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Sofia

Work Plan:

• write a letter to the editor
• Transportation component of the ReNew Grinnell Wiki

Renewable Energy Web Research Report

The Ecology Center

 http://www.ecologycenter.org

Founded in 1969 and based in Berkeley, the Ecology Center’s mission is to promote environmentally and socially responsible practices through programs that educate, demonstrate, and provide direct services. The Ecology Center launched the first curbside recycling program in 1973 –Berkeley was the first city to have such a program.

This curbside program has become a model for thousands of municipal recycling programs, and recycling education is still a key component of the Ecology Center. It continues to run the program under contract from the City and is one of the few non-profits still in the recycling industry. Other programs and services offered by the Ecology Center include: the Environmental Resource Center, three Berkeley Farmer’s Markets, the Farm Fresh Choice food justice program offering at cost produce to low income communities, Terrain magazine and the EcoHouse a demonstration site for best practices in green building and design.

In addition to providing information about all the programs that the Ecology Center either runs or sponsors, the website has many links to other information and resources. They have and EcoCalander of events –primarily in the Bay Area- related to their mission. The EcoDirectory is a list of links, organized by topic, to businesses and organizations with information or services related to a specific area. Fact Sheets and Links are just what the name implies and include items links like: calculate your carbon footprint, alternative cleaning recipes, energy conservation tips and build it green. Other tools on the site include Action Alerts, an Environment Education Guide and online copies of the Terrain magazine and newsletter.

Overall, the site is easy to navigate and supplies a wealth of information

Letter to the Editor

Why do Americans Hate Public Transit?

Every time gas prices rise the increase becomes the focus of every media outlet and the bane of every car owner. Even when prices are stable and “reasonable,” there is an underlying consciousness among American consumers regarding their dependence on oil. This dependence is often easy for people to overlook because they are infrequently faced directly with its consequences. While there is debate about the extent of America’s oil crisis, what is less debatable is the impact that oil consumption has on the environment and the dependence on foreign oil. The problems with massive oil consumption are chiefly discussed with respect to cars. While the car still has a romantic, iconic image for many Americans due to over reliance on cars, the reality is that they are no longer associated with the freedom of the open road, but massive roadway congestion, incredibly long commutes and a degraded environment.

Despite vocalizing concerns over American’s overuse of cars, people often overlook a solution whose infrastructure is already in place throughout much of the country and whose benefits extend far beyond simply reducing oil

is not the ultimate concern. In order for it to be a truly feasible option, urban America needs to be reshaped into areas that are more dense and livable. Transit oriented development (TOD) strives to do this.

TODs are mixed-use areas designed to maximize the accessibility of public transportation by placing some of form of public transit at a neighborhood center. The public transit hub is surrounded by relatively high-density development that decreases in density as one moves away from the center. Neighborhoods are designed to reduce the need for cars by incorporating pedestrian friendly elements, locating things within walking distance and reducing the amount of parking –especially surface lots. The goal is not the complete elimination of cars, but to discourage reliance on them. When urban sprawl ceases to be a concern, owning a car is no longer a necessity and neighborhoods have a much more comfortable, personal feel.

The implementation of transit oriented development is relatively new, beginning in the late 1990s following a resurgence in public transportation ridership, a renewed interest in rail travel and the rebirth of urban centers. Throughout the nation, the principles of new urbanism and smart growth of which public transportation is an integral part, are being advanced as investment is being poured into America’s downtowns. Polls show people are strongly in favor of public transit use and voters have approved the majority of transit-related initiatives put forth in cities across the country. Many individuals are in support of public transportation but only in the hopes of getting other drivers off the roads and are not necessarily ready to give up their vehicles in favor of it. Advocates of TOD do not seek to eliminate cars, but to support development that maximizes the use of other forms of transportation and to meet demand for housing near transit that has resulted from urban renewal. Reconnecting America, a non-profit in Oakland, California that promotes TOD found that in Portland, Oregon mixed use developments adjacent to good transit auto ownership was 0.93 per household a decline from the regional average of 1.94 (and down from the national average of 1.74). Additionally TOD in Portland produced higher rater of walking and public transit use and that auto travel comprised 58.1% of total travel versus 87.3% for the region.

