Category: Urban Systems

Buffered Bike Lanes

Buffered Bike Lanes

Buffered Bike Lanes

01/29/22

“How can we create a buffer between bike lanes and oncoming vehicles?”

Bike lanes are wonderful for granting more public space to bicycle riders. However, sometimes there is no physical protection that can prevent a car from hitting them. So how can we use our urban planning mindset to get around this? Well, what if we were to create a physical barrier that would prevent a roadside collision? This is the idea behind Buffered Bike Lanes. One example of a buffered bike lane are Parking Protected Bike Lanes.

Basic Bike Lanes

Basic Bike Lanes

Basic Bike Lanes

01/28/22

“What is the most basic version of bike lanes?”

Bike lanes are one of the greatest inventions of urbanism by allowing bikes to have their own part of the street not shared with cars. But what is its most basic form? Well, what if we were to just paint a solid white lane (except for being checkered at intersections) to delineate where cars can and cannot enter? This is the idea behind Basic Bike Lanes and is one of the most effective ways to make a city more transit friendly. 

Preparing Airports for Snowstorms

Preparing Airports for Snowstorms

Preparing Airports for Snowsorms

01/26/22

“Why should we prepare airports for snowstorms?”

Snowstorms cause great havoc and delays. One piece of infrastructure that is impacted the most is airports. When these occur, flights can be grounded to a halt and delays can ripple out. To prevent this, airports should take active measures such as predicting snowstorms and canceling flights early. This is how we can look into Preparing Airports for Snow Storms. 

Why Heavy Snow Detection is Important for Town Safety

Why Heavy Snow Detection is Important for Town Safety

Why Heavy Snow Detection is Important for Town Safety

01/25/22

“Why is heavy snow detection important for town safety?”

Snow can cause a lot of setbacks to towns. Transmission lines can be downed, roads can be blocked off, and people may have to stay snowed-in for the day. To make sure that residents can prepare ahead of time, towns should have early-warning systems in place that can detect when the snow will arrive and how to respond quickly. This is Why Heavy Snow Detection is Important for Town Safety.

Why Cities Should Audit Their Skyscrapers for Earthquake Sensitivity

Why Cities Should Audit Their Skyscrapers for Earthquake Sensitivity

Why Cities Should Audit Their Skyscrapers for Earthquake Sensitivity

01/23/22

“Why should cities audit their skyscrapers for earthquake sensitivity?”

Skyscrapers are one of the modern marvels of the world. Their grand height is made capable of rugged, solid materials supporting it to the foundations. However, outdated structures and materials make them prone to mistakes that could prove dire with an intense earthquake. To prevent such a thing from occurring, cities should invest money into ensuring that their structures are up to par. This is Why Cities Should Audit Their Skyscrapers for Earthquake Sensitivity.

Parking Protected Bike Lanes

Parking Protected Bike Lanes

Parking Protected Bike Lanes

01/22/22

“How can we have bike lanes that protect riders from parking?”

Bike lanes are a modern marvel for bicycle riders. They allow for a dedicated space for riding in safety away from hazards. However, much of the time they share space with parking spaces, which can lead to collisions with riders. So how can we use our urban planning mindset to solve this?

Well, what if we were to simply make a road barrier that separates the bike lane from the rest of the road and have cars park on the side opposite of the bikes? Not only does this make biking a much safer experience, but it does so without the loss of too much parking. These Parking Protected Bike Lanes are popping up in cities all over the globe and may be coming to your town soon!

Image credit bikeeastbay.org

Why Practical Solutions are Needed for Housing Climate Migrants

Why Practical Solutions are Needed for Housing Climate Migrants

Why Practical Solutions are Needed for Housing Climate Migrants

01/21/22

“Why are practical solutions needed for housing climate migrants?”

Debates about housing are fought over over all the time. Some people think that housing should be something that is entirely driven by markets, and others believe that it should be completely worker or state-owned. However, basing solutions completely off ideology will lead to failure and impose unjust conditions on climate migrants. Instead, practical solutions grounded in lived experiences of tenants and economic facts should set the course for decision-making. This is Why Practical Solutions are Needed for Housing Climate Migrants.

Why Having a Less Cluttered Living Space is Good For Personal Flood Resilience

Why Having a Less Cluttered Living Space is Good For Personal Flood Resilience

Why Having a Less Cluttered Living Space is Good For Personal Flood Resilience

01/15/22

“Why is having a less cluttered living space good for personal flood resilience?”

Having a cluttered living space makes it difficult to move around. Even worse, if a disaster like a flood attacks, more items will be damaged and it will be harder to evacuate. However, if you clean it up, then your life and recovery will be much more contained. This is Why Having a Less Cluttered Living Space is Good For Personal Flood Resilience.