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What are some of your ideas for making NYC more urban? Green? Livable? Please make them clear and presentable.
For instance:
-Congestion pricing for Manhattan south of East 96th/West 100th.
Why? Citywide automoble ownership is low, we are being exploited. Charge and use money to improve mass transit. Other benefits include reduced traffic and pollution, increased safety and parking for those that enter.
Status? Shot down twice.
-Run a MTA subway connection across the Verrazano Bridge on already provided infrastructure.
Why? Would connect Staten Island to the system and make the place less auto-centric.
Status? N/A
-More protected bike lanes.
Why? Would increase safety for both bikers and pedestrians.
Status? Slowly being constructed along major routes.
-Lower speed limit citywide.
Why? Would increase safety.
Status? Under survey in the Bronx.
-More automobile free public squares/streets.
Why? Community, reduces pollution.
Status? Slow roll out.
-Replace the Third Avenue El, connect to Second Avenue Subway.
Why? Dramatically improved transit access, increased real estate values, business.
Status? Original line demolished without replacement, accelerated neighborhood decline.
-Run 7 Train to Jersey.
Why? Would decrease traffic, pollution, access to New Jersey.
Status? Under survey.
Kick cars off Fordham Road in the Bronx in order to create pedestrian street (However keep buses on private routes), allow loading/deliveries during the after hours along specially designated areas accessed through bus lanes.
Why? Have you ever driven through that parking lot?
Status? N/A
-Ban parking in front of newly constructed urban townhomes. Move to back or none at all near mass transit.
Why? Aesthetic, preserving urbanism.
Status? N/A
-Eliminate parking minimums?
Why? This is New York ****ing City.
Status? Certain areas taking into consideration.
Yours? Post them here too: http://www.urbandesignweek.org/ (broken link)
Last edited by yourboy718; 07-19-2011 at 01:09 AM..
My take, have a massive garage tower. Whats a garage tower? Its a giant building on every block in nyc where cars are perminantly parked. Instead of parking your car agaisnt the curb creating congestion for on going traffic and risk for vandelism, just park it in the garage tower. Having no cars parked on the street will help traffic flow more smoothly.
My take, have a massive garage tower. Whats a garage tower? Its a giant building on every block in nyc where cars are perminantly parked. Instead of parking your car agaisnt the curb creating congestion for on going traffic and risk for vandelism, just park it in the garage tower. Having no cars parked on the street will help traffic flow more smoothly.
What about not having a car and walking, biking or taking the train or bus like most New Yorkers do (In ever increasing numbers)?
A massive garage tower would not help make the city more urban, green or livable.
For those who need a to drive around from time to time, consider Zipcar.
What about not having a car and walking, biking or taking the train or bus like most New Yorkers do (In ever increasing numbers)?
A massive garage tower would not help make the city more urban, green or livable.
For those who need a to drive around from time to time, consider Zipcar.
Wouldnt it be nice to have no cars parked against the curb for blocks on end and instead of all those cars parked on the curb in its placed a dedicated biking lane.
Wouldnt it be nice to have no cars parked against the curb for blocks on end and instead of all those cars parked on the curb in its placed a dedicated biking lane.
I don't think it would justify the price of building a parking structure and it would not be a solution.
We should be discouraging driving through congestion pricing, higher parking meter pricing, less parking, pedestrian streets, lots of stop lights, slower speed limits, better transit, bike lanes, shrinking driving lanes, mixed use developments, ect. Basically encouraging city living.
NYC needs to fully upgrade their trains to become American maglev, it can be done because maglev rails can be installed on top of the normal rails in the subway so they can use both normal railed trains in the subway and maglev on the same track.
It is very inexpensive, about $2 million per mile compared to $20 million+ for other maglev lines. I also emailed them and they said it would take about 75 seconds to go .5 miles on a straight line, 117 seconds on a curved line (if you count 15 seconds for the subway door to open). It would accelerate and decelerate faster than a normal subway train leading to faster transit, and at its peak for every .5 mile stop it can reach 60 mph. This would be good because if a subway can get to destinations faster people will take it more because they'll enjoy the speed. It can also be fully automated and computer controlled so it will cost less and trains can arrive at every subway station every 5 minutes using very tight headways.
They should also use this too for commuter trains. Make them go much faster and accelerate and decelerate faster so people can go from NYC to commuter destinations in less time. I don't know how fast it can be without becoming dangerous but the faster the better. I think it can reach a speed of 150 mph and that would be good if it can go that fast so you can get to your commuter destination in half the time it does now or less.
The faster a train is with many stops, the more convenient it is and people will want to take it over a car. Also, since there will be no driver it will lead to less costs and maybe even lower fares.
NYC needs to fully upgrade their trains to become American maglev, it can be done because maglev rails can be installed on top of the normal rails in the subway so they can use both normal railed trains in the subway and maglev on the same track.
It is very inexpensive, about $2 million per mile compared to $20 million+ for other maglev lines. I also emailed them and they said it would take about 75 seconds to go .5 miles on a straight line, 117 seconds on a curved line (if you count 15 seconds for the subway door to open). It would accelerate and decelerate faster than a normal subway train leading to faster transit, and at its peak for every .5 mile stop it can reach 60 mph. This would be good because if a subway can get to destinations faster people will take it more because they'll enjoy the speed. It can also be fully automated and computer controlled so it will cost less and trains can arrive at every subway station every 5 minutes using very tight headways.
They should also use this too for commuter trains. Make them go much faster and accelerate and decelerate faster so people can go from NYC to commuter destinations in less time. I don't know how fast it can be without becoming dangerous but the faster the better. I think it can reach a speed of 150 mph and that would be good if it can go that fast so you can get to your commuter destination in half the time it does now or less.
The faster a train is with many stops, the more convenient it is and people will want to take it over a car. Also, since there will be no driver it will lead to less costs and maybe even lower fares.
Good idea in the future to go mag-lev, but right now we should be more concerned with improving service to existing areas, and those in desperate need of connections with our current rail technology. We can also have driver-less subway cars now and some lines are already automated. It's a slow transition.
Last edited by yourboy718; 07-19-2011 at 01:17 AM..
Maglev and other high speed trains is a good alternative to replace metro north and lirr. I dont think it would be feasable for interborough transit. If you ever watched bladerunner or the begining of avatar cityscape scene, I will imagine and see nyc as it is and will always be a grimmy, dirty, rusty dyostopian city.
Maglev and other high speed trains is a good alternative to replace metro north and lirr. I dont think it would be feasable for interborough transit. If you ever watched bladerunner or the begining of avatar cityscape scene, I will imagine and see nyc as it is and will always be a grimmy, dirty, rusty dyostopian city.
I feel mag-lev would be best reserved for inter-city travel.
Current rail technology can boost our commuter rail speeds significantly. I rarely take commuter rail so I cannot remember how long it is between stations.
The rapid transit lines (subway) in our city are already fast (Takes a heartbeat between stations). The issue is construction/maintaince. Service issues and accessibility in certain areas.
It would be a massive improvement if all automobiles were banned outright in lower Manhattan and parts of the other boroughs--except for emergency vehicles, cabs and deliveries/moves. There is no need to take a private vehicle into the city when there are subways, buses and cabs. However, there are too many idiots with expensive cars that absolutely have to show off at all times so I doubt this will happen.
Also, I would like to see traffic laws actually enforced on all bikers. Some bikers are arrogant, selfish, and reckless in their traffic behavior and are a public nuisance--and I'm a biker myself.
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