Walk Around Portland

I Go Metro

2012-01-15T09:25:00.000-05:00

You might have seen my mug on the Metro website lately. I also provided a little testimonial:

Corey T. -- "As a car-free Portlander, I rely on Metro for transportation around town when I'm not walking or biking. I ride it every day and enjoy the financial savings and convenience of not having to own a car. On days when coworkers have to deal with traffic jams or winter weather, I can proudly say that I not only made it to work on time, but also finished reading a few chapters of whatever book I'm reading while on the bus. I recommend trying a trip on the Metro to everyone. Even if the bus isn't your only method of transportation, it can be a healthy part of a balanced transportation diet."Corey takes METRO to his job at UNUM.

Stop: Driving

2012-01-08T20:25:00.001-05:00

Seen at the intersection of India and Fore Streets.

Back Cove Connection

2011-12-27T19:10:00.000-05:00

As I learned via Rights of Way earlier this month, the long anticipated pedestrian/bicycle connection at Exit 7 has been completed. Hurrah! This short but valuable trail connects Marginal Way/Franklin Street/ The Bayside Trail to The Back Cove Trail. Here are a few photos of the $200,000 project that I took this past weekend:

Ignore the "Do Not Enter" signs, those are just for cars.

Gifts for Car-free Portlanders

2011-12-17T16:42:00.001-05:00

Here are a couple last-minute gift ideas for the car-free Portlander on your list.

Regional Monthly Bus Pass

Good for unlimited rides on the Metro and South Portland Bus lines. Only $45.

Photo via Rights of Way

Portland, Maine Bike Map

"The first and only Portland Maine Bike Map highlights bike routes, lanes, and paths from Falmouth to Scarborough, Casco Bay to Westbrook - almost everyplace you can comfortably reach in an easy hour's ride from downtown Portland." $6.

Maine Running Company Gift Certificate

"At Maine's only running specialty store, you will find a welcoming environment where runners, walkers and fitness enthusiasts of all abilities receive unparalleled service and support."

Living Without a....

2011-11-26T16:44:00.001-05:00

This Google search autocomplete reinforces a general sentiment that a car is an inalienable part of people's bodies.

Portland Society of Architects - Mayoral Questionnaire

2011-10-22T07:15:00.000-04:00

The Portland Society of Architects, a local non-profit that promotes progress and economic development of Greater Portland by encouraging innovation and vision in design and planning, devised a great questionnaire for the city's mayoral candidates to complete. Nine of the candidates replied and you can check out the questions and their answers here. A few sample questions include: "What is the most important thing you would do to improve the quality of the urban environment in Portland?" And "In 20 years, what would you like to see or experience while walkingalong Stevens, Forest or Washington Avenue?"

Maine Alliance for Sustainable Transportation

2011-10-20T07:46:00.002-04:00

The Maine Alliance for Sustainable Transportation, MaST for short, will be holding a general meeting on October 25th at Peloton Labs, 795 Congress Street. Check out the poster below and this post at the Portland Green Streets website for more info and to RSVP.

Metro Bus Rider Survey

2011-09-19T19:25:00.000-04:00

The METRO is looking at some changes to the Route 1 service, according this rider survey I came across. Nothing too drastic is planned, but they would like some feedback from riders. If you are interested in completing the survey, you can email it to dbeck@gpmetrobus.com. Route #1- South Side MunJoy Hill Survey-9.6.11 REV.

Liberate Spring Street!

2011-09-10T12:13:00.001-04:00

The Portland Society of Architects will be hosting a (members-only) event on September 20th concerning Spring Street. Check out this page for details. They summarize the situation by saying:

The city planners of the early 1970′s, fueled with Federal money, demolished the core of Portland in an attempt to build a suburban mall downtown. Now we are left with jersey barriers between High and Exchange St and a senseless highway that, except a few skateboarders, is only used by automobiles.

It’s time to fix this six block mistake.

The section of Spring Street that they are interested in liberating is the highway-like area between High Street (where the West End starts) and Middle Street (where the Old Port starts) is highlighted below:

This slightly unpleasant stretch of street was once similar to how it still is further in the West End. This highway-like section was built around the same time as Franklin Arterial and coincided with the construction of the Civic Center and Holiday Inn but also the destruction of several buildings and smaller streets. Although this stretch of road is not as offensive of Franklin Street post-urban renewal, I applaud the Portland Society of Architects for getting the conversation started on how to improve this area. Although it is early in the process, I look forward to hearing the ideas that they come up with. Read more about this topic in this recent Daily Sun article.

Bicycle Registration

2011-09-09T12:51:00.002-04:00

Do you own a bicycle and live in Portland? You might as well register your bicycle with the city using this nifty website. You simply enter some contact information and information specific to your bicycle and you will be contacted in the event that your bicycle is recovered.

Go To: Gilsland Farm Audubon Center

2011-07-07T21:46:00.000-04:00

So this is the first post in a new series called "Go To." This series will feature occasional posts looking at places to go within the greater Portland area that are easily accessible by foot, bike, and/or public transportation. Of course, you can also get to these places by car if you must.

Today's stop is the Gilsland Farm Audubon Center in Falmouth. The address you can punch into your mapping system of choice is 20 Gilsland Farm Rd, Falmouth, Maine 04105. Here is the website for the center, which is part of the Maine Audubon. The red dot on this map indicates the location, which is quite close to downtown Portland:

How can you get here? It is a nice bicycle ride up Route 1 or you can take the #7 Metro Bus which goes right by the entrance to Gilsland Farm Road.

What is here? There are 2.5 miles of scenic trails to explore, which feel like they are much further from Maine's largest city than they really are. Gilsland Farm is also the Maine Audubon headquarters, and features their teachers' resource center and Maine Audubon Nature Store. This is a beautiful area to explore, here are a few photos:

And look, the Portland skyline beckons! I will have to go back here on a less hazy day for photos:

Portland to Boston for $1

2011-06-22T17:47:00.001-04:00

A tip of my hat to Broke207, where today I learned that Megabus is now offering special $1 fares for one-way travel between Portland an Boston.

Megabus is a pretty well-known operator of low-cost intercity buses in the US and UK. Concord Coach Lines, which connects Portland's Transportation Center with Boston's South Station is Megabus's partner in this low-cost venture. The $1 deals are limited to a couple of seats on each trip and require booking in advance. Megabus and competitors such as BoltBus have similar deals between other cities with special reduced fares. So the next time you are heading out of Portland via public transportation, don't forget to check out the Megabus offer. I enjoy the legroom of the Amtrak Downeaster compared to the bus, but snagging a $1 ticket is a good trade-off.

Express Bus

2011-06-21T08:24:00.000-04:00

As part of the big development proposal at Thompson's Point,which will be known as "The Forefront at Thompson's Point," the city may be getting some additional tax revenue for public transit. Per this Press Herald article from today's paper, the city council "decided to set aside 25 percent of the money the city will receive [in taxes from the development once completed], to be used for transit projects."

City councilor, public transit advocate, and mayoral candidate David Marshall, profiled on this blog in 2009, pointed out while talking with the Press Herald that the money from this development "...would be enough to pay for an express bus from the Portland International Jetport to the Portland Transportation Center – next to the proposed Thompon’s Point development – and then on to the Maine State Pier." Here's a quick Google maps map of the route from these three public transit hubs:

I'm not sure of this bus route would by managed by the Metro or not, but I think this would be a good route that would kind of combine two existing Metro routes, the #5 (The Maine Mall bus) and the #8 (the peninsula route).

The #5 currently goes from the Metro Pulse on Elm Street and out to the mall, but also services the Jetport and Portland Transportation Center. Speaking as a weekday rider of the #5, I see a decent amount of people going directly between the jetport and the transportation center. Perhaps this new route would allow the #5 to skip over those two stops and make more frequent and less-congested trips between downtown and the mall area.

The #8 is the peninsula route bus, which stops at the Casco Bay Ferry Terminal while meandering around the rest of the peninsula. One suggestion I would make, without in-depth research on the issue, is for this newly envisioned express bus bus is to also swing by Monument Square and the Metro Pulse in order to fully connect with the rest of the bus system. Either way, the fact that public transportation continues to be on the radar of our city council is a good thing.

Paint Your Own Crosswalk

2011-06-18T18:13:00.002-04:00

This is a crosswalk across Elm Street, at Monument Square:

And with a bucket of high-visibility-glow-in-the-dark-annoyingly-bright yellow paint:

Of course, I wouldn't actually paint my own crosswalk. This random story from 2008 I came across details someone in Indiana who was jailed for taking matters into his own hands after the city decided not to paint a crosswalk.

Paint it White

2011-06-11T13:51:00.016-04:00

It's nice to see the freshly painted crosswalks around downtown. If you have been outside this last week then you have probably noticed them too. I think they help alert drivers of pedestrian crossing areas better than signage alone.

There remains some places around the peninsula that are oddly lacking crosswalks. For example, the intersection of Free and Center Streets, which is at a pretty central pedestrian location directly between Monument Square and the Civic Center:

Bus Stops on Google Maps

2011-05-19T20:53:00.001-04:00

Two Google maps posts in a row? Not surprising when you consider that I enjoy looking at and analyzing maps.

Anyhow, not sure if these have always been here (maybe I've just been missing it at all these years), but I found that the Metro and South Portland bus stops and schedules have been integrated into my Google maps. I think these have been an option for Google Earth but I never noticed the integration on regular web maps until recently. They seem to be accurately placed and also link to a current time table of upcoming buses.

This isn't quite as helpful as I imagine open transit data would be, which would allow developers to build applications which track the real time location of Portland's buses, but it's a good step in that direction.

Bike Rack Map

2011-05-06T12:56:00.000-04:00

I recently happened to stumble upon this page on the city website that links to a map with downtown bike rack locations:

It looks like this map was made in 2009 so it doesn't include newer bike racks (I have a feeling that many more have been built over the last two years) and it only includes the immediate downtown area, but I still find it interesting. If I had a bicycle (I'm thinking about getting a new one) and was looking for somewhere secure to lock it up while I was out and about then I might be inclined to open up this map on my phone and find out where to go.

