with the tunnel project, I think comparing Seoul to Seattle is absolutely and utterly ridiculous in this context.

via seattletransitblog.com

My take is that when it comes to politics, reason sometimes loses:

• Anti-tunnel people think that the vote -- if it happens -- will be about the tunnel — "YES" or "NO" e.g. Eli Sanders was articulate on that issue on KUOW recently.
• But pro-tunnel people will frame the issue -- over and over -- "Well what's the alternative to the Tunnel?"
• Mayor McGinn has no other alternative than Surface/Transit. I heard him asked about alternatives recently and frankly his answer -- Surface/Transit -- was lame and unconvincing.
• There is no way that a majority of the people of Seattle will (in effect) vote for Surface/Transit. They've said pretty convincingly in vote and polls.
• So as it is now, if Surface/Transit framed as only alternative, pro-tunnel wins.
• That would be a disaster.
• McGinn should create room for discussion of a long-term plan along the lines of  

Repair (now) and Prepare (to eventually tear down the Viaduct.)

Realistically, even in the best of circumstances,  suppose we had a 70% agreement on Surface/Transit and we were all set to do it. Would we really just tear it down? Don't you think that Preparation would take a number of years? You have to create a fairly complex new infrastructure and that itself will be both complex and contentious. So Surface/Transit means a fairly extensive period and probably would require more Repair.

Anyway, the voters simply won't go for an unadorned Surface/Transit. And that will be the way Pro-Tunnel forces will frame it. As a a commenter at publicola.com wrote:

I want the viaduct down and no new freeway above or below ground. But what you're saying is right: Repair and Prepare is a better way to get that than "Surface and Transit." People see the latter as a do-nothing option that will inevitably make traffic worse. Repair and Prepare has the same goal but commits to keeping the existing road up until we have alternatives in place. Those alternatives will essentially be the same as surface and transit but the staging will prevent the apocalyptic traffic scenario that people fear.