| Vol. 1, Issue 4 | 
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| Bruce blog Welcome to the Bruce blog—a weekly update on news, events and issues affecting life in Cleveland. Reporting as it happens on transit, development, planning, environment and arts & culture. Basically, we write about creative ideas forming, talk to the people who have an inside track on the issues, and sometimes offer a commentary of our own. (For disclosure purposes, Bruce blog is a local, independent writer who also works part-time with nonprofit organization EcoCity Cleveland. The opinions expressed here are not necessarily those of EcoCity or any other organization). February 15-21 , 2004 RTA hears from riders about getting better The early results are in from the RTA Transit Waiting Environment survey and Bruce blog has a sneak peak at them. This was the survey created by the Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, EcoCity Cleveland, and RTA with the intention of asking transit riders to rank and comment on a series of proposed improvements to bus and train stops. Some 200 paper surveys and 235 online surveys have been tallied so far and the results are enlightening and a little surprising. When asked what would add incentive for them to ride transit more often, people selected more posted schedule information—ahead of lower fares. Topping the list were information about general frequency of service (i.e. how often the bus or train arrives) followed by the time of the first and last bus arrival. When asked how RTA can improve the waiting experience, better lighting topped the list, followed by electronic displays indicating when the next bus will arrive (as found in transit friendly cities like Portland, OR), trash cans, and on-demand (or push button) shelter heating. Transit advocates are hoping the survey will motivate RTA toward some action plans. Apparently, RTA’s top brass is responding positively to the survey, voicing support for the creation of signage for general frequency of service and first and last bus arrival times. Advocates believe the cost-benefit of these two information services—that is, spreading costs over the 8,000 stop in the RTA system—make it a distinct possibility when compared to the flashier but expensive electronic schedules posted on TV screens at stops (or even the mundane but recently proposed “1-800” phone line for schedule information). To take the Transit Waiting Environment Survey.
National mountain biking group pushes Cleveland to improve Yes, we have no mountains and, until recently, no organizers around the issue, but that didn’t stop a national mountain bike group from blasting Cleveland’s mountain bike trail access as “arguably the worst in the nation.” In its winter newsletter, the International Mountain Bicycling Association complained that Cleveland has “abundant public land surrounding the city…but no authorized trail access.” So, last August, IMBA and the fledgling Cleveland Area Mountain Bike Association gathered local land managers, including the Cleveland Metroparks, to teach them about building responsible mountain bike trails. As a result, a five-mile trail was built (albeit in Ravenna, Ohio) at the West Branch State Park (Call 330-296-3239). But, IMBA also hinted that a new mountain bike trail is in the works somewhere closer to the city. Speculation is that the Metroparks are the target area. Cyclists are wondering if the historically stodgy Metroparks are finally willing to accept that mountain bicyclists are able to enhance and share the parks responsibly with hikers and equestrians? Shrinking cities make for large planning issues A recent article in the New York Times highlights a trend of shrinking cities. A decade ago, the prevailing wisdom was that cities grow, sprawling ever wider. As the world population hit six billion, experts warned of explosive overcrowding in the megacities of the developing world. Shrinking cities were considered an anomaly, the result of isolated economic upheaval or traumatic political events. "Smart growth" became a rallying cry. In fact, while city dwellers make up nearly half the world's population, new research by the United Nations and other demographers has shown that for every two cities that are growing, three are shrinking. Some cities that were bustling centers of commerce just a generation ago have become modern-day Pompeiis. Cities that have lost more than a third of their population include St. Louis, Phnom Penh and Johannesburg. The shrinking city syndrome is leaving planners and city officials with, among other things, the challenge of preserving and reusing buildings with architectural and cultural interest.
Wake up to The Meatrix Check out The
Meatrix, a hilarious and chilling critique of factory farming
that plays off the premise of the apocalyptic flick The
Matrix. Free Range, a socially conscious graphic design company
that works for nonprofit groups, sponsored the Free Range Flash
Activism grant, an international competition which led to the creation
of this flash art as social commentary. Activist alerts Ohio to consider legal protections
against fast food claims House bill would alter protection
of Lake Erie shoreline The bill is in the Ohio Senate
Energy, Natural Resource, and Environment Committee. For
a roster of this committee. Email
if you are interested in delivering opponent testimony at this hearing
or call 614-487-7506. If you have any questions, ask for Jack Shaner
or Molly Flanagan.
House Bill 218 would redefine the state's ownership of the Lake
Erie shoreline to stop at the natural low watermark and would give
near carte-blanch to private landowners to build structures above
that mark. Click
here for more information. To email a comment or a tip to Bruce blog Receive email updates of the Bruce blog |
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Blog Archives 2003 Archives 1/4-1/10 1/11-1/17 1/18-1/24 1/25-1/31 2/1-2/7 2/8-2/14 Other blogs Other Web sites Artists' sites |
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