Regional Monthly Bus Pass

2011-05-03T19:48:00.001-04:00

Starting this month, local bus riders such as myself can take advantage of the new $45/month regional bus pass. This allows for seamless transfers between Metro and South Portland buses. Here's a poster announcing the new pass:

I think this is a great move. I personally use my part-time student status at the University of Southern Maine to obtain a great discount for Metro fares, but this regional bus pass is something that could definitely attract some new riders. You can no longer purchase the $40 a month Metro-only pass, but the price increase of $5 doesn't seem to be too hard to handle overall. I imagine that perhaps someday in the future we could see further integration between local transit providers. In order to better serve the greater Portland population, it makes sense to integrate our transit services as much as possible and to perhaps have a unified transit organization someday.

Permanent Sidewalks

2011-04-03T13:13:00.000-04:00

Spring is in the air, which means, among other things, that the time for re-painting the city's roads is near. In addition to painting yellow center lines and bicycle lanes, crosswalks are also re-painted at least once a year. In addition to saving some money on paint, I think 'permanent' sidewalks look better and help give the road some character.

The type of crosswalk I'm speaking of, on Federal Street by Monument Square:

Example of a less permanent crosswalk on Congress Street:

There are some good examples of these permanent crosswalks around the peninsula, and I say there is always room for more. They of course are more expensive than painted crosswalks initially (perhaps depending on the material used), and do require upkeep (to keep the crosswalk accessible to all users), but they usually look more attractive and can be safer by not fading and being more visible to motorists.

Snowy Neckdowns

2011-02-24T18:10:00.001-05:00

According to the aptly named TrafficCalming.Org, a neckdown is:

"Neckdowns are curb extensions at intersections that reduce the roadway width from curb to curb. They "pedestrianize" intersections by shortening crossing distances for pedestrians and drawing attention to pedestrians via raised peninsulas. They also tighten the curb radii at the corners, reducing the speeds of turning vehicles."

This video on StreetFilms.Org (part of the StreetsBlog network) takes a look at the affects of "snowy neckdowns" in New York, a phenomena also common in Portland:

Senior Citizen's Transportation

2011-02-11T12:45:00.001-05:00

I happened to see an article posted on the New York Times recently which mentions little old Portland, Maine. See here. The article is in the blog section called "The New Old Age," which appears to deal with topics related to the elderly population.

This article is about the Portland branch of the Independent Transporation Network. The ITN, as it is called, provides transportation options for senior citizens who are not able, or no longer wish to, drive and maintain their own automobiles. As they say in their overview section of their website, "few of us think, and even fewer plan for, the day when we'll have to turn in our keys." This is true, and I'm led to believe that there are many people who live in communities that also have not thought about people who want to go places without a car, such as people who are no longer able to operate a motor vehicle safely due to age.

Anyhow, the blog article looks at the transportation choices made by some elderly people here in Portland. The ITN system works similarly to a taxi service when combined with a carsharing service. Members pay a certain amount per year for membership, a pick-up fee, and a set amount per mile. According to the article, the cost per mile in Portland is $1.50, which they compare the the average cost per mile in a Portland taxi which is $3.60. It's more expensive than the bus, even without the senior discount, but certainly offers more convenience.

The article has a great quote by the network's founder Katherine Freund:

“The same impairments that make it difficult for people to drive make it difficult for them to use public transportation, where they may have to walk down stairs, walk on icy sidewalks, wait in the cold or the hot sun,” said Ms. Freund. “And now we’re living longer. We’re outliving all of our systems, including the transportation system.”

This seems like a really valuable service that could grow substantially as the population ages. Safe and efficient transportation options for the elderly will continue to be an issue for some time here, as Maine is already the state with the oldest population. I'd be happy to see some investment in organisations such as the ITN.

Walking in a Winter Portland

2010-12-21T12:58:00.001-05:00

Being a pedestrian in the winter months can be a challenge even for the most physically fit of people. This recent press release by the city has some good winter tips for pedestrians and drivers alike and includes the map, posted below, detailing sidewalks that the city clears for pedestrians:

Of course, all sidewalks, not just the ones highlighted below should be kept clear from snow, ice, and debris. A city ordinance, that is generally well enforced, requires property owners to clear sidewalks in front of their property. If you come upon a non-city-owned sidewalk that is chronically uncleared, the public works department can be contacted at 874-8793 and they will bring a snowshovel of justice to the offender.

Also, the adopt-a-stop program is still looking for able-bodied volunteers to help keep local bus stops clear.

Pedestrian Detection System

2010-12-06T20:39:00.001-05:00

Pictured below is a newly installed pedestrian detection system at the intersection of Commercial and Franklin Streets:

As highlighted in this press release by the city, these new cameras have been installed at the pedestrian crossings at Commercial Street/Franklin Street and Park Avenue/Deering Avenue.These cameras use infrared stereo LED cameras (kind of like the Microsoft Kinect?) to detect pedestrians and sync the pedestrian and vehicle signals. This technology is being developed by Migma Systems, out of Massachusetts, and more technical information on the product can be found here and here. The system isn't currently for sale, as it is in field testing and Portland was picked as one of six demonstration cities for the technology.

I look forward to seeing the results of this trial, and stopping by these intersections to see it in action (I don't think it was on when I took the above picture). To sum this up, here is a commendable comment in the city's press release by Michael Bobinsky, Portland Public Services Director:

"Portland has long been a leader in advancing pedestrian safety and accessibility and it was great news that the city was chosen by FHWA and the Maine Department of Transportation for the installation of this cutting edge technology as it will help us continue our efforts to make this city a safe place to get around, whether on foot, bike or car."

Diagonal Crosswalks

2010-11-14T15:46:00.003-05:00

I came upon this video about diagonal crosswalks on the Streetsblog.org site recently, about the addition of some diagonal crosswalks in Los Angeles:

Diagonal crosswalks are pretty self explanatory: When created at a four-way intersection, they create one big crosswalk in the intersection instead of the standard four crosswalks at each side of the intersection. This type of crosswalk works well in areas with a lot of foot and bike traffic. In addition to decreasing travel times for pedestrians, the biggest advantage of diagonal crosswalks is that they eliminate turning traffic which makes things safer for everybody.

These types of crosswalks are seen in some bigger cities in America (New York, San Francisco, etc) and around the world (Tokyo comes to mind). Is there anywhere in little old Portland that would benefit from this type of crosswalk? I could definitely see it working at several intersections along Commercial Street, which is already a pedestrian friendly area. Congress Street would be another logical area, perhaps at Congress Square or Monument Square. Feel free to comment with your ideas.

Bicycle Sharing

2010-09-27T19:56:00.004-04:00

Portland currently has a car-sharing program, UCar Share, so could it also support a bike-sharing program?

There are several bike-sharing systems in place around the globe and dozens of companies that are specializing in this field. A notable new North American system is in Washington D.C. The U.S. capital's new bike-sharing system, Capital Bikeshare, recently debuted this month.

The system works similar to car-sharing, in that you sign up for a membership and then have access to the bicycles which are parked at convenient locations throughout the city. According to the Capital Bikeshare website, their service in D.C. has started with 1,100 bikes at 114 stations. After signing up with the bike-share service, you then can take a bicycle from its station anytime, as long as there is indeed a bike there, and use it as you wish.

The pricing for the service is interesting. You can use a bike for a day by paying $5, or pay for a 30 day or an annual membership. An annual membership is normally $75 but is currently discounted to $50 and I'm sure there will be promotions on the yearly membership throughout the year. Beyond the membership fee, there is a certain price depending on how long you use the bicycle. The first 30 minutes of each session are free, but beyond that the prices get a bit steep. They caution users on the website that if you are planning on using a bike for an extended amount of time, that you go through a bicycle rental facility. Currently, having a bike for 6.5 - 24 hours is a hefty $70.50.

Clearly, an avid cyclist would be better off purchasing their own bicycle, and won't be getting rid of their current one in order to switch to bike-sharing. But for someone who only occasionally wants to use a bicycle or someone whose bike is temporarily out of service, bike-sharing seems like a good deal. Bike sharing might be comparable to standard bicycle rental prices in some cities, which would make it an option for tourists as well. It's an obvious point, but I will just mention that whereas car-sharing aims to reduce overall car usage, bike-sharing aims to increase bike use. So perhaps bike sharing would work better with a different approach than that of car sharing. Just a thought, I don't have any suggestions at this time in regards to a radical new approach.

Here in Portland, it would be tough to make a strong argument for the necessity of a bike sharing program. It does seem to have some potential in larger cities, and I've heard that some sort of bicycle sharing system may be started a bit closer to home in Boston .Most people in Portland who would want to ride a bicycle around town probably already own one, and there are some great affordable options in the area for bike rentals. I'm not being paid to mention them (but I would be open to some sort of compensation!), but Gorham Bike & Ski on Congress Street rents bicycles starting at $25 a day or $125 a week. That price even includes a helmet and lock and choice of many different styles of bicycles for both genders.

Still Around

2010-09-20T19:45:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted recently, mostly due to being busy with moving, working, and part-time schooling. I recently moved a block over from my last apartment and am proud of my new location's grade of 100 on walkscore.com. I hope to come up with some more posts to share soon. In the meantime, if anyone has any ideas I am open to suggestions.

'Til next time.

Welcome to Portland!

2010-08-10T20:10:00.004-04:00

I might have posted about this before, maybe not. Anyhow, I travel to points South several times a year from the Portland Transportation Center. The PTC is home to Concord Trailways and is the current northern terminus for the Amtrak Downeaster (until it extends to Freeport and Brunswick in a couple years).

Here's a map showing the transportation center in relation to the rest of the city:

Until recently, there were no pedestrian connections to the transportation center. Proper sidewalks were recently completed on Sewall Street that make traveling to the station by foot a more pleasant trip when arriving from the North or West.

For some reason, likely related to budgets, when the Fore River Parkway was built it was done so without any sidewalks or other helpful amenities to allow pedestrians coming from the East, downtown Portland, to reach the station from Congress Street. If you are a car-free visitor to Portland and you arrive to the city by bus or rail, you just might get a slightly negative impression of our infrastructure when you start your journey from the station to the city. As you can see, it's a pretty well traveled area by foot:

The other side of the road looks like it could have been designed with a sidewalk also, but instead a fence was put up right next to the guardrail (it can be hard to keep a car on the road when travelling at 25 MPH through a slight turn) and a few feet on the other side of the fence is a pretty deep gully between the road and the parking lots.

