NYC mixing zones: cars cross bike lanes upstream before signals. I prefer full protected intersections with islands and separate bike signals. Design philosophy matters at conflict points. #MrBarricade #BikeInfrastructure #StreetDesign #UrbanPlanning #CompleteStreets
@mrbarricade
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A specific area plan is where visions become zoning. Show up before it's finalized.
General plans set direction. Specific area plans zoom in: this corridor, this station, this neighborhood. They set the actual height limits, allowed uses, and design guidelines that govern your area for a generation.
Planning departments hold workshops. They post drafts. They accept comment. Most residents find out when construction starts on something they hate.
San Jose's Better Bikeways: phase 1 paint, phase 2 posts, phase 3 tack-on curbs, phase 4 full buildout. Infrastructure evolves. Watched it from striping to concrete. #MrBarricade #BikeInfrastructure #UrbanPlanning #CompleteStreets
Every parking lot next to a BART station is a future TOD project. The question is when.
BART station parking lots represent the highest-density TOD opportunity in the Bay Area. Much is publicly owned by BART.
AB 2923 requires BART to allow housing on its parking. SB 79 removes local entitlement barriers. The political and regulatory conditions are better than they have ever been.
The parking lots will eventually be housing. The only question is how long the region waits.
Old railroad geometry at Bird Ave and Willow St creates dangerous off-intersection crossings. Protected intersections bring trails into actual crosswalks where drivers expect them. #MrBarricade #BikeInfrastructure #SafeStreets #UrbanPlanning #CompleteStreets
Bravery is for emergencies. It is not a daily requirement of crossing the street to get to work or school. When a street's design requires pedestrians to summon courage just to cross, the street has failed. The engineering profession has the tools to fix these failures. The moral obligation is to use them — not just where it's convenient or politically easy, but everywhere people need to cross.
COVID street closures became permanent. Redwood City closed Broadway to cars in 2024, transforming parking lanes into parklets and seating. Temporary solutions can become better permanent places. #MrBarricade #OpenStreets #DowntownRevitalization #UrbanPlanning
When a retaining wall fails, it is almost never a surprise to the wall. The signs were there. Horizontal cracking indicates bending stress at design limits. Vertical cracks can mean differential settlement. Bulging means rotation - the soil is winning. Base displacement and lost batter are visible precursors to catastrophic failure. Walls that fail suddenly almost always had a distress history. Inspection matters. #MrBarricade #RetainingWalls #CivilEngineering #Infrastructure
Private shopping centers use pavers, decorative concrete, landscaping. Still meet safety standards. Streets don't have to be ugly. Cities can invest in beauty too. #MrBarricade #UrbanDesign #Placemaking #UrbanPlanning
Yield signs get around 30% driver compliance. RRFBs get 72-82% or higher. A HAWK signal costs $60,000-$100,000 installed. An RRFB costs $8,000-$15,000. When the location doesn't warrant full signalization, the RRFB is often exactly the right call. #RRFB #PedestrianSafety #CrosswalkDesign #MrBarricade
