Posted September 7, 200420 yr This article appeared in today's "USA Today". Thought some might be interested in the read . . . http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-09-07-traffic_x.htm
September 7, 200420 yr This equation is definitely understood by those of us who frequent boards like these.
September 8, 200420 yr It's sad that mass transit is recognized only as a last resort rather than as an integral part of planning for successful development.
September 8, 200420 yr ^Amen. From my observation, many people just take these hours of delays in stride. It is, however, a choice, not a requirement. I happily spend close to zero hours stuck in clogged traffic, since the buses I take travel on surface streets that don't really have jams.
September 8, 200420 yr I can honestly say that my stress levels (from commuting) were drastically reduced the day I moved closer to my workplace in downtown Cleveland. The stress went down even more after letting someone else worry about the driving part. In the time it takes my friend to commute to their home in ex-urbia, I manage to work out, shower, and finish dinner by the time they pull in their driveway. clevelandskyscrapers.com Cleveland Skyscrapers on Instagram
September 8, 200420 yr I don't see why we need all that traffic let's just expand the light rail... oh wait a minute.... :stupid:
September 8, 200420 yr that remark bye the way was not just a incy one it applies for how all of our cities should have rapid mass transportation by now but really only have buses and like one short train in cleveland. wow when it comes to transportation we really need to light fires under our city's butts don't we
September 8, 200420 yr If anyone wants to see the actual mobility study with data on Ohio(and other eastern US) metro areas here is the link to a clickable map Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Akron are featured. The study compares congestion for these citys with the national average for comparable metro areas.
September 8, 200420 yr on this subject, everyone should go pick up Asphalt Nation by Jane Holz Kay. A great easy read on the amazing american reliance upon the automobile, touching on everything from its impact to the environment, to mass transit, urban planning, etc. you get the idea.........
September 8, 200420 yr The Geography of Nowhere by James Howard Kunstler is also an excellent read on the subject of sprawl and the impact of the automobile on the American landscape but I'm sure most here already have read it or know about it.
September 8, 200420 yr I've read both. Sometimes I think Kunstler is a little full of himself, but then he says (writes) something brilliant and I'm over it.
September 9, 200420 yr And Crabgrass Frontier by Ken Jackson. Then there's plenty of urban/suburbian books that deal with specific cities. City of Quartz by Mike Davis (Los Angeles) Here's the Deal by Ross Miller (Chicago) Personal Geography by Henry Hunker (Columbus) Confused City on a Seesaw by Phil Porter (Cleveland...published in 1976) Along with the various planning textbooks you can get at the various university bookstores.
February 20, 200619 yr According to one report, commuters can experience greater stress than fighter pilots going into battle or riot policemen. While fighter pilots are trained to manage stress and policemen can do things to fight back, commuters cannot control traffic patterns, weather or other drivers. Statistics * The average commute to work in the U.S. is 50 minutes. Long distance commuters are mostly male. Women make 16 percent of the long distance commutes. * According to a U.S. Census Bureau study, over three million Americans endure daily commutes of 90 minutes or more each way to work and they are among the fastest growing segment of commuters. * There are 128 million workers in the U.S. and of those, 76 percent drive alone to work. Two out of every five long commutes start in rural areas. Impact on Health * In a recent study conducted by the University of California at Irvine, researchers found that the stress of commuting takes a major toll on health. It has direct physiological effects such as raising blood pressure and releasing stress hormones. Long commutes (18 miles one way) may also increase the likelihood of having a heart attack due to exposure to high levels of air pollutants, a risk factor for heart disease. * When stressful situations pile up one after another on a long commute, stress hormones are continually being released in the body; it has no chance to recover. This long-term stress can increase your risk of obesity, insomnia, digestive complaints, heart disease, and depression, according to the Mayo Clinic. * Studies have shown that the demands of commuting through heavy traffic often result in emotional and behavioral deficits upon arrival at home or work. Higher levels of commuting distance, time, and speed are significantly positively correlated with increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The prolonged experience of commuting stress is known to suppress immune function and shorten longevity. Even daily spells in traffic as brief as 15 minutes have been linked to significant elevations of blood glucose and cholesterol to declines in blood coagulation time - all factors that are associated with cardiovascular disease. Ways to Reduce Stress * Prepare in advance (the night before) clothes, lunch, and briefcase. Also, get enough sleep and wake up early. * Juggle your work hours. Depending on your company's work policy, try other shifts that fit your lifestyle. If your job allows, work from home a few days a week. Distributed Work Programs are a growing trend. They allow employees to split their time between head office, home office, and other workplaces such as community/client offices. * Share your ride especially with someone whose company you enjoy. Studies show that ride sharing lowers commuter stress significantly. * Utilize your time wisely. Use your CD/tape player to learn a foreign language, improve your spirituality, and work on self-improvement. * Give other motorists the benefit of the doubt. The slow driver in front of you could be returning from the funeral of his/her child. Do a favor for another driver, providing it does not endanger traffic flow. See other drivers as equals. They are not out to get you. Sources: Commuter Resource, Herald Journal Health & Medical Resources Guide, Canada Newswire, Daedalus (Vol. 133, Issue 2). ETSU - State Employee Assistance Program, and Washington and Shady Grove Adventist Hospitals. The Health Tip of the Week is for educational purposes only. For additional information, consult your physician. Please feel free to copy and distribute this health resource. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 20, 200619 yr * According to a U.S. Census Bureau study, over three million Americans endure daily commutes of 90 minutes or more each way to work and they are among the fastest growing segment of commuters. 3 hours a day commuting, I'll take living in the city any day over that crap...
