Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space

"A community’s physical form, rather than its land uses, is its most intrinsic and enduring characteristic." [Katz, EPA] This blog focuses on place and placemaking and all that makes it work--historic preservation, urban design, transportation, asset-based community development, arts & cultural development, commercial district revitalization, tourism & destination development, and quality of life advocacy--along with doses of civic engagement and good governance watchdogging.

Tuesday, October 01, 2019

"Just do it' vs. tactical urbanism in piloting transit innovations and improvements

The Transit Cooperative Research Program just released a new report, (TCRP) Research Report 207 | Fast-Tracked: A Tactical Transit Study, with the Street Plans Collaborative--leaders in the "tactical urbanism movement"--on tactical urbanism as an approach for implementing transit improvements.

I think it's an important report.  Rigorous, like all TCRP publications, etc.

But I don't think the issue is using a "tactical urbanism" approach so much as it is as "just doing it."

My line is that fast tracked transportation projects take 10 years.
Everett, Massachusetts Bus shelter adorned with flowers by local artist Krissy Price
Everett, Massachusetts Bus shelter adorned with flowers by local artist Krissy Price.  Boston Globe photo ("Boston florist launches 'art house'").

That needs to change.

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A DC example is included, a temporary dedicated transitway on Rhode Island Avenue NE, during a period when the Red Line Metrorail was shut down for repairs.

It accurately assessed the intervention as having no substantive positive impact on transit service.

Not sure they used my lesson about stuff like this.  Pilot transit improvements where they are likely to be wildly successful.  Not in places where pre-existing conditions are already known to be unfavorable.

When transit improvements fail, it makes it that much harder to try to implement them elsewhere.

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