Whether you take the grassy side (or the snowbank side in the winter) or the guardrail side, you don't get much of a break from the passing vehicles. This intersection has no pedestrian crosswalks or crossing signals, despite the connection it provides pedestrians to the nice new trails near the new Mercy Hospital buildings just down the road:

The good news is that I have heard from a few different sources that this little stretch of road will be getting a sidewalk and presumably some crosswalks and pedestrian crossing signals in the future. I'm not sure when, but it's on somebody's to-do list. I'm still a bit unsure about why this was't designed for some level of pedestrian use since it connects the downtown to the mass transit hub, but it's never too late to correct these types of issues.

Back Cove Block Party

2010-07-31T10:30:00.000-04:00

As you can see from the post below (click to enlarge it), there will a block party on the cove next Sunday, August 8th. It is being put on by the Back Cove Neighborhood Association and the City if Portland.

Part of the event includes closing Baxter Boulevard to automobile traffic from Vannah Avenue to Payson Park, roughly the route highlighted in the map below (PS - Google Earth recently updated the satellite images for Portland, the images are now about 2 months old and look great!):

This will provide about a mile of car-free street for pedestrians, cyclists, and lots of other uses for a few hours. I like to think of this as a mini-Summer Streets event. Summer Streets in New York takes place a few times a year in which Park Avenue and the connecting streets are closed to motor vehicles from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park. There are a few other cities that have similar events, and I am glad that Portland is allowing this to be tried here. Although Baxter Boulevard is usually a pretty calm street and has great pedestrian infrastructure lining it and suitable bike lanes, allowing people to venture into the street every now and then can allow people to see the street in a different way and ponder the thought that we don't have to build streets just for cars.

Sidewalk Watch: Cumberland Ave

2010-07-18T08:29:00.000-04:00

Not much to report here other than the sidewalks on the southern side of Cumberland Avenue, between Franklin Street and Washington Ave, are being rebuilt. I recall this sidewalk consisting of a lot of uneven brick so it will benefit from some new curbing and surfacing.

Go Car-Free on the 4th

2010-07-03T15:25:00.002-04:00

Not only can you get some exercise, meet your neighbors, and be more environmentally friendly (among other benefits), you can also decrease your risk of being injured in an automobile on Sunday if you leave your car in the driveway.

As I saw on the Discovery Channel website, a study by the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies shows that the 4th of July is the most dangerous day of the year to drive, in addition to the summer being to most dangerous season to be on the road. Some factors that make Independence Day especially dangerous include the amount of traffic (summer travel season and people going to cookouts I suppose) and the increased amount of drunk drivers (holidays tend to lead to a spike in drunk driving).

I'm not sure of any exact statistics for the 4th of July, but according to one source there is an automobile fatality every 12 minutes and there are in excess of 40,000 fatalities every year. Such statistics are powerful and knowing that one particular day had a disproportionate amount of traffic deaths is enough for me to say that the 4th is a good day to walk, bike, or use mass transit. Besides, the weather is great and Portland is a great place to not be in a car.

Congress Square Park

2010-06-27T19:56:00.001-04:00

Some time ago I started writing a post about the park/public plaza in Congress Square. It is at the intersection of Congress and High Streets, right next to the Eastland hotel. Here's a map:

View Larger Map

Not long after I began writing a post about some ideas for improving the park, which is somewhat under-utilized for it's prime location, a notice was posted on the city website about the creation of the Congress Square Redesign Study Group. The group's aim is to "...advise and guide the design and engineering process for the assessment of the best use and design of Congress Square Park." The group has only met once, back in May, and doesn't appear to have any future meetings scheduled. I was not able to attend the group's inaugural meeting due to time constraints. I don't see any minutes of exactly what was discussed at the meeting, but there is a link to a presentation on the group's website that has some really interesting photographs showing the history of the square. Long story short, the square was home to various residential and commercial buildings until the 1980's when the current plaza design was installed (along with very positive improvements to the rest of Congress Square). Since it's creation, however, it seems that the plaza has struggled to create a real identity and usefulness and is often a place where homeless individuals congregate to ask for change. Every now and then a special event utilizes the space (such as the Tower of Song festival or the Sidewalk Art Festival, but the park is usually inactive.

So since there is a group already looking at ways to improve the park I decided not to dedicate a whole post to my thoughts on the matter, until I was passing by the other day and noticed that the concrete planting pots along Congress Street had been recently retrofitted with people-deterrents. As you can see in this photo, it appears that it would be uncomfortable to sit on these, but it is still possible:

There is a sunken plaza to the left of this photo with some steps suitable for sitting on and two or three (at the most) old benches in the middle of the park but I would think that if we are not allowing people to sit on these planters then perhaps a few more benches could be added in this area. As I said, I didn't get the chance to attend the redesign group's meeting and am not able to tell you what improvements they thought of, but I do hope that there are some more useful improvements planned other than attempting to keep people from sitting down for a bit.

Shopping Carts and Urban Living

2010-06-04T21:24:00.003-04:00

As recently reported at TheCityFix.com, a site about sustainable urban mobility, the Sydney, Australia city council recently denied an urban supermarket the ability to provide it's customers with shopping carts (or as they call them: trolleys).

From this article from down under, the city council "...approved a development application last September for a small local supermarket with no trolleys, but six months later the developer wanted to change it to include trolleys." The city council denied this request and the market will remain trolley-free. Apparently part of what the city council was aiming for when they approved this urban supermarket was to provide a place to shop for city dwellers without increasing the amount of automobile traffic in the already congested area. Similar to how markets used to work in cities before cars, I believe the idea was that people would make a quick stop by the local market on foot a few times a week to pick up the goods they needed for just the next few days. Here's a quote from article:

"Labor councillor Dr Meredith Burgmann says the decision was based on maintaining traffic levels in the area.

She says she has never received so many emails and letters from residents concerned about the impact of trolleys.

"It does have to remain a local drop-in-as-you're-walking-along-the-street supermarket," she said."

The Sydney Morning Herald also reported on this, prior to the city council's decision upholding the trolley ban:

"The Friends of Erskineville [the village where the supermarket is] warns that trolleys are a gateway conveyance that will hook shoppers on the car habit. ''Without wanting to sound like the League of Gentlemen, no trolleys restricts the amount of people who will drive so it's only local people, on foot, not people driving to the site,'' the group's spokesman, Brett Mason, said."

These Friends of Erskineville seem to be a pretty dedicated bunch of individuals, interested in promoting livability and sustainability in their own neighborhood. The stance against shopping carts is rather interesting and I'm not sure if this issue has ever been discussed in America. I'm not advocating that shopping carts be banned or the use of them curtailed, but it's worthwhile to think about the connection between our current infrastructure and our lifestyle. Banning shopping carts at the IGA in Erskineville is a small act, but it is a solution that make sense and seems to be popular with the people it affects on a daily basis.

What's in a name? From Arterial to Street

2010-05-31T16:12:00.002-04:00

I can't find the official documentation of this, but someday soon the signs saying Franklin Arterial will say Franklin Street. I'm sure this is a minor victory as far as the Franklin Reclamation Authority is concerned, but it's a step in the right direction by the city. As you know, where the Franklin Arterial (Oops, I mean Street) is was once an urban street and not the mini highway that it is today. A look at official city maps reveals that the actual name of the thoroughfare has actually always been Franklin Street, so it's interesting that it became to be known as Franklin Arterial and the street signs even said so. Either way, this is a good move and I look forward to further discussions concerning the future of this street.

Fix This: Deering Oaks Benches

2010-05-17T19:19:00.005-04:00

These benches along High Street have always baffled me. I have never once seen anyone using them, not even to sleep on. These pictures sum up the problem with this bench placement pretty well:

It would probably make more sense to put these benches somewhere with a scenic view, rather than a view of a somewhat high-speed one way street with a park somewhere beyond. The area right around the Deering Oaks Pond lacks benches, so I would propose a quick fix of moving some of these, if not all of them, over there.

*Update - Someone is seen sitting on one of these benches on Google streetview. What are the odds?

Bayside Trail - April 2010

2010-04-30T08:32:00.002-04:00

Here are a few shots of the Bayside Trail under construction as of last weekend. Coming along nicely!

2010 Great Portland Bike-Swap

2010-04-22T12:03:00.004-04:00

The annual bike swap at USM's Sullivan Gym is this Sunday, April 24th. It starts at 10am, so if you want to have a wide variety of purchasing choices, you should be sure to arrive a lot earlier than that. I attended last year, and it was an interesting event.

Some local bicycling related links:

Bike Maine

Portland Bike Commuting

Portland Green Streets

Vote MilNeil - District 119

2010-04-14T06:52:00.005-04:00

If you live in Maine's District 119 (Bayside and Parkside neighborhoods of Portland), please consider supporting Christian MilNeil, author of Rights of Way and Vigorous North, in his bid for a seat in Maine's State House. The current representative is leaving, so it's a great opportunity to get some new blood in the system and Christian is a strong candidate and people who read this blog will agree with a lot of his views. Read more about his bid here, and donate to his clean election fund if you live in the district.

Bridges over Waters

2010-04-11T11:22:00.005-04:00

In the not-too-distant future Portland will have two new/reconstructed bridges on opposite sides of the peninsula. To the north, the Martin's Point Bridge that carries Route 1 traffic from Portland to Falmouth is to be reconstructed starting in 2014. To the south, the Veteran's Memorial Bridge which also carries Route 1 but from Portland to South Portland, will be rebuilt starting this summer.

I wasn't around when either of these bridges were built initially, but I doubt that there was as much public participation in the design and planning process back then as there is these days. There have been workshops for the public concerning the new Veteran's Memorial Bridge (I unfortunately wasn't able to attend due to work/school) and the city is looking for members of the public to join a committee for the Martin's Point Bridge reconstruction project.

The Martin's Point Bridge is currently the more pedestrian/bike friendly route, and both bridges promise to be much more accommodating to non-vehicular traffic when they are completed. Maybe it's just the optimistic spring weather getting to me, but I felt like writing a positive post today. I urge everyone to get involved with the design process of these and other infrastructure projects around town.

Pedestrian Crossing When Flashing

2010-03-25T18:35:00.003-04:00

I took this photo many months ago, but still think it's worth mentioning. It's located at the intersection of Forest Avenue and Bedford Street, next to the USM library.

