I was reading through a discussion on the MetaFilter boards about car-free cities in Europe, and their relevance to urban planning in the US. One thing that keeps coming up over and over and over is that car-freedom is only possible in a handful of places in the US, with New York City usually cited as #1. Other posters brought up the central cities of Portland, San Francisco and Philadelphia. Nobody said that car-freedom was even remotely possible in suburban areas.
Now, I know that there are vast tracts of Riverside where car-freedom is truly impossible. It took me all of five minutes to find a spot in the city with a WalkScore of 22. WalkScore says that the city's average is 49, which is still rather car-dependent. However, my house ranks a 72. Some parts of downtown cross 90. I spent the entire summer car-free and I still managed to live a very full life out here in the suburbs. Is it harder to do so here, where we have no (local) rail transit and the bus system is often sub-par? Sure. I'll say it certainly requires a bicycle. But car-freedom is possible even in certain places in the suburbs, if you're willing to put in a little time and effort.
So why is it that more people don't go car-free in the suburbs? It's not because car-freedom is harder- it is, but not significantly so, especially for a cyclist. It is because car ownership is so much easier. Most apartments come with two parking spaces, and often a garage. Free parking is abundant, roads are wide and high-capacity, and the built environment encourages automobile travel. A key point that we have to drive home as transit advocates is that, to make our towns and cities more transit-friendly, we have to make them less car-friendly. Closing roads, charging market rates for parking, and other measures that allow us to lessen the external costs of automobiles are key parts of improving our neighbourhoods and quality of life.
I want to make clear that I'm not necessarily anti-car. I own a car. However, car drivers need to understand that driving is extraordinarily cheap right now (and highly subsidized- nearly 96%, compared to 80% for RTA and 50% for Metrolink), and they need to be willing to help pay for the destructive effects of their choice of transportation. We can either gradually increase the cost of driving, or we can wait until the inevitable environmental and geopolitical effects of our automobile addiction catch up with us, and drastically raise the price of driving naturally. If we start now, we can put some of these increased costs towards the alternatives which will eventually replace the automobile. If we wait, we will be left with no real opportunity to drive, and no real alternatives to driving.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Bikeway Map
Hello everyone. I got a map of all of Riverside's bike pathways at Anthony's Cyclery while picking up a new tube for my bike, so I wanted to share it with you all.
On this map, Class 1 and Class 2 bikeways are indicated. Class 1 bikeways are paths that are exclusively for various forms of non-motorized transportation, including bicycles. Class 2 bikeways are bike lanes along roadways. The path down Victoria Avenue is a mix of both, and is indicated on the map as "Class 1 & 2".
I hope this map will be useful in your travels.
UPDATE: I've modified the map slightly, adding a "Major Bus Station" icon at the Tyler Mall and an icon for the Pedley Metrolink station, both of which were improperly omitted from the map.
On this map, Class 1 and Class 2 bikeways are indicated. Class 1 bikeways are paths that are exclusively for various forms of non-motorized transportation, including bicycles. Class 2 bikeways are bike lanes along roadways. The path down Victoria Avenue is a mix of both, and is indicated on the map as "Class 1 & 2".
I hope this map will be useful in your travels.
UPDATE: I've modified the map slightly, adding a "Major Bus Station" icon at the Tyler Mall and an icon for the Pedley Metrolink station, both of which were improperly omitted from the map.
A hint for OCTA planners
So I spotted this piece on the LA Times blog site. Apparently it is the opinion of the LA Times metro staff that the 91 freeway through the Santa Ana River canyon is going to be improved by a new widening project. They're adding a lane in each direction.
Apparently nobody at OCTA has read the seminal 1998 UC Berkley study* that showed, using data from 30 years of California traffic, that adding lanes to freeways is a net loss in time- the time saved by the addition of new lanes will never add up to the time lost during the construction of those lanes, because of the phenomenon of "induced traffic." We can't pave our way out of traffic problems- it simply doesn't work.
