Critical Mass Boston

This past Friday evening I participated in an event called Critical Mass, with the purpose to celebrate cycling and assert cyclists' right to the road.  In Boston, bicyclists hold a ride on a last Friday of every month, starting at Copley Square in the Back Bay.  There are no organizers.  I heard about the event from some fellow Brandeisians through Facebook.  I'd never done any real urban riding before, so naturally I felt anxious as I sat with my Schwinn on the Commuter Rail, waiting to arrive in Boston.  Since I work at WalkBoston Fridays, I rode the bike over to Old City Hall and locked it up outside the office.  Making it from North Station without incident felt like quite an accomplishment! 

After work when it came time to ride over to Copley, I realized how disoriented I felt bicycling rather than walking around the city.  Suddenly I had to deal with a bunch of one-way streets and I lacked the time to think about my direction at each intersection.  When I arrived at Copley Square there were already a number of cyclists, many with single-gear or fixie bikes, others with modified road cycles, and a whole bunch of people in costume for Halloween.  I felt silly with my mountain bike.  I ran into a fellow I met at the HONK!Fest and we chatted for a bit.  Again, no one was in charge, so we just had to wait until someone started riding and then follow. 

With over 100 cyclists, we took over the streets of downtown Boston.  It was simply amazing and brought a huge grin to my face.  Instead of being pushed to the margins, we owned the road.  Collective action gave us the right to ride in freedom.  Instead of thinking about the car behind me or the intersection ahead, I could actually take in the sights and lights of the city.  And the pavement--so smooth!  The automobiles have it so good.  We blew through the red lights, with people physically blocking the cars along the way.  It was brilliant, and sooo satisfying to stick it to the faceless, polluting cars.  Still, the whole thing was rather self-indulgent.  We made it nearly impossible for pedestrians to cross the streets, and that brought on a little guilt.  While it's not right to act as the automobile drivers do and selfishly take up the entire street, I don't think it really hurts anyone to do it for an hour or two once a month.  I'll be sure to participate again.

Could you see Boston making changes like these?

Expanding on the last post about the conservatism in urban design in the Commonwealth, I found this video about shared streets in Auckland, New Zealand.  They're based on successful designs in Denmark by Gehl Architects.  I had the amazing privilege to learn from two architects of that firm last semester. Perhaps someday I could bring streets like these to Holyoke or Cambridge, but not to Boston.

Massachusetts: Too Conservative?

Sure, Massachusetts leads when it comes to civil rights or protecting the environment, but I've learned during my time as a planner-in-training that when it comes to transportation, the Commonwealth is quite conservative.

Yesterday at work, I spoke with a colleague about the state and possible reconstruction of Longfellow Bridge, also known as the Salt-and-Pepper-Shaker Bridge due to the shape of its central towers, between Boston and Cambridge.  The current configuration of the bridge, the cross-section of which you can view here, includes the MBTA Red Line running in 27' down the middle, two vehicle travel lanes on each side taking up between 48' and 51'8", a 3'-3'6" shoulders doubling as bicycle lanes, and a sidewalk of 10' on one side and 6' on the other.

The first problem is the narrower sidewalk, which while at some points has 6 feet of width, narrows down to about 2 feet at one point with a light pole right in the middle.  The second problem relates to the cars.  The bridge, considering its location, carries very few cars.  Around twice as many people pass over the bridge using mass transit than private automobiles.  This begs the question, why are there four vehicle travel lanes?  Not only is such a mix unsustainable, it's also unnecessary.  I understand that there needs to be enough room for one vehicle to pass another in emergencies, but that does not necessitate another whole travel lane.

Make less room for cars and what do you get?  Fewer cars.  Longfellow desperately needs to be reconstructed, so let's transform Longfellow Bridge into a 21st century travel way, with one vehicle travel lane each way, wide bicycle lanes and wide sidewalks.  None of the proposed alternatives include closing vehicle lanes permanently.  However, as my co-worker pointed out, vehicle travel will be reduced to one lane each way for prolonged periods during construction--why not just leave it like that?

The Red Line will also require shifting during the rebuild, which will be very expensive.  Instead of shifting the tracks multiple times to get it back in its original position, shift them just once or twice and use the opportunity to  change the configuration.  Change one side of the bridge into a dedicated way for pedestrians and bicyclists and leave the other side for cars.  The Longfellow already offers the best view of Boston--you'd even be able to turn it into a tourist attraction!  Unfortunately the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Highway Department lack the vision to make the change.  It makes me wonder whether I could do transportation planning in the Commonwealth without becoming horribly frustrated in trying to fight the culture. 

Other examples of conservative transportation planning: PVTA won't consider light rail, the MBTA insists on bus rapid transit instead of new subways and won't electrify the commuter rail, and the legislature won't consider raising the gas tax.  Boston still lags on bicycle policy & action, and I'm not sure that the idea occurs to a single public official to substitute street parking for real bicycle lanes or even to restructure street parking pricing.

Bicycling to the Grocery Store, Take II

Today I made my second fossil fuel-free grocery-getting trip using my bicycle. I'd like to give five reasons why doing my shopping by bicycle is working and five reasons why it isn't working.

How it works:

1. It's great for the environment. Bicycling is the most efficient mode of transportation humans have ever invented.
   
2. It contributes to better physical health and makes me feel good.
3. Round trip, it's only 2.2 miles and mostly flat.
4. Hannaford, the supermarket I frequent, is located on Main Street in Waltham, so I can stop at CVS and other local businesses in the same trip.
5. The busiest road I take (South St) is wide enough and the traffic goes slowly enough that I feel fairly comfortable bicycling.
   