Are there similar installations at other Portland intersections? I do not know. I do think it's a novel idea and it was the first time I have seen it in Portland. A 'no turn on red' sign would make this safer for pedestrians, but I think it does plenty and it is a million times better than the old intersection layout that had right-turning (from Bedford to Forest) traffic yielding/never stopping. Also, being an extension of USM, I'm sure the flashing sign works well during peak pedestrian times such as between classes.

I also like how this intersection had a median separating both sides of Forest Avenue, which provides a much needed (albeit very small) shelter from vehicles while crossing 4 lanes.

Needs more Sidewalk

2010-03-13T09:03:00.001-05:00

Public Bike Forum - Jan. 9, 2010

2009-12-30T12:38:00.002-05:00

I saw this on the Press Herald today...

"The city plans to hold a forum on Saturday, Jan. 9, to get public input on developing strategies to improve bicycling in the community.

One goal, according to a release put out this morning, is to help Portland become a Bicycle Friendly Community, as designated by the League of American Bicyclists.

This fall, the release said, the city was awarded an honorable mention for its application to be considered a bike-friendly community. The league suggested a number of ways Portland could improve “bikability,” the release said, including an expansion of Bike to Work Day, increasing the number of bike lines along major arterials, improving public education efforts for safety, and incorporating bicycling issues/needs in planning and large-scale development.

The forum will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the Merrill Rehearsal Hall at City Hall. Members of the public are encouraged to pre-register at http://www.portlandmaine.gov/planning/conferenceregistrationbikes.asp."

Exit 6 Follow-Up

2009-12-15T20:05:00.002-05:00

Allow me to share some information I received from Kathi Earley, in reference to this big post from May. Intrepid readers of this blog likely noticed that large sections of Forest Avenue were repaved and spruced up over the summer and fall. After waiting several months to see if there would be any changes to Forest Avenue where this interchange is and eventually realizing that it would be not touched, I sent an email voicing my concerns to city councilman Kevin Donoghue. Kevin forwarded my message to Kathi Earley, who along with Kevin and others serve on the Portland Area Comprehensive Transportation System committee.(http://www.pactsplan.org/).

Here are the main points, which leave me optimistic that some issues here will be addressed someday...

MDOT has developed conceptual plans for making improvements to this Exit, including realignment of each ramp to 'force' drivers to slow down as they enter and exit the Highway. The City has maintained it's position thruout this project's design phase that pedestrians and bicyclists MUST be properly accommodated when MDOT constructs this project.

The Transportation Committee recently established the intersection area of Forest/Marginal Way/State/Kennebec as the City's primary application for 2012/2013 PACTS funding for Intersections Improvements. While this project, if funded, would not directly focus on the Exit 6 ramps, it is intended to follow improvements we expect MDOT to make and also address the Bayside Trail's alignment to reach Deering Oaks.

As mentioned in my blog post, the lack of any lighting in this area is of concern. It is said that the street lighting was eliminated due to the operating budget. Lighting is likely to be addressed when (not anytime too soon though) when the MDOT next addresses this interchange. A point was made that placing pedestrian crossing signs is tricky with these types of cloverleaf interchanges, which I understand. Obviously a completely redesigned interchange would likely be built to more modern standards which would benefit pedestrian traffic, but the current interchange will likely remain for a long time coming. In regards to my other concern of the lack of crosswalks at the entrance/exit ramps, the MDOT owns the ramps and therefore there are certain laws and regulations I am not familiar with. Kathi also mentioned that i they were allowed to put down crosswalks, that it would have to wait until warmer weather.

So, there's some follow up for you all. Hope everyone is having a good holiday season, stay safe!

Adopt-a-Stop

2009-12-14T18:41:00.004-05:00

Adopt-a-stop.org is an interesting opportunity for able bodied and public transportation minded individuals in the Portland area. The emphasis is on keeping the bus stops in Portland and South Portland clear and safe in the winter months.

Someone should urge me to sign up so I can remodel the post office bus stop. I imagine it working out like when Kramer adopted a mile of highway.

The Pedestrian Flow (or lack of)

2009-10-19T15:05:00.006-04:00

I came across this post on the World Streets blog today, and here is the text I want to breifly discuss:

"One of my great interests is time reallocation in an urban system. All I mean by this is that when I walk across parts of London which I do most weeks it is quite clear that the amount of time I stand still and do not move as traffic hurtles past is very large. I estimate it is about 50% of my journey time. That means that even in a congestion charge best practice world my time is being stolen to reward drivers with time savings. I want the theft halted and the system re-prioritised to reward pedestrians and cyclists."

- John Whitelegg, Editor, World Transport Policy and Practice

I find this to ring very true in not only here in Portland, but in every city that has automobile traffic that I've visited or heard of. At a 'standard' street intersection, a pedestrian is likely to wait an disproportionate amount of time to move in relation to the movement of vehicular traffic.

Before I get a ton of hate mail, I don't think that 'the equation' should be reversed to make it as difficult for cars as it currently is for pedestrians, but I think there is room for improvement in the daily flow of intersections.

The first intersection that comes to mind for improvement is one near my apartment, the intersection of Congress, High, and Free Streets (commonly referred to as Congress Square). High and Free Streets, both being one-way, tend to have an almost endless stream of traffic during busy times. A finer balance of 'walk' times and red lights would make this a more friendly area for pedestrians. There was an article awhile ago in the newspaper about the great art and entertainment scene that has been blossoming for the last several years on Congress Street, west of High Street. One of the owners of an art gallery in the State Theater building said something to the effect of "it's hard to attract the kind of foot traffic on this side of town that the Old Port and the rest of Congress Street attracts, it's like there's an invisible wall." Although they did not seem to make the connection, it is clear that this intersection is an obstruction to pedestrian movement on Congress Street and a few simple redesigns could make a positive difference.

I can not find it anywhere, but I'm pretty sure I saw an idea on Rights of Way a long time ago, in which there few pictures of a slightly redesigned intersection here that eliminated the merge lane from High Street onto Free Street. Simply turning that into a sidewalk and forcing cars going from High to Free Street to do so at the intersection created a great little space and made the intersection much more manageable. Inspiration for such a design can be found in the reclamation of space for pedestrians in New York's Times Square.

By allowing pedestrians some breathing room to cross streets, it would encourage car-free travels and also make city driving more efficient for drivers who currently become enraged the second that a light turns green and a pedestrian has a few feet left to go to to the nearest sidewalk. One thing I never understood about the pedestrian signals at intersections is that they don't have the standard green, yellow, and red signals that vehicles have. There are countless intersections around town that give the steady red stop/don't walk signal to pedestrians when there is clearly enough time to cross the road. At the risk of being arrested for jaywalking (does that happen in Portland? Also, it's sad that most streets are purely designed for the fastest-possible movement of cars even in dense pedestrian environments) I prefer to cross the road before the oncoming traffic's signal turns green in order to avoid waiting in the cold for 5 minutes while people in heated machines cruise by.

I could go on, but I will stop here before I start rambling too much!

A Safe Place

2009-10-14T15:08:00.004-04:00

Is Portland a safe place to walk, bike, run, etc?

For the most part (I'm looking at you, Franklin Arterial!) the peninsula is home to pretty calm streets that enable and encourage pedestrian usage year-round.

At the Maine Personal Injury Law Blog (run by local firm Joe Bornstein) they recently had a post about an update to pedestrian safety law.

Here's a snippet:

Pedestrians, by law, now have more room to run and walk when on the road. A new law protecting pedestrian safety states that drivers must leave at least three feet of clearance between their vehicle and a pedestrian when passing. The decree is a continuation of a similar law for passing bicyclists.

The new law went into effect on September 12th and is being considered by many as an awareness act. Known as “An Act To Improve the Health of Maine Citizens and Safety of Pedestrians," drivers must now be more cautious of their actions around pedestrians or they will be fined.

I applaud the effort, and although we all know that traffic calming and common sense are more effective tools to enhance pedestrian safety in Maine, the law certainly means well. Fortunately, most roads in downtown Portland have adequate sidewalks, and this law seems to be more focused on pedestrians utilizing roads without sidewalks.

And back to the issue of safety in Portland, I rarely hear of fatal incidents involving pedestrian/bicycles. Most of the areas that pedestrians have access to in downtown Portland are low(er) speed areas, compared to the high-speed roads that connect the suburbs and rural areas that are purely designed for automobile use. In turn you rarely have incidents on the higher speed roads outside of cities and town centers because they are rarely used by pedestrians since nothing is within reasonable walking distance.

In a broader sense, the streets of Portland are relatively safe as far as crime goes. Despite the occasional crime spree, most people would report experiencing few serious problems. Perhaps more on this topic in the future...

Prime Time

2009-09-28T18:06:00.004-04:00

Folks, this is the perfect time of year as far as I am concerned.

If you are a reader of this blog, and you must be since you are reading this, I'm sure you also enjoy this time of year. Fall in Maine is colder than winter in some states but I have found that it is just right for my tastes. Don't get me wrong; I enjoy summer, winter, and spring a lot. But as far as good walking weather, fall is my pick.

Maybe I am extra excited since I just walked home from work for the first time in a while and the weather was gorgeous. The summer is too hot for me to make the ~4 mile trek without help from the bus along the way and the winter is a whole different story. Anyhow, it was a very nice fall day in Maine and I even saw a few bits of foliage.

I haven't been posting a lot lately, but I also except that a lot of people haven't been huddled in front of their computers to read local blogs lately. If you haven't, I advise you to step away from your desk or couch as soon as possible and enjoy the weather before it goes away.

Also..

Tomorrow night, September 29th, there is a Maine State Rail Plan meeting at the USM Portland library from 6-8pm. See you there, perhaps.

Sidewalk Watch: Sidewalk Seating

2009-09-16T06:45:00.002-04:00

Reader Mark S. recently brought to my attention a sidewalk issue playing out in the Old Port. He sent in the picture to the left of the sidewalk in front of the Salt Exchange restaurant, at 245 Commercial Street. As you can see, sidewalk seating has taken up more than half of the sidewalk, and left a couple of feet for people to pass through and dodge parking meters. In addition to creating a challenging environment for pedestrians, it is likely also against some sort of city regulation.