If you want to relieve traffic on the 91 run through the canyon, here's a brilliant idea- give commuters a choice. Current transit service is limited to Metrolink, which is largely tailored to long-distance travelers, and is limited mainly to commute-hour service (the 91 Line, which parallels its namesake freeway, is among the most limited in the system, with no off-peak or reverse-peak service whatsoever), and two express bus lines- the OCTA 794, which just got disconnected from the rest of the bus system, and is peak-hour-peak-direction only, and the RTA 149, which is largely peak-hour only, at least on weekdays. (It's strangely more flexible on weekends.) Provide the thousands of daily 91 drivers with an honest choice of transportation options, with all-day, daily transit service through the canyon, via the 91 Express Lanes, and I bet you would see significant ridership and traffic relief. And it would be much cheaper than adding another lane to an already bloated freeway.
A quick primer on induced traffic and the paradox of freeway widening can be found here.
* Donald D.T. Chen. "If You Build It, They Will Come…Why We Can't Build Ourselves Out of Congestion." Surface Transportation Policy Project Progress VII.2 (March 1998): I, 4.
Apparently nobody at OCTA has read the seminal 1998 UC Berkley study* that showed, using data from 30 years of California traffic, that adding lanes to freeways is a net loss in time- the time saved by the addition of new lanes will never add up to the time lost during the construction of those lanes, because of the phenomenon of "induced traffic." We can't pave our way out of traffic problems- it simply doesn't work.
If you want to relieve traffic on the 91 run through the canyon, here's a brilliant idea- give commuters a choice. Current transit service is limited to Metrolink, which is largely tailored to long-distance travelers, and is limited mainly to commute-hour service (the 91 Line, which parallels its namesake freeway, is among the most limited in the system, with no off-peak or reverse-peak service whatsoever), and two express bus lines- the OCTA 794, which just got disconnected from the rest of the bus system, and is peak-hour-peak-direction only, and the RTA 149, which is largely peak-hour only, at least on weekdays. (It's strangely more flexible on weekends.) Provide the thousands of daily 91 drivers with an honest choice of transportation options, with all-day, daily transit service through the canyon, via the 91 Express Lanes, and I bet you would see significant ridership and traffic relief. And it would be much cheaper than adding another lane to an already bloated freeway.
A quick primer on induced traffic and the paradox of freeway widening can be found here.
* Donald D.T. Chen. "If You Build It, They Will Come…Why We Can't Build Ourselves Out of Congestion." Surface Transportation Policy Project Progress VII.2 (March 1998): I, 4.
Friday, November 6, 2009
We did it first!
So apparently San Antonio, TX's VIA bus service is going to start offering WiFi on several express routes in a pilot program to see if folks will use it. Also, Amtrak is considering offering WiFi on the Acela Express service between DC and Boston. (Amtrak used to offer such service on the Capitol Corridor between San Francisco and Sacramento, but hasn't done so on any California service trains since then.) I just want to mention that Riverside Transit has had on-board wi-fi on the CommuterLink 202 since 2005, along with satellite TV.
I think it's great that other transit agencies are starting to follow RTA's lead on this one. I'm also glad RTA has taken the lead. Hopefully they'll expand their offerings to routes other than the 202- I'd love to surf the 'net on a long trip on the 1 down Magnolia.
I think it's great that other transit agencies are starting to follow RTA's lead on this one. I'm also glad RTA has taken the lead. Hopefully they'll expand their offerings to routes other than the 202- I'd love to surf the 'net on a long trip on the 1 down Magnolia.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
It gets dark fast now!
With the irritatingly late time change (Seriously, can't we get rid of Daylight Savings already?), I thought it was time to share with everyone some points about alternative transportation and darkness.
Cyclists!
Take this opportunity (yes, you, now) to go change the batteries in your blinky lights. If you don't have a blinky light, go get one. Also take the time to make sure all of your reflectors are on and intact.
