walkableprinceton

Prof Donald Shoup Tells NJ To Try Something Different With Parking. Is Princeton Listening?

Posted on October 2, 2015 by walkableprinceton

Prof Donald Shoup, speaking at the Rutgers Vorhees Transportation Center 10/1/2015, ridicules arbitrary off-street parking requirements that are a standard part of municipal codes (click to expand).

Prof Donald Shoup, speaking at the Rutgers Vorhees Transportation Center 10/1/2015. (click to expand)

Professor Donald Shoup gave The Vorhees Distinguished Lecture yesterday at the Rutgers Bloustein School of Planning in downtown New Brunswick. As a planning professor at UCLA, Shoup made a career out of studying parking policies, and wrote the famous 733-page book ‘The High Cost of Free Parking‘. As a consequence, he is often called a ‘Parking Rock Star’, which is a ridiculous enough idea that he began his talk by making several jokes about it. Prof Shoup went on to make a compelling case that although free parking is free to a driver, it must be paid for by somebody. In practice, requiring free parking carries immense costs, in terms of both a financial burden and by contributing to a degraded built environment. He urged a different approach based on three principles:

Continue reading →

Posted in People, The Parking Question | 1 Comment

New Jersey League Of Municipalities Issues Affordable Housing Reports, But No Guidance On Unit Numbers

Posted on September 29, 2015 by walkableprinceton

Affordable housing litigation has been a regular topic in Princeton Council's closed-door sessions this year. (click to expand)

Affordable housing litigation has been a regular topic in Princeton Council’s private closed sessions this year. (click to expand)

All across New Jersey, elected officials are dealing with an urgent question: how much affordable housing should they plan for? Earlier this year, the New Jersey Supreme Court told local courts to rule on whether towns are adding their ‘fair share’ of housing. The judgement potentially clears the way for builders to overturn zoning ordinances in towns that have not added enough homes. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, People, planning | 2 Comments

Safe Crosswalk For Princeton Trail Users Delayed By Wrangling Over Historic Preservation

Posted on September 24, 2015 by walkableprinceton

Unmarked crossing of the D&R Canal Towpath at Washington Road in Princeton. (click to expand)

In October 2014, a father and his 8-year old son on the D&R Canal trail in Princeton were struck by a car while crossing Washington Road. The crash sent both to hospital with serious injuries. Although Princeton Council quickly passed a motion calling for a crosswalk to be added at the unmarked trail crossing, the crosswalk is still delayed almost one year on. Now, thanks to reporting in the ‘Princeton Packet’, we have learned that Mercer County, which operates Washington Road as CR 571, has not yet even approved a plan for a crosswalk. The proposal is stuck, as Princeton’s Historic Preservation Commission ponders what design meets their requirements for ‘aesthetic concerns’. Meanwhile, an unsafe condition persists, and trail users are being put at risk every day.

Continue reading →

Posted in Biking, Complete Streets, Princeton, Trails, Transit | Tagged Complete streets, crosswalks, mercer county, Princeton, road safety | 2 Comments

Princeton Library Should Offer Equal Rewards For Walking And Driving

Posted on September 22, 2015 by walkableprinceton

Terra Libri coffee shop at Princeton Public Library. (click to expand)

Last week, Princeton Council voted against a proposed ordinance to limit ‘free’ parking for users of Princeton’s Public Library. Library users are currently able to validate parking tickets from the municipally-owned Spring Street Garage, to allow 2 hours of parking without payment. The proposed ordinance would have reduced that to one hour, in part to help cover the cost of upgrades to the entry/exit system for the garage. But Council backed off the idea as users and library staff argued that users should not have to pay to park when using the libary. The result is that people driving to the library get parking worth $2.50 provided for free, while people arriving on foot or by bike get nothing. It’s time for people arriving without cars to get rewarded too.

Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Community, Princeton, Sustainability, The Parking Question, Traffic, Walking | Tagged Cycling, library, Parking, Princeton, Walking | Leave a comment

Princeton High School Principal: “We Need More Bike Racks!”

Posted on September 18, 2015 by walkableprinceton

Bike racks are full at Princeton High (click to expand).

Bike racks are overflowing at Princeton High School (click to expand).