The seating will likely be gone soon, as the weather gets colder, but it was still set up this past weekend and I agreed that it was not a very good use of the sidewalk. This blog is not a place to complain about things or to be a whistle blower, but a place to bring these sorts of things to people attention, at which point people can form their own opinions and act accordingly. That being said, if I anyone can find any ordinances relating to this type of sidewalk use on the city website I would be impressed! (here is the city code site)

Does sidewalk seating work in some areas? Certainly. The picture to the left is from in front of Local 188 on Congress Street. This isn't a super-busy little stretch of sidewalk, though it's certainly not a dead zone, but the restaurant leaves enough unobstructed sidewalk to not cause any hassles for pedestrians. The restaurants in Monument Square with outside seating have plenty of room to spread out, also. The Empire Dine & Dance, on a pretty busy stretch of Congress Street at the corner with Forest Avenue has sidewalk seating installed, and it usually works fine except for really busy pedestrian times, such as first Fridays.

The title of this post, Sidewalk Seating, opens me up to exploring the topic of public seating on our sidewalks and in our parks. I'm all for places to sit and the only downside to the outside restaurant seating around town is you have to pay for a meal to sit there!

Out of Town: Pittsburgh

2009-09-01T17:06:00.008-04:00

For the first edition of this new series, aptly called "Out of Town," I have chosen to shine a light upon the city of Pittsburgh. Located in the fine state of Pennsylvania at the confluence of some hard to pronounce rivers and the start of the Ohio River, Pittsburgh makes my list of most scenic cities in the country. I have never been there, but have always enjoyed pictures of the area and reading about the city's progress.

The city has a strong 'green' reputation, which is no small feat considering it rose to prominence as an industrial hub (notably steel) full of polluted rivers and smog. It is hosting a G-20 economic summit later this month which will put the city on the world stage for a few days. This website, aptly called Pittsburgh Green Story, chronicles the "...remarkable story of one of America’s oldest industrial cities. Pittsburgh, once declared "hell with the lid taken off," has undergone one of the most dramatic environmental transformations in American history and is now one of the greenest cities in the nation."

In addition to the overall green vibe, the city appears to have a pretty dense downtown and surrounding pre-war suburbs which make it a good place to explore without a car. There are not a lot of large American cities where you can literally start a hiking expedition from downtown.

That leads me to a selection of blogs and/or websites that have similar aspirations and mindsets to mine. (which is the basis of the 'out of town' series by the way)

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UrbanHike.Org

"Urban Hike is an informal, monthly-or-so walking tour of the Pittsburgh area. We learn a little history, take in some strange and beautiful sights, get some exercise, and wrap it all up with some delectable local cuisine."

The other day I was thinking that I would like to take up hiking, but to get to some mountainous terrain near Portland without a car proved to be a challenge. By the time I walk/bike/run to a mountain I would be to tired to do any hiking. Pittsburgh's urban hike group looks like some good wholesome fun and their website is very well done.

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Bike Pittsburgh
http://bike-pgh.org/

This is another great looking site. In addition to car-free Fridays and Bikefest, they seem to do a ton of advocacy on local biking issues, have a busy community calendar, and feature some very slick looking bicycle maps. Pittsburgh is a hilly city, and I am sure that riding your bike there is not only convenient but a great workout.

"Bike Pittsburgh is committed to making Pittsburgh increasingly safe, accessible, and friendly to bicycle transportation. The work we do is at the heart of urban environmentalism - raising awareness about oil dependency, pollution, congestion, safe streets, good urban design, and public health. We are partnering with local stakeholders to improve our streets, bridges, and trails in order to make riding to work, shopping, and exercising by bicycle safe and fun for everyone in Pittsburgh. "

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East Busway Blog
http://buswayblog.blogspot.com/

And last but not least, this blog provides some good insights into current transportation issues relating to the city. An interesting tidbit I learned about the author is that they currently commute via car to their job but look forward to the day that they would be able to have a viable public transportation option for their workplace or to live and work in a more mass-transit friendly environment. A snippet from the aforementioned post:

"My goal is to at some point take a job in Pittsburgh that is more commuter friendly. For now I am stuck. Even if I wanted to move to a location closer to work, where I could take public transportation, I would have to get in my car anyway to run errands because the area is so rural.What's my point? Plan development intelligently. The office park I work in was created for people to drive to individually, access to public transit was not even an afterthought, it was NEVER considered. Now we're paying. From a completely practical perspective, gas won't be cheap forever (thank god my car is fuel efficient). At some point $50.00 a tank for a small car will become the norm again. This is not to mention the other effects (the least of which not being my sanity)."

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So there you have it, some interesting stuff out of Pittsburgh. I very much hope to visit someday. What town should be next?

Texting around Portland

2009-08-25T18:47:00.005-04:00

There was an interesting story about the (obvious) dangers of texting while driving on the CBS evening news tonight. I tried to find a link to it on their website, but there have been so many stories about the same exact topic over the last few years that I gave up on trying to find the most recent segment.

It was not mentioned in any of their reports, but texting while driving can be a hazard even to those of us who don't own cars. In fact, it can be more dangerous since we are not surrounded by the body-armor of a car even though we walk on sidewalks and crosswalks that are mere feet from vehicles with texting and chatting drivers. Bicyclists are equally at risk, as well as any person not in a car or well-built building.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a study come out someday that also incriminates pedestrians and bicyclists for texting while on the move. (Do you think I could make any money by publishing such a report?) It is as easy to be distracted while walking as it is to get distracted while driving. The real issue in all of this is, of course, not the act of texting or talking on the phone but is instead the issue of distraction. Someone trying to walk across a busy intersection while filling out a crossword puzzle is just as dangerous as someone driving a car who is trying to figure out their exact position on the map.

While it is a serious issue since people can and have been seriously injured and even killed due to distractions, it is interesting that it is blamed on different media throughout the ages. I've heard anecdotally that when they first started putting radios in cars that it was considered as dangerous as texting is today.

So, the moral of this rant is to pay attention to your surroundings, no matter when or where you are (especially in the future when people will be playing Playstation 4's while driving and installing holodecks on the in their minivans!)

Portland North Project

2009-08-18T15:31:00.007-04:00

The Portland North Project has a very nice site over at Maine.Gov that may be of interest to readers of this blog and of enthusiasts of alternative transportation in and around Portland. Here's the blurb from the site:

"In this study, the Maine Department of Transportation is considering implementing either rail or Bus Rapid Transit service between Portland and destinations north of Portland. Bus service would be provided in the I-295 and I-95 corridors, and the following three rail corridors will be analyzed for potential funding... Portland to Yarmouth, Portland to Brunswick, and Portland to Auburn."

There is a wealth of information on the site, such as studies that have been completed, powerpoint presentations, and plenty of maps. I encourage you to spend some time looking around.

This map shows a couple of different options as far as rail service into Portland from the North. One option, using publicly owned land, would involve repairing the rail bridge that runs next to Tukey's bridge (which carries I-295) and would presumably have some impact on the Narrow Gauge Railroad attraction along the Eastern Prom. Another option would have trains coming in more from the northwest on rail that belongs to PanAm. Do note that the only currently existing train station in the map below is the Portland Transportation Center.

I don't have much to say about the project, except that I obviously support it and it sounds like they are on the right track (pun intended). While rail service (utilizing existing rails) would be my first choice, a bus rapid transit (BRT) system would have just as many benefits and would likely be easier to implement. I haven't read enough into it to determine how a rail service would work with the (eventual) extension of the Amtrak Downeaster to the north, but I'm sure that is somewhere in the notes. I would also be curious to know if there is any project like this for the southern side of Portland (currently served by a few shuttle buses and the Amtrak at Old Orchard Beach, Saco/Biddeford, and other points south).

Elm Street Sidewalk

2009-08-11T22:03:00.001-04:00

This is on Elm Street near the intersection with Marginal Way, in the Bayside neighborhood. I often wonder which came first; the sidewalk or the building?

Parking Problem

2009-08-09T10:07:00.004-04:00

I've been meaning to write up a post about parking issues in Portland and how they affect even the car-free among us. I came across this recently published article which makes a lot of the points I would make, except it is written better and draws on solid evidence. I will start drafting a Portland specific post about parking someday soon. In the meantime, please check this article out:

Free Parking Isn't Free

By Seth Zeren

A few highlights:

Who pays for [free parking]? Everyone. The cost of building all that parking is reflected in higher rents, more expensive shopping and dining, and higher costs of home-ownership. Those who don’t drive or own cars thus subsidize those who do.

Because [parking] surveys are often conducted in “pure” auto environments (malls or office buildings with free parking that are inaccessible by other modes), and because they measure the absolute peak of demand, these standards often result in an enormous abundance of parking. Malls, for example, are required to build sufficient parking for the busiest day each year – with the consequence that for the other 364 days, many parking spots stand empty, a poor capital investment...

Why do Americans drive everywhere? Because everything’s far apart. Why’s it far apart? Often because there’s so much parking in between! In the end, creating bright green cities will require undoing the damage created by mandating free parking. But it won’t be easy. Urban form is path dependent. If municipalities just changed the zoning ordinances tomorrow, many drivers would raise political hell over their lost right to free parking, and many developers would go on providing free parking because that’s what the market expects. Fixing the problem will require not only a regulatory change, but also a behavioral change.

Once again, it's a very well written story and I highly recommend reading it. Amazing that so many resources are devoted to storing vehicles, which just sit around 90% of the time, while it's such a struggle making American cities more pedestrian friendly.

Groceries

2009-08-03T14:57:00.004-04:00

When transitioning to a car-free life, I found that one of the biggest challenges was shopping for groceries. Of all the types of shopping one can do, getting groceries is probably the one that you do most often and the one that is most important to your survival.

Luckily for me, I live within walking distance of several food stores. I prefer Hannaford's, which is a pretty quick 3/4 of a mile each way from my apartment. Should I become desperate, Paul's Food Center is almost around the corner. Also nearby is the public market and several convenience stores should I need to pick up a basic food item on-the-go.

I talk mostly about walking for groceries, since that is what I do, but a lot of these issues are also faced by those who bike or take the bus to get food.

Some thoughts about groceries...

Buy only what you can carry - I really do sympathize with people who have a family to feed but don't own a car. I am fortunate to only have to feed myself, so I can usually carry two bags of groceries once a week with no problem. I suppose a few ways around that for people who need to feed more than one mouth is to borrow a car, carpool, carshare, or make more trips on foot so there is less to carry each time. Downtown Portland has quite a few places to get groceries, such as Shaw's, Hannaford, and Whole Foods so we are lucky there.

