πšƒπšŠπš›πšŠπšœ π™Άπš›πšŽπšœπšŒπš˜πšŽ πŸš‡

Just arrived in #Milan #Italy and one of the first things my wondering, jet-lagged eyes see is a tram on the grass.

That’s the way to make green transit even greener. Put the tram/streetcar tracks on a carpet of grass or sedum. 2 kms of track creates 1.5 football fields' worth of green space, reducing air pollution and urban heat island effect. (Wild grass is especially effective.)

May 31, 2023 at 7:24pmWeb
Show threadπšƒπšŠπš›πšŠπšœ π™Άπš›πšŽπšœπšŒπš˜πšŽ πŸš‡May 31, 2023
I’ll be posting from #Italy for the next couple of weeks. If you want the full story, sign up for dispatches (free or paid), here: https://straphanger.substack.com/
Straphanger, from Taras Grescoe | Substack

Bulletins from a Future Beyond the Automobile (And How to Get There). Click to read Straphanger, from Taras Grescoe, a Substack publication with hundreds of readers.

Show threadThird spruce tree on the leftMay 31, 2023

@straphanger This is absolutely wonderful.

#TTC are you paying attention #Toronto ?

Show threadChris AlemanyπŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡ΈMay 31, 2023
@straphanger rail people here in North America would have an absolute heart attack at the mere mention of allowing natural growth on or between the tracks!
Show threadDoktor Overcomma May 31, 2023
@straphanger I recently saw a central-urban grassy tram line in Kagoshima, Japan!
Show threadTom AndraszekMay 31, 2023

@straphanger - #Warsaw has a program of upgrading existing #tram tracks to "green" sedum ones.

https://youtu.be/yPNb_Qw4zHc

https://um.warszawa.pl/-/program-zielone-tory

Tramwajowi ogrodnicy ponownie w akcji

YouTube
Show threadIrenaMay 31, 2023
@straphanger I saw similar in Dresden a few years ago. So pleasing, and so encouraging. London could learn from Milan!
#Climate
Show threadRogerJun 1, 2023
@straphanger Everyone wins whenever someone flushes the train toilet.
Show threadChuck, just ChuckJun 1, 2023
@straphanger the trams in Florence run on grass in the areas where they can as well.
Show threadgreenPAl00ka πŸ³β€πŸŒˆJun 1, 2023
I noticed the lack of street trees there. @straphanger
Show threadKaren StrickholmJun 1, 2023
@straphanger Brilliant!
Show threadsandywb14Jun 1, 2023
@straphanger πŸ’•
Show threadSue ArcherJun 1, 2023

@straphanger

There's a stretch like that on the Metrolink into Manchester from Salford. It's not very long, before the tram is back on shared road, or normal ballast. Would be nice to see more.

Show threadJohnnyAJun 1, 2023
@straphanger is that the next tram in the background?
Show threadDavid Penfold Jun 1, 2023
@straphanger and allowing better drainage
Show threadLaux Myth (aka Martin)Jun 1, 2023
@straphanger Sedum? I have seen grasses. I wonder what other plants could work.