In the early 20th century public transportation was an integral part of American cities, but following World War II Americans invested their wealth in roads, cars, and sprawl which were an enormous waste of energy, and are unsustainable. The benefits associated with public transportation and transit oriented development go far beyond the environment or energy conservation. Throughout the U.S., neighborhoods near public transit have greater economic and racial diversity than their surrounding neighborhoods and overall regions. The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) in Chicago found that transportation is the second largest household expense, yet is rarely factored into decisions about how affordable an area is to live in. The traditional measure of housing affordability is that the cost comprises no more than 30 percent of income. In order to give a more complete picture of how affordable an area is CNT developed The Housing and Transportation Affordability Index which takes into account not just the cost of housing, but transportation costs as well. Neighborhood characteristics have the biggest influence on transportation costs; in areas with extensive public transit transportation, costs may comprise only 10 percent of income expenditure compared to as much as 25 percent in areas lacking this infrastructure.

Cities around the country have been testing the effectiveness of TOD with the greatest success in areas with extensive, established public transportation networks and where governments have policies that promote transit use. TOD should not be a utopian vision; it must operate within the market and set realistic expectations about people’s behavior and lifestyle patterns. However, projects aimed solely at generating revenue for the government and transit agencies that do not encompass the underlying principles of TOD have had limited success. Highlighted in The New Transit Town: Best Practices in Transit-Oriented Development as one of the most successful examples of TOD in the US is Arlington County bordering Washington DC. Faced with an old commercial stretch declining in activity and a shrinking population the country channeled all development along the Metrorail lines in a TOD style. Population and employment have grown rapidly yet there has been little expansion of the county’s highway network or parking facilities. The Metrorail corridor now provides half of the county’s tax base on 7% of its land.

While having a second SUV is a status symbol for Americans, spending less on transportation can actually yield a higher standard of living and combating urban sprawl a better quality of life. As an awareness and multi-faceted movement towards sustainability occurs, public transportation and development to support it needs to be integrated more deeply into these discussions. They are a feasible solution to many of the problems related to the path that development and growth in America has taken.

ReNew Grinnell Wiki - Transportation

Existing

• Roads: The majority of the roads in Grinnell are set up in a traditional grid pattern with block length varying depending on the date of construction (newer roads tend to be longer). Two highways run through Grinnell, Iowa 146 and US 6, these are the largest and busiest roads in Grinnell. In the 1970s the streets in downtown Grinnell were converted to one-way and were just recently returned to two-way streets in an effort to boost downtown business.
• Sidewalks: While the majority of streets in Grinnell have sidewalks that are friendly and accessible to pedestrians and bikers, private streets as well as some of the subdivisions from the second half of the 20th century lack sidewalks. Lack of sidewalks inhibits mobility and these areas do not have the same sense of community that characterizes other areas of town.
• Bike Paths: The biggest asset to bikers in Grinnell is the Grinnell Area Recreation Trail, a paved path that runs from the western side of town out to Rock Creek. Biking is allowed on all the sidewalks in town except in the central business district. East St. and 8th Ave. have on-street bike paths.
• Transit: Transit is virtually nonexistent in Grinnell. The Regional 6 Planning Commission operates a few vans that serve Grinnell and there is a taxi service.
• Airport: The Grinnell Regional Airport was built in 1988 and is run by a private company, but receives stipends from the city.

Proposals developed by the City of Grinnell

• Roads: Highway 6 poses a major obstacle for pedestrians, particularly along the curve near Grinnell College. The Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT), which controls the highway, has suggested reducing it to three lanes and implementing more traffic calming (and pedestrian friendly) measures like the stoplight installed at the Park St. intersection in 1992. Traffic calming measures have been approved for the stretch of 8th Ave. that intersects the Grinnell College campus.
• Sidewalks: Sidewalk widening in areas of high traffic –like in front of the middle school- has been proposed. Along Highway 146 the addition of sidewalks and bike paths would make the area and the businesses along the route more accessible pedestrians.
• Bike Paths: Consulting firms have recommended to the city that they connect all the schools and parks with bike paths, which would be very helpful to residents who are separated from community facilities by highways.
• Transit: Local retailers in Grinnell have offered to buy a trolley to bring costumers downtown and Grinnell College has expressed interest in a transit system that could shuttle students and faculty to various points around the city, but financial and operating concerns have stalled any progress in the area of transit.
• Highway 146: The city of Grinnell has put forth a plan of how to control traffic along the 146 corridor through more entry points, lower speed limits and streetlights. Additionally, they want to improve the image that people have of the city after entering off I-80 by imposing architectural standards and adding tree and bike paths.