Beware of Weather - I was going to focus on the challenges of carrying groceries in the winter with the ice and snow, but it is certainly a challenge in the summer heat as well. In the winter it can be dangerous and quite the workout walking through a foot of snow before public works starts on clearing the sidewalks. I will certainly have some posts about the challenges of living car-free in the winter once that season arrives. In the summer, one way to go is to wait until later in the day when the sun is setting and the temperatures cool.

Healthier? - I would say that due to walking to the grocery store, I am a little healthier. Obviously, the walk provides some good exercise. It also makes me more picky about what I am buying (is it worth the extra weight I would have to carry?) and it causes me to make less trips to the store (that saves money, too).

Does anyone else have some thoughts about these topics? I don't plan on buying a car, but having one to get groceries would be a big selling point for me.

Walk It Off

2009-07-29T13:57:00.003-04:00

Thanks to a recent report from the Center for Disesase control's first annual inagural Weight of the Nation conference, there has been increase in reports in the news and in print about the ever growing obesity problem in America. Here is a NBC news report on the conference. The report says that about $147 billion is spent on treating weight related illness such as diabetes and heart diseases annually.

Closer to home, it was recently reported at the Bangor Daily News that Maine, although only the "35th most obese state in America," is the most obese in New England. From that article:

"...24.7 percent of Maine adults are clinically obese compared with
23.7 percent in last year’s report."

I have always had a hunch that people in urban areas and those don't drive cars
on a regular basis are generally in better health, and this associated
press article backs me up. A few highlights:

"New research illustrates the health benefits of regular biking, walking or taking public transportation to work, school or shopping. Researchers found a link between "active transportation" and less obesity in 17 industrialized countries across Europe, North America and Australia."

"The authors say it's more than lifestyle choices that lead Americans to use their cars more. Europe's compact, dense layout and infrastructure are more conducive to getting around without a car."

So while this analysis doens't provide a scientic linlk betwene obesity and alternative transportation, it makes some good points that are hard to argue with. Keeping people in better shape, which benefits us all, is one of many reasons to invest in public transporation and carless or less-car dependant transportation in the Portland area.

Summer Streets

2009-07-21T16:27:00.002-04:00

Have you heard of New York City's Summer Streets?

NYC DOT and our partners are proud to present Summer Streets. We will temporarily close Park Avenue and connecting streets from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park to motor vehicles and open it up to people on three consecutive Saturdays in August (August 8, 15, & 22).

I first learned about this interesting event through streetfilms.org, check out a video about the Summer Streets here. Streetfilms is part of the excellent streetsblog network (which this blog is proudly part of).

Could Portland, Maine do something like this? There are currently a couple of events that close down roads here, including the Old Port Fest, which removes cars from most of the Old Port streets, and the Sidewalk Arts Festival, which makes Congress Street a pedestrian only area from Congress Square to Monument Square.

A key aspect to both NYC's Summer Streets and the two events in Portland mentioned above is that not only are the streets car-free, there is also 'stuff to do' besides walking down the middle of the road or not having to look both ways before crossing the street.

I think that Portland could handle a Summer Streets type event several times during the year on Exchange Street, which is a great example of a truly urban street that fits in perfectly with the character of the city. Of course, emergency vehicles and delivery trucks would be let through, but the overall harm of not allowing cars down Exchange Street for every Saturday in August would be minimal and it would be a benefit for the heavy pedestrian traffic in the area. It could even help open up a few people's minds about what new developments (think the Ocean Gateway area and Bayside districts) could be instead of big parking lots and buildings zoned for single uses.

Anyone else want to help me put up some barricades at the top of Exchange Street next Saturday? :-P

Bus = Time saver?

2009-07-16T18:11:00.008-04:00

"Walking isn't a lost art: one must, by some means, get to the garage."

- Evan Esar

Since this is a blog about the car-free "lifestyle," I will share a tidbit from my life.

Yesterday on the Maine Turnpike, just south of Portland, there was an accident which stalled traffic for hours. This morning, many people at work shared their 'horror stories" about how long it took to get home. One of the biggest complaints that I have about our local mass-transit options (the only option for me is the METRO bus) is that it usually takes much longer to get anywhere when compared to traveling in your own car. Although a bus is equally as susceptible to being delayed or being involved in a motor vehicle accident, I made it home in almost record time last night.

Bus: 1
Cars travelling south on the turnpike last night: 0.

Life in the bike lane: July 2009

2009-07-11T15:03:00.007-04:00

Here's a run-down of some bicycle related links:

Formed in 1992, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine has some great resources available on their website. The group's aim is to "advocate bicycling safety, education, and access..." throughout the state. Be sure to check out the many events on their calendar.

The city has created a nice google map with locations of bike racks, check it out here.

A public meeting on the proposed Long Creek Bike/Ped bridge in South Portland will be held during the South Portland City Council Workshop on Monday, July 13th, 2009. FMI about the meeting. Check out the presentation on the project here (opens up a .pdf file). This connection would integrate with a new Bike/Ped route over a new Veteran's Bridge (connection between Portland and South Portland) which is in the works. Exciting stuff and a great opportunity.

Also, it was announced in June that you can park your bicycle inside the Spring Street parking garage (owned by the city) for free. I hope they start allowing this at all the other city garages, too.

Fix This: Post Office Bus Stop

2009-07-07T06:18:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the second installment "Fix This." I don't want this blog to have a negative tone so I consider this series to be more of a call to action than a complaint. That being said, pardon my complaints about this bus stop.

Let's start with some photographs:

Note the sign: "No drinking in shelter, violators will be arrested."

.Looking down Park Avenue (reminds you of New York, no?) and the Parkside Neighborhood.

This shelter resembles most of the bus shelters around the city. Some are newer, but have nearly identical floor plans and overall aesthetic appeal.

A few issues that jump out at me:

Lack of seating - The bench in the shelter is large enough to fit one person comfortably, or two strangers awkwardly. Not to mention, there is often someone passed out on this bench.

Overall Size - This stop is always busy when I go by it in the morning (I apologize for taking pictures of it when no one was around). A larger shelter would be good for keeping more people dry and might make the area a bit more attractive. This stop serves three bus lines according to this map from the Metro website, and would make a great 'hub':

Aesthetic value: This stop is on a corner in a neighborhood that could use a fresh coat of paint. Why not start with a new shelter? This is a lower-income area and it sounds silly to represent neighborhood pride with a bus stop, but it would be a start. It's right next to Deering Oaks Park and a shiny new shelter could invite people to the area and serve as an information gatheringg resource with local maps, guides, advertising, etc.

Signage: The stops could use much larger and better signage of the metro routes. The current Metro schedule isn't overly complex compared to most cities, but the small maps that are on the back of this shelter could use some enlarging and clearer language.

Revenue: This isn't a walkability issue, but why aren't there any advertisements on our bus stops? I know Maine doesn't allow billboard advertising (I still have mixed feeling on this) but I don't see any harm in having a McDonald's ad on the side of a bus stop. It would bring in a little bit of much desired revenue for the system. I've even heard of larger cities which sell advertising rights on bus stops to private corporations and in return the company is responsible for the upkeep of the structure.

Here's an example of a pretty nice bus shelter, on Congress Street. This photo was taken from the side so it doesn't fully do it justice.

I think this shelter even features a heating component during the colder months. While it doesn't take care of several of my points I've mentioned, it does have plenty of seating and is large enough to serve the amount of people that use it. It also is unique and that counts for something. I don't want a clone made of this one, but it shows that Portland can have a proper bus stop away from the Pulse on Elm Street (the main hub).

And to finish with the Post Office bus stop... please fix it!

First Friday July 2009

2009-07-03T21:35:00.000-04:00

This isn't a photo blog, but I wanted to share this picture from earlier today. Today is/was "First Friday" and it was a beautiful sunny day which helped bring a lot of people downtown. I wish Portland's sidewalks always looked this alive:

Contact the City

2009-07-02T06:34:00.000-04:00

A few months ago the city manager's office set up a new "eContact" page on the city website. I have used it a couple of times and am glad to report that people do monitor the system and provide quick response times.

Their description of the system:

"Make a request or comment to the City of Portland. We want to hear from you! If you have a request, suggestion, question, or a comment, you can contact us any time that is convenient for you via this form. If you have a public safety emergency, please call 9-1-1."

There are many uses for the system, and several uses that relate to this site. A few basic examples:

Is there a sidewalk that needs repairing?
Should they repaint that crosswalk?
Do you want a bike rack outside your favorite coffee shop?

Just the other day, I had a 'suggestion' that Portland should have 'way-finding maps/signs' around the downtown area to aid both tourists and locals. (Something like this or this) I also mentioned that if a lot of thought was put into their designs, they could become (very) minor attractions themselves. I got a quick and positive response:

"Thank you for your suggestion! We are excited to tell you that way-finding signs are just around the corner for Portland. We have been planning this for quite some time and signs should begin to be put up this month!"

Do you have some suggestions for the city? If it's a really good idea that is related to this site, please share it with me and maybe we could organize a 'letter-writing campaign' of sorts.

Portland Past: Street Trolleys

2009-06-28T19:23:00.000-04:00

The only reminder left that Portland once had a streetcar/trolley network is found on Munjoy Hill, where a small patch Congress Street features exposed cobblestones and old rails.

I am having a hard time finding any information about the trolley network in Portland. The topic mentioned in a blog post here, and that the network was completely removed by the mid-1940's. I also checked for some information on the Seashore Trolley Museum's website but they didn't have any information specifically about Portland's trolleys.

Most small towns in Maine had a trolley system around the turn of the 20th century. I would love to see a map of Portland's network. What I do know is that there was a line that went up and down Congress Street and also a line that went to Riverton Trolley Park. Here is a website created by a USM student, which has a brief history of the trolleys of Portland. Here's an excerpt:

More trolley lines were added over the next forty years that include: “the Congress Street line that operated from Atlantic to Vaughan Street, in 1864 and the last one, the Saco and Old Orchard line in 1901-1902. The Deering line was electrified in 1891 and the city lines changed to electricity in 1895” (Portland Evening Express, 1941).

Here is a picture from the Maine Memory Network, showing a busy Congress Street in 1930. It's sad that Portland is no longer this 'bustling' but it does show that the city can perhaps support this type of acitivty again someday:

Many other countries have cities with popular, safe, and efficient light rail networks and even a few American cities have great modern networks. (see a list here)

I guess this post doesn't have much purpose other than to reminisce about the long-ago existence of what sounds like a great mass transit system. The removal of the system was most likely due in large part to the rise of the automobile and suburbia.