How it doesn't work:

1. I can only carry one (large reusable) bag of groceries on my rear rack. Even with just the one bag, the situation is rather precarious because it fits into a cardboard box I rigged onto the rack.
   
2. My rear rack is attached only to my seat post and not the rear hub. Under the weight of all the groceries, the bottom of the rack rubs the rear tire on even the smallest bumps in the road.
3. South St, while having relatively slow-going traffic, does not have bicycle lanes or even a marked shoulder. Drivers feel like they own the entire road.
   
4. The weather is great now (70 degrees and sunny), but in a month or two the conditions won't be so great for bicycling.
5. Most times when it occurs to me that I need to shop for groceries I'm at least a little hungry. It's not so great bicycling on an empty stomach.
   

My Gas Tax Donation

This June, out of frustration over that sad state of public transit in America, I decided to charge myself $0.50 on every gallon of gasoline I bought for the summer and donate the money to a pro-transit organization. At the time I wrote:

Do you think America needs better public transportation? Me too, but our local, state, and federal governments lack the vision to plan it and the political will to fund it. I'm not talking about maintaining current service levels during the recession, nor am I referring to a 10 or 20 percent increase in funding. I'm talking about investment in the system we need for our future. Currently the federal gas tax is 18.4 cents, a figure which hasn't risen since 1993. Massachusetts adds an additional 41.9 cents. In Europe, taxes can amount to over 70% of the cost of fuel, but in America they make up only around 25% of the cost. Unless we pay more at the pump, we cannot reduce the collective miles we drive, nor can we afford bicycle lanes, trams, trolley buses, or trains.

In light of my representatives' inaction, I have created my own gas tax. For every gallon of gasoline I buy, I will contribute 50 cents--nearly doubling the taxes I currently pay--to an organization that promotes more sustainable transportation options. I haven't chosen the group yet, but I am thinking of Reconnecting America, the National Complete Streets Coalition, and the LivableStreets Alliance. I invite you to join me in my small effort towards creating a more sustainable and liveable America.

The summer has now ended, and I saved $49.18 for my cause. I decided to round that up to an even $50 and donate the money to the LivableStreets Alliance. It was at the top of my list along with WalkBoston for Massachusetts-based organizations promoting more sustainable transportation. I'm working for WalkBoston starting this September, so it seemed to make more sense to donate to LivableStreets.

From the LivableStreets Alliance website:

LivableStreets Alliance is a non-profit organization that believes urban transportation has the power to make Metro Boston more connected — and more livable. We challenge people to think differently and to demand a system that balances transit, walking, and biking with automobiles. We promote safe, convenient, and affordable transportation for all users in urban Boston. Streets that are enjoyable to use will better support neighborhoods and business districts.

Now that's an organization worthy of the money from my gas tax. Hopefully in the future we can get our elected representatives to raise the state and federal gas taxes to benefit our public transportation agencies directly.

Obama and Sebelius 'Ready to Drop the Public Option'

I am absolutely outraged over the news that HHS Secretary Sebelius is ready to drop the public option. I called Representative Neal's office a few weeks ago to tell him that Healthcare reform with no public option is no healthcare reform at all, and I stand by that belief. My health will not be for sale. I called the White House just now but they're not answering the phone (it's Sunday), so I will call tomorrow. The number is 202-456-1111 and the HHS is 202-619-0257. I'll call Rep Neal again and likely Senator Kerry (as useless as he is).

I'm willing to live without single-payer healthcare, but to live in the only country without universal healthcare and some kind of government option? It's embarrassing. I keep my Danish health insurance card as a reminder of what I once had: access to high quality, single-payer health insurance, paid for by progressive taxes, where my coverage was no different than that of any other fellow human being in the country.



Here again are the numbers:
White House Comments 202-456-1111
Health and Human Services 202-619-0257
Representative Neal 202-225-5601 or 413-785-0325
Senator Kerry 202-224-2742 or 413-785-4610

Make the calls. You, the 47 million uninsured, and all other Americans deserve better.

The Saab Returns

I'd say it was about due. I hadn't paid for a costly repair on my Saab for two years. Last Friday it overheated and blew a coolant hose with a big "POP!" in my lucky spot--right across from the AIC campus in Springfield. It spewed green coolant all over the road and the engine compartment. Although I won the Model Congress competition on the campus, on the opposite side (State St) I was robbed and nearly carjacked three and a half years ago. I should probably avoid that area in the future. My friend Emily was visiting me, too, so it was rather embarrassing. At least it happened during the day, because the abandoned house at the spot where I pulled over was marked on the sidewalk with "CRIPS" and the 6-pointed star. Oh, Springfield... Thankfully my folks pay for AAA membership, so I had a free tow.

After a few days with Walts Brothers Auto in West Springfield, the Saab is back with me! I really do love my car... I just wish I could live without it. I've owned it since I was 16, when it gave me my freedom from suburbia. I have a special emotional bond to my Saab (her name is Suzy). There's nothing like turning a corner and hitting the accelerator at 25mph in second gear for a huge boost from the turbo, making a shot for 50. I doubt that you could find a car of the same age (14 years) that's just as much fun and still gets 32mpg on the highway. Despite my strong bond with Suzy Swede and all of the fun she gives me, owning a car is still a big headache. It's also not environmentally-friendly. I dream of living car-free in a truly walkable neighborhood, where I can walk to everything including my job. For any place not within walking distance, I want to be able to ride my bike or take the train. I talk a lot about selling my car. I might actually do it when I go to grad school. Still, I face the emotional dilemma of most any other American who might want to give up their car because of the money, the hassle, the environment, or any other reason but has a hard time going through with it because in our culture we love our cars.