Kaz

Not only are there benefits with cooling in the summer, in places with significant snowfall it would keep sidewalks in business districts safer and cleaner to enhance winter use of outdoor spaces

It's my understanding that in Japan, they only use setback requirements when there's a need to expand the right of way.

In like 99% of the US, there's already too much right of way.

Covered sidewalk in downtown Galveston

LindsayLovesBikes @LindsayJS I learned something very cool recently: Arches or "Colonnades" over sidewalks mean the space inside is 10 degrees cooler -- so buildings didn't need AC, aka, they're naturally sustainable. We've built cities for 11,000 years and know a lot about sustainability. 7:37 PM 7/2/22 Twitter Web App

Sidewalk lacing cover

Colonnades are under-discussed in contemporary urban planning discourse.

Instead, there's been an ill-conceived longterm push for setbacks.

Vertical signals on Barton Springs Road

In ATX, vertical signals (and near-side) are present but rare.

Traditional traffic signals are inherently automobile infrastructure.

Building/repairing them cheaper leaves more money for actually important safety projects.

Mandating placement to near-side of intersections increases the safety for pedestrians.

Remembered this image by @schlthss.bsky.social

Guy (span) wire traffic signal. These can be cheaper than mast arm signals by a factor of 10.

It's also possible to string them fron existing utility poles. They're also radically easier/quicker to repair/rebuild.

These benefits also apply to pedestrian/bike signals like PHBs.

Planter benches on a sidewalk

I like these sidewalk planter/benches in downtown Galveston

High-quality piece by LC Chief @adamgurri.liberalcurrents.com

"An opposition must oppose: if this is a weak spot, it must be pressed to yield whatever advantages we can, even if they are merely delay and distraction from more dangerous activities the administration could be focusing on."

I think the term abundance is generally a good and useful slogan. Far superior in broad appeal than just saying Yimby.

There's notable progress towards their goal.

"Boom Supersonic analyzed the data and found that no audible sonic boom reached the ground."

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/tech/nasa-boom-supersonic-xb-1-jet-photo

Galveston has soo much potential. Great street grid. Great downtown. Good retail bones.

But it's mostly stuck in time minus the places that automobiles have been allowed to dominate.

This section of beach of beach has a pedestrian crossing spaces at .8 mile. Atrocious.

Democratic senators should ignore GOP attacks over not confirming Trump's nominees, and instead go on the offensive: Attack Republican senators for not voting to release the Epstein files. And urge voters to go to Republican senators' town halls or find them elsewhere to challenge them on this.

This is a Timothy Snyder reposting account

The fascists are no longer operating from a position of strength. They aren’t firing officials for unflattering data and stealing seats ahead of the midterms because they’re strong. They. Are. Afraid.

They’re afraid of you and me. They’re afraid of the American people.

And they should be.

Absolutely bonkers to subject folks to this. Every signal cycle two blocks away, multiple drivers speeding down the street.

One-way streets 🫠
Asinine.

Galveston, TX

Are the insurance companies wrong, or are climate changes risks/costs becoming more salient?

The BLS firing is a textbook example of how personalist authoritarianism causes policy nightmares. It's like Trump is trying to prove why liberal democratic guardrails aren't some kind of luxury, but essential for good governance

On our way to Galveston for the weekend. Bout 13 miles away and saw a billboard advertising beach front condos starting at $1.3m.

So much for affordable Houston! 😏

Render of the Waterline’s floor program. From top to bottom: 33 floors with 352 residential units, 2 res. amenity floors, 26 floors with 703,000 sqft of office space, 13 floors of hotel with 252 rooms, and one floor of creekside retail

Photo of the nearly complete exterior of the Waterline

Render of the new Waterloo Greenway segment, “The Confluence”, where Waller Creek meets Ladybird Lake. The restoration project includes multiple new pedestrian bridges, an elevated board walk, and a mile of new trails, in addition to the main improvements to water quality & natural habitat along the creek

Water color sketch of the future Austin Light Rail bridge as it crosses the north bank of Ladybird Lake just to the west of Waller Creek

communityimpact.com/austin/south...

Today in Austin the last beam was laid on The Waterline, officially topping out the tallest tower in the south - 1,034 ft.

The building will open next year, perched above the newest portion of the Waterloo Greenway and, someday, Austin’s future light rail bridge

YouTube video by Road Less Marveled May 1, 1969: Fred Rogers testifies before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications

With news that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is shutting down due to Trump’s meddling, it’s worth watching Mr. Rogers testifying to the Senate about the real value of what we’ve all lost.

Fed Governor Kugler is resigning, giving Trump a nominee on committee that sets interest rates Her resignation now paves the way for Trump to put his own nominee in for the Board of Governors.

From T Snyder:

>>Do not obey in advance. Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given... Individuals think ahead about what a more repressive government will want, and offer themselves without being asked. A citizen who adapts in this way is teaching power what it can do.<<

God dammit

👍 WOW… Ukrainian soldier stuck in the grey zone was delivered a electric bicycle by drone to help him evacuate.

New Solar and Storage Records in Texas: Grid Roundup #69 Battery record set last night, solar record set today; ERCOT projects 84 gigawatt demand the next two days; important issues and upcoming comment and intervention deadlines at the PUC

Battery record set last night, solar record set today; ERCOT projects 84 gigawatt demand the next two days; thermal outages up sharply; important issues and upcoming comment and intervention deadlines at the PUC
www.douglewin.com/p/new-solar...

A peculiarity of the City TRE discussion is that the different funding scenarios are just that…spreadsheets. They are not ironclad promises unless the ballot language promises specific cent amounts to priorities. Need that or public safety will be allowed to eat into the scenario line items.

"We want to see the world left better than when we entered it. We want a crusade against the injustices that we encounter around us. We want a struggle. We don’t all get to live to see that dream fulfilled, but we keep the fire alive in others to follow after us."

Wave that fucking flag proudly 🇺🇸 ✊

You should go read this. The ideal of what America can be has and will continue to remain worth fighting for. We as Americans have failed to move towards that ideal or worse, stagnated or regressed from it many times but we push on. The torch of liberty WILL burn until every man breathes free.

Every blue-haired they/them liberal arts grad living in NYC is tougher than this sad little bitch.

why does this matter? Where highways intruded, in and around downtowns, was the most productive real estate which subsidized the rest of the city undermining the city's ability to provide services.