I attended the open house at the Maine Historical Society on Saturday and am considering joining in order to do some research about this trolley topic. I will keep you posted!

Portland Profiles: David Marshall

2009-06-24T06:16:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the inaugural issue of 'Portland Profile," where you will find a brief but informative interview with Portland citizens that are living the car-free lifestyle that this blog promotes.

We begin this first profile by interviewing David Marshall. Dave is a member of the Portland city council and as you can see by the picture of him to the left, he is also a professional artist. He is well known around town as the chair of the energy and environmental sustainability committee and housing committee. A few other boards and committees he is involved in include, health and recreation, public art, Portland's Downtown District, Greater Portland Transit District, and the Creative Portland Corporation.

In addition to that, the fact that Dave Marshall lives a car-free life here in Portland makes him a perfect individual to profile on this site.

How long have you been living in Portland? How long have you been car-free?

During the summer of 1998 I moved to the West End of Portland and quickly learned that having a car was not necessary. Over the past 11 years I have been car-free for the vast majority of the time.

What are the biggest rewards and challenges, personally, to your car-free lifestyle?

Walking and biking everywhere has integrated exercise into my daily life. Extreme weather conditions can put a damper on your day, but that is one reason why we have buses and cabs.

Any ideas for quick fixes that would encourage people to get out of their cars and experience the city more?

A regional transit map will help people use transit by putting the schedules of the METRO, South Portland Bus Service, Casco Bay Lines, Amtrak, Cocord, Greyhound, and others on the same map. This a long awaited integration that will go public in September.

Another step that could promote more transit use is to get the regional transit providers integrated into Google Transit. This will allow customers to access all of the transit options through a lap top or a cell phone. The feature includes inter-modal connections and walking routes and times of travel. When I was visiting my brother in San Francisco I used Google Transit and it allowed me to navigate the BART, METRO, and bus services of several cities all with my cell phone. Check it out at http://www.google.com/transit/.

If you have some knowledge about other similarly sized cities, how do they compare to Portland as far as alternative transportation options?

Portland has a number of transportation options that are unique for a city of our size: the PWM International Jet Port, International Marine Terminal, Casco Bay Ferry Service, the CAT, Amtrak, two intercity bus services, METRO, and others. Our next step is to integrate our passenger transit providers with the METRO Bus so you can go from Amtrak to the Casco Bay Ferry Lines or from the Jet Port to the CAT.

Another Portland, in Oregon, is known for its proactive land-use planning and transit-oriented development policies. The city is also known for its high percentage of bicycle commuters and overall ‘green friendly’ culture. Could more transit-oriented developments and similar land-use planning work well in our Portland, at a smaller scale of course?

Portland, Maine has many potential Transit Oriented Developments. Plans have been completed for Bayside and the Eastern Waterfront and underway for Franklin Arterial and Forest Avenue. Other potential TOD's are at Thompson's Point and the Western Waterfront.

Do you own a bicycle? If so, have you mastered the peninsula’s hilly terrain?

By biking around Portland almost everyday, I learned quickly what streets are best for climbing hills. Pick a low gear and keep a steady pace.

The Sustainable Portland Report, available on the city website, was published in 2007 and laid out some great action steps and areas of accountability for the committee. Has the committee had a successful start and any idea when the next report (if needed) will be published?

Sustainable Portland Task Force developed the Sustainable Portland final report, which was completed last year.

A couple of years ago the Energy and Environmental Sustainablity Committee was created as a standing committee of the City Council. This year as it's chair, we initiated an energy service contract and now that an audit of over 50 city buildings is complete we are working with AMERESCO to develop an investment plan. Once our city buildings have efficient heating and cooling systems, more insulation and weather stripping, and renewable energy sources we will save energy and money while creating green jobs.

Also the EESC moved Green Building Codes for city buildings and developments receiving tax brakes or grants from the City, which passed with unanimous City Council support. Through the budget process this year we removed 25% of the streetlights in the City to reduce over-lighting on suburban arterials to save $225,000 per year.

Next on the agenda for the EESC is to work with ICLEI on a Climate Resilient Communities program plan for the effects of climate change. See here to learn more.

Helpful David Marshall links:

http://damarshall.com/

http://www.facebook.com/damarshall

http://damarshall.blogspot.com/

Thanks for your time, David! This concludes this informative interview. Would you or someone you know like to be in the next Portland Profile? Contact coreytempleton@gmail.com for more information.

Sidewalk Watch: Monument Street

2009-06-21T18:27:00.000-04:00

"Sidewalk Watch" sounds like a good title for a reoccurring series, I'll see what I can do.

In the meantime, here is a shot of some beautiful new bricks on Monument Street, on Munjoy Hill. Brick sidewalks, as well as asphalt and concrete ones, are prone to become uneven due to the thawing of the soil every spring and the growth of tree roots.

Looks like public works will be finishing the intersections this week. You'll notice that the intersections with the street will meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act ) standards.

Rights of Way posted a great article about the peninsula traffic study's finding on the city's sidewalks earlier this year. It looks like the stretch of Monument Street currently being repaired had poor ramp conditions and several of the street's sidewalks were generally in 'poor' condition.

WAP Profiles

2009-06-18T08:56:00.000-04:00

I was thinking of doing a few 'profiles' of people living a car-free lifestyle here in Portland.

I do believe it would be educational and entertaining to share stories of these people (I know there must be some of you out there) with the blog's audience. Maybe it would inspire others to give the car-free commute a try every now and then and it would help people 'put a face' to the issue.

Volunteers (if I could afford to pay people for their time I would, maybe I can get you a cup of cofeee) should be open to answering a few basic interview questions and having a picture or two taken. The whole ordeal will take less than 15 minutes and A few easy sample questions would be:

How long have you been using mass transit in Portland?
What is the biggest challenge of living car-free in Maine?
Have you convinced anyone you know to get out of their car every now and then?

Any volunteers? If you or someone you know has any interest in participating, reply to this post with your contact information or send a note to coreytempleton@gmail.com .

WalkScore Portland

2009-06-15T06:30:00.000-04:00

Have you ever been to WalkScore.com?

WalkScore provides a 'walkability' index based on most any address you give it. From the creators:

Walk Score helps people find walkable places to live. Walk Score calculates the walkability of an address by locating nearby stores, restaurants, schools, parks, etc. Walk Score measures how easy it is to live a car-lite lifestyle—not how pretty the area is for walking.

Here are my results:

97 out of 100! Not too shabby. I would agree with WalkScore in saying that the peninsula of Portland is a 'walker's paradise.'

Just to compare a few other local locations, Unum on outer Congress Street (where I work) earns a 32% and the Portland Transportation Center (where you catch the Amtrak and Concord Coach Bus) gets a 49%.

This is a great tool to use when checking out potential places to live or when writing blog posts about living car-free. It is not a perfect system, though. The WalkScore 'places' (the things you would walk to, such as grocery stores and schools) depend on Google map data and user input. Some of the listings may be out of date, but for the most part are accurate. As they state on the site, it measures the walkability and not 'how pretty the area is for walking.' Certainly a neighborhood could have a great WalkScore and also be in a crime-ridden arctic tundra where all of the buildings are built in the brutalist style. You can use your own judgement there.

For my own results, Paul's food mart on Congress Street is within easy walking distance but I chose to travel to Hannaford or Shaw's for my groceries. Still, it's a good system and I enjoy comparing different parts of the city to each other.

What's your WalkScore? Do you agree with the results? (You don't have to share a link, just the score).

Skateboards and Cobblestones

2009-06-11T13:11:00.000-04:00

Tip of the hat to the Press Herald, which reported here about the public safety committee's authorization of a plan to put some cobblestone on Exchange Street.

The photo below is from this spring and shows cobblestone on Milk Street, which currently ends where Exchange Street crosses its path.

From what I've gathered, they are going to put patches of cobblestone down which will be even with the current surface. They say it will cost only $6,000 and take two days so I'm thinking the street will remain mostly asphalt.

The main reason for this action is to deter skateboarders from going down Exchange Street and 'scaring tourists.' I have mixed feelings about this, since skateboarding is a healthy and 'green' method of personal transport. The sidewalks will remain brick, and there is the chance that a lack of enforcement of a skateboarding ban on the street will push skateboarders onto the sidewalks. They will also start utilizing the next street over, Market Street, which is a one way which may be more dangerous than cruising down Exchange Street since it is a one way going up the incline.

I don't have anything against with the idea of skateboarding and in a perfect world skateboarders, bikes, and pedestrians could get get the roads and sidewalks all to themselves. The city deserves praise itself for its' (currently under construction?) skate park but it is located off the peninsula and would not attract the skateboarders that hang around down town (I would consider the people who use skate parks to be more 'sport' users than recreational or transportational). I think the fact that that 'the kids' with skateboards tend to hang around this area is also a reminder that there isn't much to do in this town on most nights for the under eighteen crowd. It's a tricky situation.

What are your thoughts?

U Car Share

2009-06-10T06:30:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday I was brave enough to test out my membership with U Car Share, a car sharing program, similar to Zipcar, which is owned by the U-Haul Company. It was introduced to Portland not long ago and is currently only available in four (soon to be six) locations. I had a dentist appointment in the far-away land of Scarborough so I thought I would share some insights from my trip.

I know you're thinking 'why is a blog about the car-free life writing about cars?"

I will start by saying that Maine is one of the more auto-dependant states in the country and also that car sharing can be a great tool for those who choose not to own their own car and incur those costs associated with ownership. Some places, even in the greater Portland area, are practically unreachable by mass transit or are too long of a trip to make walking or biking (especially when it was raining like yesterday). Car sharing has obvious benefits as far as resource consumption and environmental impacts and is also a good choice for the wallet.

There are currently four of these U Car Share PT Cruisers located around Portland, with the two above on Elm Street and the other two on Commercial Street. The two on Elm Street are right across from the Metro Pulse station, which is a good neighbor for this type of transportation activity. I am not a big fan of the PT Cruisers but it was a nice ride and it had less than 5k miles on the odometer. It appears that zipcar has a wider selection of vehicles to choose from, and perhaps they will expand into Portland someday.

