Jef Nickerson
Pittsburgh Walk & Bike from Streetfilms on Vimeo.
3 comments
You may also like
Streetfilms: A Red State Capital Builds Ambitious Transit
According to Congress for New Urbanism President John Norquist, the Salt Lake City area has the fastest growing rail system in America. And as Streetsblog's Angie Schmitt pointed out last month, "It's the only city in...
Greater City Providence
News & Notes
StreetFilms: San Francisco: Reclaiming Streets With Innovative Solutions Tom Radulovich, the executive director of the local non-profit Livable City, describes the recent livable streets achievements in San Francisco as...
Streetfilms looks at Washington DC’s Capital Bikeshare
Streetfilms takes a look at the country's largest and most successful bike share program. Washington, DC's Capital Bikeshare.
I’m a 22 year old young profesional who just moved to Providence from Pittsburgh and the thing I miss the most is the ability to take public transit and go on long walks without people pitying me and thinking how sad it is that I don’t have a car. I hate that for every new development in this city, there has to be a parking lot that is twice the size of the building. Why does Providence hate walking?
Oh, and can I also take a moment to complain about how every single business district in Providence is broken up by at least 2 large gas stations? It takes up space that could be much better used by businesses that serve the people that live in the community, not just those who are driving through it.
New developments with parking lots twice the size of buildings are more than just a cultural phenomenon|in large part it’s a zoning issue. Required parking ratios, maximum building lot coverage, and the lack of required streetwalls have all contributed to the degradation of the city’s streetscape, especially in commercial areas. Much of the auto-centric development has occurred since the 1970s. Diminishing budgets for RIPTA has created a public transit system that was considered to be, at least in the past, the “transportation of last resort” also contributes to an anti-pedestrian culture in Providence.
With a new Mayor and Governor, perhaps it’s time to challenge outdated auto-centric zoning regulations and press for a funding formula that truly supports public transit. The Mayor and Governor need to hear from as many voices as possible to support them in advocating for change.