February 22, 200619 yr Use the Census data: Charlotte--Gastonia--Rock Hill, NC--SC MSA: 1,499,293 By all means, do NOT use data from demographia.com -- it's run by a guy named Wendell Cox, who is anti-urban and especially, anti-accuracy, when accuracy conflicts with his agenda. Wendell Cox recently proposed double-decking Atlanta's highways to "solve" their highway congestion problems. He started running a bus charter business and tried to shitcan rail proposals nationwide so he could get his company to win privitization contracts from transit agencies. He does research for the Highways Users Alliance (the folks who have asphalt in their veins) and has a loyal band of supporters (aka Cox Suckers) around the country. My suggestion: visit this web page.... http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/GCTTable?_bm=y&-geo_id=D&-ds_name=D&-_lang=en&-redoLog=false&-mt_name=DEC_2000_SF1_U_GCTPH1R_US10S&-format=ST-7 "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 22, 200619 yr Those numbers C-Dawg posted at urbanized areas, as opposed to metropolitan areas. I'm quite certain they're correct. Charlotte appears too small by this measure because there are two separate but adjacent urbanized areas of over 100K each. Sadly, Mr. Cox seems to have the only web site with a convenient table of urbanized areas with population and land area given. Maybe someone else should put together a list so that urbanites don't have to feel guilty about looking at it. :wink:
February 22, 200619 yr What is the difference between an urbanized area and a metropolitan area, per the Census' definition? I'll wager that they're the same. And the Census site to which I posted the link showed the land area for each of the metropolitan areas (including the primary MSAs). "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 22, 200619 yr Urbanized areas consist of contiguous census blocks above a certain population density, I think 500 people per square mile. Metropolitan areas are county-based. I think urbanized areas are great measures of the size of a "city." MSAs have their uses, of course, but they're not great for looking at density because they contain a lot of rural land. Of course, since they're based on commuting patterns, they'd be good for thinking about some of subjects in this thread. Hey, turns out there is an equivalent Census list for UAs to the one you linked to for MSAs! Woohoo!
February 22, 200619 yr Thanks for finding that link, PG. And thanks for the clarification on the definition. "In the souls of the people the grapes of wrath are filling and growing heavy, growing heavy for the vintage." -- John Steinbeck
February 22, 200619 yr Another link to my stats bookmarks..;) Thanks. Oh by the way the old standards was 500 per square mile, now it's 1000 per square mile to be considered urbanized.
February 22, 200619 yr Oh by the way the old standards was 500 per square mile, now it's 1000 per square mile to be considered urbanized. The Census web site says in 2000 an urbanized area had to have "core" blocks of 1000, and then surrounding blocks of 500 or more were included... although I don't see an indication of what defines core blocks.
February 22, 200619 yr Hey, turns out there is an equivalent Census list for UAs to the one you linked to for MSAs! Woohoo! The 5 most densely populated (urbanized) are... Los Angeles San Fran/Oakland San Jose (who didn't grouped in with SF-O) New York City Miami Something doesn't look right. And according to that list, Columbus has a greater pop density than Cincy or Cleveland as well.
February 22, 200619 yr ^I find that believeable as the housing density of Metro Columbus is more integrated than Cincinnati and Cleveland. Meaning, Columbus sprawls less than Cincinnati and Cleveland. Watersheds perhaps? "You don't just walk into a bar and mix it up by calling a girl fat" - buildingcincinnati speaking about new forumers
February 22, 200619 yr LA gets density, I remember in my urban geography class that they use some tricks to make it that way. They determine that certain areas of land was unsuitable for building on in the first place (buildings on cliffs and hills), and subtract the land area those buildings are on. Basicaly all the buildings on the flat areas are counted only.
February 22, 200619 yr LA gets density, I remember in my urban geography class that they use some tricks to make it that way. They determine that certain areas of land was unsuitable for building on in the first place (buildings on cliffs and hills), and subtract the land area those buildings are on. Basicaly all the buildings on the flat areas are counted only. Great, they didn't count the neighborhood my advisor lives in (Yes, my advisor @ LSU has a residence in the other LA)
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