This car sharing system is based online, which would obviously be an issue for some low-income or elderly residents, but is very convenient for those who have access. You become a member by paying a small membership fee (or for free using the case-sensitive code 'MAINEMETRO2009' provided by the Metro) and then simply reserve a vehicle by the hour or by the day. It is roughly $9.50 an hour or $66.00 a day. You don't have to pay for gas, maintenance, or extra insurance (there is some sort of basic coverage provided) so it really is a good value for someone like myself who will only be using the service to make the occasional doctors appointment or to pick up a piece of furniture that I can't fit onto a bus.

The point of this post (I should probably start putting points at the beginning of posts) is that even if you choose to live a car-free lifestyle in Portland you have a (for all intensive purposes) environmentally friendlier and cost conscious alternative to owning a car.

Portland Greendrinks - June 2009

2009-06-08T14:08:00.000-04:00

From the Greendrinks website:

Portland Greendrinks is part of the international Greendrinks network -- aninformal, volunteer-managed social networking group built around a common interest in the natural environment. It occurs on the second Tuesday of every month, starting around 5:30 pm. The goal of Greendrinks is pretty simple: good times shared among people working in, or interested in, environmental and sustainability issues.

This month's event is at Gorham Bike & Ski on Congress street and sounds like it will be a good time.

The event will be held Tuesday, June 9 from 5:30 - 8 PM at Gorham Bike &
Ski's NEW LOCATION next to Local 188 right here on the peninsula at 693 Congress St. Be sure to ride your bike to celebrate the beautiful weather and take full advantage of the complimentary BIKE VALET SERVICE!!!

Moped Parking

2009-06-04T06:24:00.000-04:00

Here is a view of the new Moped and Motorcycle parking spaces at the corner of Temple and Free Streets. According to this release from the city's website, there will soon be a total of 7 other Moped parking areas like this one spread around the peninsula, with anywhere from two to six spaces. These spaces offer up to 10 hours of free parking, which is a pretty good deal I say. I have certainly seen an increase in moped transportation over the last few years and applaud any efforts to city takes to make the streets more compatible with them.

Also from the article cited above:

Encouraging commuters to use a moped or motorcycles can reduce traffic congestion downtown and help in the city’s efforts to reduce fossil fuel consumption and avert greenhouse gas emission. Dedicating motorcycle and moped parking spaces is also a safe and legal way to ensure that two-wheeled vehicles are properly parked on the street.

“Improving access to the downtown for mopeds and motorcycles is a part of the city’s long term transportation strategy to promote different modes of transportation,” remarked City Councilor and Transportation Committee Chair Kevin Donoghue. “With rising fuels prices, more and more people are looking to mopeds and other low-impact, efficient modes of transportation. Adding these spaces is an economical way to maximize parking in the downtown and make the two-wheel option more attractive for residents and commuters.”

Bayside Trail Groundbreaking

2009-06-03T13:55:00.001-04:00

The groundbreaking for the new Bayside Trail is being held this Saturday, June 6th, at the corner of Marginal Way and Franklin Arterial. It will run from 10am-2pm and looks like quite an event. Check it out on the Portland Regional Chambers website, here. (4th article down)

Here is their description of the trail, which will be a great asset to the city:

The trail, which converts a 13.2 acre former railroad property into a walking trail with pocket parks, gardens and public gathering areas, will become a focal point for cultural activities and community programs, contribute to the economic vitality of the city, and improve the quality of life for the tens of thousands of residents, workers, and visitors to Portland each day.

In addition to providing a safe alternative transportation corridor through the redeveloping neighborhood of Bayside, this ribbon of green will provide a new gateway for Maine's largest city.

Fix This: Exit 6 Interchange

2009-05-31T16:25:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first part of a series known as "Fix This." The aim of the series is to bring up some issues that are important to those who 'walk around Portland,' and are interested in the overall health of our city. I will try to do more than simply complain and maybe a few readers will agree with me and people 'in the know' will take note.

As a preface, please check out this post on the Exit 6 interchange here, on the Rights of Way blog. I don't in anyway intend to rip-off or lure readers from Christian's fine blog, which is an inspiration. Walk Around Portland will hopefully someday attract the same clientele but obviously will not be a copy-cat blog. Also, this particular post isn't about redesigning the entire interchange, as much as it is about certain aspects affecting non-vehicular traffic that should be addressed without incurring a major redesign of the area.

Ok, here it goes.

As you may know, the Exit 6 Interchange is the 6th exit off of I-295, which runs through the city of Portland. This interstate through Portland is a much bigger 'fix it,' which may be tackled at a later time. Here is a google map view of the Exit 6 interchange, which interchanges with Forest Avenue (Route 302):

From a pedestrian, ballsiest, jogger, or lost tourist looking for the Old Port perspective (any perspective besides an automobile driver) this interchange clearly disconnects travel from the Portland Peninsula and the rest of the city to the North and West. A few major destinations on the 'wrong side' of the interchange from downtown Portland include the University of Southern Maine campus and the Hannaford grocery store and plaza.

Here are some street level views from the interchange. Note that these were taken on a pretty quiet Saturday morning, so there aren't a lot of cars or pedestrians. This first photo is looking 'away' from town:

And this is from underneath the overpass looking in the opposite direction:

One important thing to note: There are no 'yield to pedestrian' signs anywhere here. That will not solve these problems, but it is a cheap way to at least make some motorists aware that people exist and they need to cross the entrances and exits to the highway.

There are 4 ramps for vehicles getting on and off of I-295 on either side of the road. Two of those ramps have cars coming at you, and two of them have cars basically coming from behind you or to your direct right. I didn't see any speed limit signs through this section, but would assume it would be no greater than 35mph since it is in a dense section of town. Obviously, very few people obey speed limits so I would put the average speed through this area at closer to 40 or 45 miles per hour (roughly 65 kph for the metric system folk).

When you combine that with how few people use blinkers, the area is a dangerous one for anyone not riding in a car. Even the way the lanes are set up give you no indication of whether a car may be turning onto the on ramp or continuing straight. Often a car will simply 'bang a right' just as the on-ramp starts. Cars exciting the highway are easier to deal with, but similarly dangerous in that this is a busy interchange and motorists pay more attention to trying to merge than whether or not a pedestrian is trying to cross.

I have seen a few instances where a car, usually driven by a nice old lady, will come to a complete stop before turning onto an on-ramp to let a pedestrian across. Each time I have seen that, I have witnessed a near rear-end collision and several honks coming from the disgruntled vehicles behind this kind motorist. I don't believe that cars are inherently angry at pedestrians, but when traffic is not calmed in any way it is very pedestrian unfriendly. This interchange, at ground level, is for cars foremost and the sidewalks were clearly an afterthought.

Here we approach the intersection with Bedford Street on the left and Baxter Boulevard on the right, with the USM library on the left. Many students in particular pass through this interchange in order to get from the peninsula to their classes and back.

Here is an view from the USM library, showing part of the interchange:

The area around the interchange could take a few lessons from some surround areas. The intersection in the photo below, where Forest Ave, Bedford St, and Baxter Blvd intersect, was recently redone on the Bedford side to eliminate a turn-only lane with a yield sign, which makes it much easier to cross..

Also, Bedford Street itself was redone beautifully over the last year, complete with bike lanes, plantings and trees, sidewalks off of the street, and a friendly pedestrian crossing area for USM students.

And just a block East of Exit 6, the interstate travels over the Preble St. extension which connects Marginal Way and downtown to Baxter Boulevard. Fortunately for pedestrians, there are no ramps on or off the highway here. It was redone last year also, with improvements under the bridge (lighting makes a huge difference) and a friendly pedestrian crossing zone with flashing yellow lights that are only activated when a button is pressed. (One note about this picture, the bicyclists here get an 'F' grade for riding on the sidewalk, especially when there is a bike lane here).

So, to recap this long and rambling post:

1. The exit 6 interchange needs to be safer and more efficient for non-vehicular traffic to pass through. It is a major thoroughfare for pedestrians as well as vehicles and it should be safe for everyone.

2. At the least, signs should be installed to remind drivers exiting and entering the highway that they need to yield to pedestrian traffic.

3. Lighting should be installed under the overpass to increase safety (or at least the feeling of safety) and the visibility of pedestrians at night.

That's all for now, thanks for reading!

Hike the Forest City

2009-05-28T18:07:00.000-04:00

Check out this event's page on facebook, 'Hike the Forest City.' It takes place on the 6th of June and is a 10-mile walk around some Portland Trails with one of the organization's founders and other like-minded folk. I wish I could make it but will be out of town that weekend.

From the event page:

"Hike the Forest City " on June 6th (National Trails Day) with Tom Jewell, Portland Trails Co-founder. Walk from the Stroudwater River to the Presumscot River and see Portland in a whole new way! This 10-mile walk starts at the Stroudwater Trailhead at the end of Blueberry Road, off outer Congress Street . There will be shuttles back to the starting point at the end of the walk. Please bring: plenty of water and snacks, sunglasses, bug spray, sunscreen, and any other provisions you may need for the day. There is one stop for lunch and several rest stops along the way. Register for the hike by calling us at 775-2411 or emailing info@trails.org .

Welcome!

2009-05-27T20:07:00.000-04:00

Greetings visitor,

You are viewing the beginning of a new blog, focused on the car-free (is there supposed to be a hyphen there or not?) lifestyle of a native Portlander (myself). Do note, we are talking about the Portland on the East Coast, Portland, Maine. Although the title of the site is "Walk Around Portland," I will focus on other subjects besides pedestrian activity such as public transportation, bicycling, and public spaces among other topics.

I have been keeping up with my main blog, Portland Daily Photo, for a year and a half and want to try branching out a little bit more. Where that blog is focused on pictures, I would like to use this space to share my thoughts beyond photography and the occasional quips.

I have no intention to preach about 'living car-free,' as I still have an automobile available to me for tasks such as groceries and trips to destinations unserviced by public transit. I will surely share more about my own experiences as times goes on, so more to come there.

One more thing I want to mention is that there are a lot of blogs about Portland, Maine but few of them have any original content. The majority of the local blog circuit consists of posts linking to traditional media such as the Press Herald. There is nothing wrong with that, and I will posts links to a lot of stories from other sites; I do, however, hope to get into the habit of writing some truly original content that other people may someday link to.

With all that said, I hope you come back soon and see what I am up to!