A surge in student cycling has sent staff at Princeton High School scrambling for more bike racks, as all available space for bike parking is taken up early each morning. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Complete Streets, People, Princeton, Sustainability | Tagged bike racks, Cycling, Princeton, sustainability | Leave a comment

US Surgeon General Issues ‘Call To Action’ For Walking

Posted on September 9, 2015 by walkableprinceton

Pedestrian safety measures in downtown Princeton, NJ. (click to expand).

News out of Washington DC: the US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, has issued a ‘Call to Action’, encouraging Americans to consider ways to incorporate walking into their daily routine. Dr Murthy advocates walking as a way to reduce the risk of diabetes and heart disease, and notes that for many people, time constraints or inhospitable streets make walking difficult. The Call to Action is relevant to Princeton, where

Continue reading →

Posted in Complete Streets, People, Walking | Leave a comment

‘La Lupita’ Grocery Market Hosts Grand Reopening of New Store

Posted on August 24, 2015 by walkableprinceton

'La Lupita' grocery store has opened a new, bigger store in the Witherspoon-John neighborhood in Princeton. (click to expand)

‘La Lupita’ grocery store re-opens in a new, bigger store in Princeton’s Witherspoon-John neighborhood. (click to expand)

Princeton saw a new, improved option for neighborhood shopping yesterday, as ‘La Lupita’ grocery store hosted a ‘grand reopening’ of their new store at Leigh Avenue and John Street. La Lupita has been a stalwart in the Witherspoon-John neighborhood for years, at 50 Leigh Avenue. The new store is a few doors down, at 46 Leigh Avenue, right on the corner with John Street, and kitty-corner to Cafe 44/Tortuga’s. Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown Vibrancy, Princeton | Tagged openings, Walkability | Leave a comment

Save The Date: Walkable Princeton Happy Hour – August 19

Posted on July 31, 2015 by walkableprinceton

Patio at Yankee Doodle Tap Room (image via Nassau Inn blog, click to expand).

Our next Walkable Princeton meetup will be Wednesday August 19. From 7 p.m., we will get together to discuss current news and opportunities for making Princeton more walkable for everyone! We’ll be returning to Yankee Doodle Tap Room, potentially taking advantage of the patio if weather and space permits! Continue reading →

Posted in Events, Princeton | Tagged Princeton, Walkability | Leave a comment

Princeton Council To Resolve Fate Of Lytle House Tonight

Posted on July 27, 2015 by walkableprinceton

31-33 Lytle Street Princeton, which faces the wrecking ball. (click to expand)

31-33 Lytle Street Princeton, as pictured earlier this year. The house is still facing the wrecking ball, but new affordable housing may be coming to part of the site (click to expand).

Princeton Council are scheduled tonight to approve a plan to knock down the historic house at 31 Lytle Street. The house was acquired by a developer, with plans to demolish and build townhouses. Princeton Council instead aimed to turn the lot into a park, which would be an extension of Mary Moss Park next door. Now, based on a compromise worked out by a group of local residents, Council will set aside part of the lot for construction of new affordable residences, which will incorporate some features of the original house. The rest of the lot will become an extension for Mary Moss Park, which will be renovated at the same time. If you are able, you may want to attend Council to support the plan to add affordable homes to this site. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, architecture, Placemaking, Princeton | Tagged Affordable housing, historic preservation, Princeton | 2 Comments

Larini’s Site Should Be The Start Of A Princeton Transit Village

Posted on July 24, 2015 by walkableprinceton

Larini’s Service Center on Alexander Road in Princeton, which closed earlier this week. (click to expand)

Princeton University has closed on the site of Larini’s Service Center, which for several decades ending this week has occupied the corner of Alexander Road and Faculty Road, providing automotive services to local residents. Philip Sean Curran at the ‘Princeton Packet’ has been all over the story, breaking the news earlier this week and following up with a full interview from Mr Larini, who expressed mixed emotions about closing his Princeton business. But the big question now is what will happen to the site, which potentially offers the town a huge opportunity to promote transit-oriented development. The site is just a 6-minute walk from the bus and rail hub at Princeton station, and a 20-minute walk from downtown Princeton. Continue reading →