When you're out there riding, be sure to ride where you're supposed to ride. That's where motorists and pedestrians will be looking for you. This means stick to the bike lane, and ride with traffic. No bike lane? Use the right-hand traffic lane, and stay away from those opening car doors.
Transit riders!
Try and find a well-lit bus stop if you're going to be waiting a while. I've never been robbed waiting for a bus, but I have been robbed. It's not a fun experience, and it was somewhere dark.
If you're concerned about being passed up, try a trick I use when I'm waiting for a bus at night- use the display backlight of your cell phone to wave down the bus. This is especially good if you're wearing dark clothing.
Walkers!
Stick to the sidewalks where you can, wear bright clothing, and cross at a crosswalk. I rarely drive, and I still sometimes come close to running somebody over because they're jaywalking across University in a stunning all-black outfit.
Similarly, if you have to walk dangerously close to traffic, either a bicycle blinky or your cell phone display backlight can be used for that extra bit of visibility.
Remember, it's still a car-dominated world. Protect yourself from all the speeding metal death.
Cyclists!
Take this opportunity (yes, you, now) to go change the batteries in your blinky lights. If you don't have a blinky light, go get one. Also take the time to make sure all of your reflectors are on and intact.
When you're out there riding, be sure to ride where you're supposed to ride. That's where motorists and pedestrians will be looking for you. This means stick to the bike lane, and ride with traffic. No bike lane? Use the right-hand traffic lane, and stay away from those opening car doors.
Transit riders!
Try and find a well-lit bus stop if you're going to be waiting a while. I've never been robbed waiting for a bus, but I have been robbed. It's not a fun experience, and it was somewhere dark.
If you're concerned about being passed up, try a trick I use when I'm waiting for a bus at night- use the display backlight of your cell phone to wave down the bus. This is especially good if you're wearing dark clothing.
Walkers!
Stick to the sidewalks where you can, wear bright clothing, and cross at a crosswalk. I rarely drive, and I still sometimes come close to running somebody over because they're jaywalking across University in a stunning all-black outfit.
Similarly, if you have to walk dangerously close to traffic, either a bicycle blinky or your cell phone display backlight can be used for that extra bit of visibility.
Remember, it's still a car-dominated world. Protect yourself from all the speeding metal death.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Action!
I posted yesterday on RTA's invitation to the Corona Transit Centre groundbreaking, and its notable lack of transit directions in favour of automobile directions to the ceremony site. Well, I also e-mailed them about the issue, and RTA Marketing Director Jim Kneepkens e-mailed me this morning to inform me that the omission had been corrected, and indeed it has been. Thanks for the change, guys, and I hope you'll keep this in mind in the future.
Dial-A-Ride Changes
I have not yet commented on the upcoming changes to RTA's Dial-A-Ride policy. I am not an RTA Dial-A-Ride patron, and so I can't provide a full explication of how such changes will affect current riders. I don't know, for example, how often RTA currently exceeds the 3/4 mile envelope of fixed-route service for their riders. I know that this 3/4 mile boundary is not RTA's policy- it is federal policy, and transit agencies across the country provide service at such a limit. I also can't comment on the vagaries of current ADA qualification policy, as I've never had to go through such a process. For these reasons, I was not going to comment on the upcoming DAR policy changes, but riders have e-mailed me with concerns about losing their transportation services, and so I write this post today in order to ease their concerns.
The following are the changes to DAR policy that will be implemented next January. (I took this text directly from the RTA brochure):
Here's a few things that will NOT happen, come January.
If you are disabled, you will NOT lose your DAR eligibility because of your age. If you're currently riding as a senior because you don't want to go through the DAR registration process, you will probably want to go through that process soon.
