Leaving all that oil behind

From Grist :

10 ways cities and towns can kick the offshore-oil habit

No suprises here - these solutions have been known for quite a while. Build densely and in ways that fully accomodate a wide range of transportation choices. In other words, build places that are walkable, bikeable, and transit oriented.

When we create places that can only be accessed and traversed by private automobile, surprise! - we become desperately car (and thus oil)-dependent.

Demand a more livable future, not only for your own neighborhood, but for the thousands of people, and other creatures, that your daily decisions and errands impact.

The ghost of ped malls past

In a story on the old urban renewal plan for downtown Athens, the ABH revisits the idea that College Square could be converted to a pedestrian mall.

This topic has come up on the BikeAthens discussion listserve, in the ABH, and on the letters page of Flagpole. The discussion never fails to rile folks up, one way or the other. Personally, I'd love it. The pedestrian-only zones I've seen in other cities are the most pleasant places to hang out. They are full of people and full of thriving businesses. The key, of course, is to design them well.

The story also mentions that New Urbanism will be the guiding principle behind whatever future downtown development plan Athens creates. New Urbanism "espouses a return to the close-knit communities that existed before the car transformed American life... people should live near where they work and shop, and should be able to walk where they want to go."