Let Kids Walk And Bike To School Like In The Old Days

Posted on May 16, 2013 by walkableprinceton

As this great video from Streetfilms shows, around 50% of kids used to walk or bike to school. And this wasn’t in the days of horses and carts– we’re talking about the 1960s– well within living memory! Things have changed. Nowadays, the vast majority of school are bused or driven to school. And as the video makes clear, things didn’t change by accident– we planned for cars, and that’s what we got. Walking and biking was discouraged by the building of more, wider roads, and development in car-dependent suburbs instead of close-in, walkable neighborhoods. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Walking | 5 Comments

The Problem With Low-Density Housing, As Seen From Space

Posted on May 15, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Top - Princeton from Landsat imager 1984. Bottom- Princeton as seen by Landsat in 2012.

Top – Princeton from Landsat imager 1984. Bottom- Princeton as seen by Landsat in 2012. (Click for larger image)

Last week, Google made available an astonishing resource, which enables us to review satellite imagery of anywhere in the US on an annual basis from 1984 through 2012. You can read about the project here. They were able to make some amazing images, showing, for example, how the Columbia Glacier in Alaska has retreated in the face of rising global temperatures (click the previous link for an animated GIF). Continue reading →

Posted in Local, Sustainability, Zoning | 2 Comments

Why Does Princeton U. Score So Badly On Walkscore?

Posted on May 14, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Walkscore data for Ivy League Schools, from walkscore.com

Walkscore data for Ivy League Schools, from walkscore.com

How walkable is your college? One way to measure this is to use Walkscore, which attempts to quantify how walkable any location is by calculating its distance from stores, services, transit and other useful stuff. We previously tested Walkscore and found that although locations in downtown Princeton get scores consistent with being a “Walker’s Paradise”, some other neighborhoods in Princeton are rated as ‘car-dependent’. Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown Vibrancy, Princeton | 4 Comments

Ten Easy Ways To Join In National Bike Week in Princeton!

Posted on May 13, 2013 by walkableprinceton
With a positive attitude, many more of us could take to our bikes. Via Simply Bike

With a positive attitude, many more of us could take to our bikes. Via Simply Bike.

In Princeton, not many of us use cycling as our primary means of getting around.  For some of us, the trip seems too far, or too dangerous. Others are not steady enough on a bike to head out on the roads. Even if you’re not ready to make cycling your regular means of commuting, there are plenty of ways you can participate in this year’s National Bike Week. Why not try one of the following ideas to increase your ‘cycle-power’: Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Princeton, Walking | Leave a comment

Princeton Draws In Cars From All Around Central Jersey

Posted on May 10, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Traffic in Princeton is driven overwhelmingly by people from outside Princeton driving into town to go to work.

Traffic in Princeton is driven overwhelmingly by people from outside Princeton driving into town to go to work.

Everyone has a theory about why traffic in Princeton is getting worse and worse, but if you want to understand why traffic volumes have grown in Princeton, it helps to look at the statistics. A thorough analysis of car journeys in Princeton, based on data from the US Census and the American Community Survey 2007-2011 has revealed that approximately 50,000 car journeys take place every day to get the Princeton workforce to and from their places of employment. Continue reading →

Posted in Affordability, Princeton, Traffic | 18 Comments

NYC Bike-share Launches; Misguided Residents Still Objecting

Posted on May 9, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Sharable Bike, from Citibike NYC

Sharable Bike, from Citibike NYC

Many years in the coming, New York’s Citibike bikeshare program is finally launching. Similar to the Capital Bikeshare program that has existed in Washington DC since 2010 (and also similar programs in Montreal, Paris and London), the scheme allows users an economical way to borrow a somewhat clunky but surprisingly resilient bike for short trips between designated stations. Continue reading →

Posted in Biking | 5 Comments

3 Out Of 4 Princeton Workers Live Outside Of Town

Posted on May 8, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Data show that the vast majority of the Princeton workforce (79%) live outside of town.

Data show that the vast majority of the Princeton workforce (79%) live outside of town.

Have you ever asked your hairdresser, server or bank cashier where they live? The chances are, the answer is not ‘Princeton’. According to data collected by Ralph Widner, of the Princeton Traffic and Transportation Committee, and presented to Princeton Future (most recently on March 16, 2013), a large majority of the Princeton workforce live outside of town. Continue reading →

Posted in Local, Princeton, Traffic | 11 Comments

Bike Ride To Prom!

Posted on May 7, 2013 by walkableprinceton

Not only is May National Bike Month, for many local students it is Prom Season! In that spirit, check out this amusing video, prepared by TransForm CA, an advocacy group for transit and walkable communities based out of the Bay Area. Continue reading →

Posted in Alternative Transportation, Biking, Local | Leave a comment

Why No Downtown Princeton Chipotle?!?

Posted on May 6, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Chipotle: only available to Princeton people who are prepared to drive.

Chipotle: only available to Princeton people who are prepared to drive.

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Hope you had fun! If you like Mexican food, or at least, a super-sized US-style take on Mexican food, you may like Chipotle Mexican Grill. With their jumbo-sized portions and highly-customizable build-your-own  burrito assembly-line, the Chipotle brand has swept the US and beyond. Continue reading →

Posted in Downtown Vibrancy, Local | 10 Comments

Does Decreasing Oil Price Offer A Chance To Fix NJ Gas Tax?

Posted on May 3, 2013 by walkableprinceton
Gas prices are dropping in New Jersey. Image from NJTV.

Gas prices are dropping in New Jersey. Image from NJTV.

Our local roads are in terrible shape. There are potholes everywhere, and if you suffer a blowout or automobile damage after hitting one, don’t expect the state to pay. Equally, where roads are insufficient to handle traffic volume, the New Jersey Department of Transport (NJDOT) proposes sticking-plaster solutions, instead of looking for long-term infrastructure fixes. New Jersey roads are also set up for the 20th century, geared entirely towards cars with inferior provision for pedestrians or cyclists. Fixing these issues will require money and investment. Continue reading →

Posted in Sustainability, Traffic | 5 Comments