Open Thread 16: Normal Transit

Warsaw shows what should be normal" transit in cities. (RMTransit)

There is a new grass roots movement to fix the often delayed Metro 8.

Jarrett Walker shares his thoughts on an automated bus pilot in Scotland. (Human Transit)

SDOT is planning around the future 130th Station. (SDOT)

Ryan Packer writes about potential Link overcrowding and changes to the 5. (Urbanist)

Sound Transit delays the Real-Time-Arrival system for Link.

Checking in on the BellHop ($), downtown Bellevue's demand-response circulator. It's called BellHop, not Bel-Hop like previous circulators in the 80s.

Do flashing pedestrian beacons (RRFBs) make streets safe to walk across? (CityNerd video) I say they help. I looked at two adult family homes for a relative. One was in Burien and required crossing six-lane high-speed 1st Avenue South without a crosswalk to get to the 131 northbound bus stop. I saw people with walkers or walking their dog doing it between 40 mph traffic. But I was afraid that if I went there monthly I'd inevitably get hit by a car someday. Another home in Bellevue had RRFBs on 156th at three residential intersections, so that was one of the reasons we chose that home. I assume the difference is that Bellevue is rich enough to afford RRFBs and Burien isn't. Still, I'd call 1st Avenue South dangerous like the stroads in the video, and something needs to be done.

Art deco wonders in downtown Seattle. ($)

Downtowns find creative uses for underused office buildings. ($) Breweries, farms, spas...

Homeless people in programs that give cash use it for basic needs ($) such as housing, furniture and transportation", and not on temptation goods" (defined as alcohol, drugs, or cigarette).

Urban planning in communist countries. (Wikipedia) Where did all those commie block highrises came from?

Cars are making our lives worse. A Puerto Rico perspective. (Bianca Graulau video)

This is an open thread.