If you currently ride on the City of Riverside's Special Transportation minibus service, NOTHING about your service will change. This system will continue to transport passengers above the age of 60. Similarly, eligibility requirements for Corona, Banning and Beaumont Dial-A-Ride services are not changing. (Incidentally, Corona offers Dial-A-Ride service to all city residents. This, I did not know.)
If you take short-to-medium-length trips on Dial-A-Ride, your fares will probably NOT change. RTA's fare-zone system is intended primarily to offset the costs of providing transportation to riders that, at present, can traverse the entire service area for $3. RTA's service area is the second-largest in the nation, behind only Denver's Regional Transit District. It stretches from Grand Terrace to Temecula, with express routes from Montclair to Escondido. It only makes sense that the agency charge more for long trips.
RTA staff showed a lot of graphs at the Board meeting, when this issue was voted on. They weren't pretty graphs. In a couple of years, RTA would have had to start cannibalizing their fixed-route service to continue to provide the level of Dial-A-Ride service they currently do. These changes aren't great, but they are necessary in these budgetary times. Perhaps FY2010 or FY2011 will prove to be better for the agency, but for now, these policy changes are a matter of survival for our local transit operator.
So I hope this clears up some of the doom-and-gloom that's been going around about these changes. If you are affected, I encourage you to contact RTA's Dial-A-Ride people
The following are the changes to DAR policy that will be implemented next January. (I took this text directly from the RTA brochure):
- Enforce a strict 3⁄4 mile boundary policy: DAR vehicles will no longer, under any
circumstances, travel to areas outside three-quarters of a mile of an RTA local fixed
route even if we provided service to that location in the past. In addition, service
will only be provided during the hours of complementary fixed-route operations. - Shorten reservation window from seven days to three days in advance: A shorter
reservation window will reduce no-shows and boost service productivity. - Enforce trip-by-trip and conditional eligibility: For passengers with restricted
eligibility under ADA status, trip requests will be subject to individual case review. - Raise the age for local senior DAR eligibility from 60 to 65. Qualified disabled
seniors under 65 may still qualify for ADA priority service. - Create a zone-based fare system: Per federal regulations, the cost to ride on DAR
can be no more than twice the cost of a fixed-route trip. However, in many cases,
RTA has not been charging the full fare for DAR trips that cross multiple fixed-route
zones. Beginning January 10, DAR customers will be subject to paying additional
fares on trips that exceed one comparable fixed-route zone, with a maximum fare
per trip of $9.
Here's a few things that will NOT happen, come January.
If you are disabled, you will NOT lose your DAR eligibility because of your age. If you're currently riding as a senior because you don't want to go through the DAR registration process, you will probably want to go through that process soon.
If you currently ride on the City of Riverside's Special Transportation minibus service, NOTHING about your service will change. This system will continue to transport passengers above the age of 60. Similarly, eligibility requirements for Corona, Banning and Beaumont Dial-A-Ride services are not changing. (Incidentally, Corona offers Dial-A-Ride service to all city residents. This, I did not know.)
If you take short-to-medium-length trips on Dial-A-Ride, your fares will probably NOT change. RTA's fare-zone system is intended primarily to offset the costs of providing transportation to riders that, at present, can traverse the entire service area for $3. RTA's service area is the second-largest in the nation, behind only Denver's Regional Transit District. It stretches from Grand Terrace to Temecula, with express routes from Montclair to Escondido. It only makes sense that the agency charge more for long trips.
RTA staff showed a lot of graphs at the Board meeting, when this issue was voted on. They weren't pretty graphs. In a couple of years, RTA would have had to start cannibalizing their fixed-route service to continue to provide the level of Dial-A-Ride service they currently do. These changes aren't great, but they are necessary in these budgetary times. Perhaps FY2010 or FY2011 will prove to be better for the agency, but for now, these policy changes are a matter of survival for our local transit operator.
So I hope this clears up some of the doom-and-gloom that's been going around about these changes. If you are affected, I encourage you to contact RTA's Dial-A-Ride people
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