Proposals for the City of Grinnell

• Employ the principles of Smart Growth
  1. Mixed land use
  2. Promote distinctive, attractive communities with a sense of place
  3. Fully utilize community assets
  4. Create “walkable” neighborhoods
  5. Have a range of housing options
  6. Provide a range of transportation choices
  7. Preserve open space
  8. Encourage growth in existing communities
  9. Encourage citizen participation in development and make these decisions predictable, fair and cost-effective

While many areas of Grinnell employ aspects of smart growth, the city continues to develop both housing and retail on its outskirts leading to sprawl, a key element of development that smart growth tries to prevent. Grinnell should focus instead on development in the downtown area. This will improve the local economy by ensuring that more money remains in the community while fostering the character of the city. Additionally, development in the heart of town does not necessitate a car to access and makes the implementation of a transit system more feasible.

• Use Monderman’s ideas about “psychological traffic calming”

Hans Monderman, a Dutch traffic engineer contends that spaces designed primarily for traffic are hostile to social activity, but that when spaces are designed for social activity the two can co-exist. Thus he advocates removing all road signs and instead building roads in a manner that shapes vehicle movement and forces drivers to be aware of their surroundings. Monderman goes by the philosophy that chaos=cooperation and proposes:

1. Removing signs
2. Installing art
3. Installing lights that not only illuminate the road but also pedestrian areas
4. Extend cafes, etc to the edge of the road in order to emphasize shared space
5. Make right of way negotiated by human interaction
6. Eliminate curbs

Grinnell is the prefect setting to employ Monderman’s traffic principles, which have proven to be successful not only in Europe but also in the US. In West Palm Beach, using this type of traffic calming has increased pedestrian traffic to the downtown, improving local business and sending property values for both residential and commercial buildings skyrocketing. Monderman’s principles will help to continue the revival of downtown Grinnell and further encourage residents to seek alternatives to their personal vehicles for local travel. Some towns developed by Monderman have incorporated brick streets into their designs and many towns throughout the US are now converting their asphalt streets back to brick. While the initial cost is higher, brick streets have lower long-term maintenance costs, calm traffic and give towns a more distinct and attractive feel. When streets in Grinnell need to be replaced, the city should look into converting them to brick.

Videos explaining Monderman's principles in more detail and examples of his work

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLfasxqhBNU
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuxMuMrXUJk

• Bicycle sharing: Grinnell should model a program off the Velib public bicycle rental program in Paris where bicycles are distributed throughout the city and members are charged a nominal rate to rent a bike and drop it off at any rental station when they are finished. The fee scale encourages short-term use of bikes to keep them in circulation. Given available funding, Grinnell could also mimic Boulder, CO “Spokes for Folks” program that distributes 300 free bicycles for use throughout the downtown area (the major drawback of this program would be ensuring that citizens had an incentive return and maintain the bicycles).
• Reducing Commuting in Single Occupancy Vehicles (SOV): The City of Grinnell has several programs that they could undertake, some in conjunction with neighboring towns that would help to achieve the aforementioned goal. A network that matches commuters traveling to Des Moines, Iowa City, etc. up with one another can be developed. Grinnell should support the development of high-speed rail throughout the Midwest; while this will be less applicable to commuters it will decrease the number of drivers on the highways and increase people’s mobility throughout the region. The city of Boulder, CO has buses named JUMP, LEAP and BOUND that connect to other nearby cities with direct express service to Boulder. It would be feasible for such bus services –with express service during rush hour- to be developed to shuttle commuters from towns along the I-80 corridor to Des Moines.

Links and References

• City of Grinnell Comprehensive Plan and Addendum http://www.grinnelliowa.gov/files/PDF/CompPlan2004.pdf
• http://www.grinnelliowa.gov/files/PDF/Addendum%201%20to%20Comp%20Plan.pdf
• Smart Growth and Transportation in Small Communities http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/CUTS/2050/smalcom.pdf
• Articles on Hans Monderman http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.12/traffic.html http://www.newlifeformainroads.org.uk/index.asp?PageID=27
• Go Boulder, CO Transportation Planning http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=705&Itemid=1200
• Velib http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hDBfwU6zni8
• Midwest High Speed Rail Association http://www.midwesthsr.org/