Urban Planning

Light Rail in Indiana, Part II

Indiana’s interurban electric light rail system experienced peak ridership in the mid-1920s with over 50 million passengers per year.  The state’s population was just 3 million at that time, equaling about 16 trips per capita per year.  Interurban service in Indiana was almost entirely shut down during the 10 years between 1930 and 1940, with only the South Shore line remaining in service after 1940.  This comprehensive system of electric transit was replaced by much slower travel in private automobiles over roads which required ever-larger sums of public money to build and maintain.  In his 1961 book The City in History, the prescient historian Lewis Mumford noted:

› Continue reading

Tags: Indianapolis history, Indianapolis light rail, Indianapolis Traction Terminal, IndyConnect, interurban, mass transit, public transportation

The Highline

The Highline, in New York City, runs 22 blocks from 34th Street to Gansevoort Street and was originally constructed from 1929 to 1934, for the use of freight lines to run through the city without disrupting the city traffic below. After train traffic slowed in the 1950’s the Highline was abandoned and then in 1980 portions were torn down, disconnecting it from any active lines. However, in 1999 the Friends of the Highline began the process of turning the Highline into an elevated park system. When completed, the park will have 1.45 miles of pedestrian trails and a total of 6.7 acres on the elevated rail deck that is 18-30 feet above the street (Friends of the Highline).

› Continue reading

Tags: Georgia Street Redevelopment, Indianapolis Cultural Trails, Monon Trail, New York City Parks, The Highline

Light Rail in Indiana, Part I

Across the state, one finds fragments and ruins of what was the most comprehensive statewide interurban electric light rail transit system ever built in the United States.  Every city in Indiana with a population over 5,000 except for Bloomington, Madison and Evansville was connected by the interurban system (Evansville was connected to a regional network).

› Continue reading

Tags: Historic Preservation, Indianapolis history, interurban, light rail, mass transit

Raingardens to the Rescue

Portland is one place that has realized what natural systems can achieve relative to urban water quality and quantity management.

In 2003, the City installed their first urban raingardens in a residential neighborhood on NE Siskiyou Street.  The raingardens consisted of curb extensions located on either side of the street at the low end of the block, and serve a 10,000 square foot watershed.

› Continue reading

Tags: Kevin Perry, NE Siskiyou St., Portland OR, Raingardens, Stormwater, Stormwater Management, Urban Environment