tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post3050416662464930195..comments2024-03-01T07:43:16.529-06:00Comments on Smart City Memphis: Wanted: A Stimulus Package For New ThinkingUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-64423326687554771872009-07-21T01:04:57.062-05:002009-07-21T01:04:57.062-05:00Its will be really green city ..after they bulldoz...Its will be really green city ..after they bulldoze it to the ground. <br /> thanks for sharing <br />_<br />__________________<br />victor<br /><a href="http://www.directstartv.com/jump.html?referID=oa-0-173189" rel="nofollow">Entertainment at one stop</a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-17552840611817739412009-01-14T21:45:00.000-06:002009-01-14T21:45:00.000-06:00You honor me too much with your invitation, and it...You honor me too much with your invitation, and it is much appreciated. Just let me know anytime. Also, thanks to everyone for tolerating comments from an "outsider."pbroviakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821408663879058660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-58560491294996940832009-01-14T17:37:00.000-06:002009-01-14T17:37:00.000-06:00Again I'm agreeing with LaSalle. I went to numerou...Again I'm agreeing with LaSalle. I went to numerous meetings about the new bridge and construction leading into Shelby Farms. The engineers themselves didn't have a problem with putting in bike paths it was the directives from higher up that was the problem.<BR/><BR/>And I don't oppose a "green economy"; sometimes I oppose the reasoning or methods of getting us there. <BR/><BR/>For instance, I think that the calls for a "Manhatten Project" for solar power will turn into nothing but a boondoggle ... Great progress is being made on solar power without the expense of a "Manhatten Project".<BR/><BR/>I think some are about to be the victims of their own success, the rapid recent improvements in batteries will lead to an affordable plug-in hybrid which, in turn, will allow suburbia to continue to grow.<BR/><BR/>I think it's not too bright for Memphis to support building roads to suburbia and then act surprised when people use them to move out.<BR/><BR/>I read Friedman's column. I was underimpressed. I did find his proposal for eliminating the income tax for teachers (of course his wife is a teacher) interesting. Not because I believe teachers to be underpaid (see "Ten Myths in America: http://www.singularity2050.com/2008/08/ten-myths-in-america.html ). But I'd be all for eliminating incomes taxes even if I'm not a teacher.<BR/><BR/>LaSalle, I read the Becker and Posner columns. Interesting reads. Thanks for pointing me there.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-55824521098529710382009-01-14T14:40:00.000-06:002009-01-14T14:40:00.000-06:00LaSalle:Anytime you want to guest blog here, consi...LaSalle:<BR/><BR/>Anytime you want to guest blog here, consider yourself invited.<BR/><BR/>We've just put our toe into the context sensitive design pond, and we have one road project here through a 4,500 acre park that was the first in this part of the state. We're still not clear how committed the state is to this principle, and we fear that it will get very weak after the departure of our present commissioner of transportation.<BR/><BR/>But your points are excellent, and we thank you for taking the time to make them.<BR/><BR/>(We're serious about guest blogging.)Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-81237693620179092172009-01-14T12:44:00.000-06:002009-01-14T12:44:00.000-06:00There are usually several routes you can go to mak...There are usually several routes you can go to make sure you have input into projects. Usually the first item of business is to identify the "stakeholders" who are interested in the issue. In this case it could be a local bicycle group, walking or trails group, recreational and environmental groups. Sometimes schools can also be stakeholders. <BR/><BR/>Then it helps to collect the information already in place. I went to the engineering website for the city and found a comprehensive and impressive manual on bicycle design and standards for your city. (http://www.cityofmemphis.org/pdf_forms/BicyclePracticesTechMemo.pdf)<BR/><BR/>When your group identifies its goals and priorities and compiles its comments on the existing policies, you could contact the engineering department to set up a meeting between them and the stakeholders. The engineering department can be a great resource for finding out how to best proceed in your particular city. Also ask them if there are committees set up to oversee bikes/peds. You might at some point want to petition to address your city council and ask them to consider your input.<BR/><BR/>The other key piece of information that might help is that all state-funded transportation projects must follow CSS or context sensitive solutions. Here are some links to get more info about that process:<BR/>http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/contextsensitive/docs/csstatement06.pdf<BR/>http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/csstp/cssfsten.htm<BR/>That process definitely allows for public input. Also the "PLAN GO" link takes you to a site with another link to the state's bike plan which also looks like a great resource.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again!pbroviakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821408663879058660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-70315775110294226472009-01-14T12:43:00.000-06:002009-01-14T12:43:00.000-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.pbroviakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821408663879058660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-50403263536719554872009-01-14T10:56:00.000-06:002009-01-14T10:56:00.000-06:00LaSalle:By the way, if you have something about a ...LaSalle:<BR/><BR/>By the way, if you have something about a process to bring the voices of the biking community into the discussions, it would be welcome here. That community has been routinely frozen out for years, as have the environmental groups.Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-10366900024983014782009-01-14T10:55:00.000-06:002009-01-14T10:55:00.000-06:00LaSalle:We need to recruit you to Memphis, because...LaSalle:<BR/><BR/>We need to recruit you to Memphis, because that's definitely not how it works here. The combination of developer influence, the compulsion to build more lanes of highways, and public incentives to sprawl are deadly.Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-9593239118015218182009-01-14T09:42:00.000-06:002009-01-14T09:42:00.000-06:00I have to echo Midtowners comments about engineers...I have to echo Midtowners comments about engineers. Engineers are only designing and building the projects they are told to build and design by either the politicians or by their private clients.<BR/><BR/>In either case, engineers also must create a design that meets the policies and regulations and funding levels established by the local politicians or the budgets of their client.<BR/><BR/>Usually large public projects cannot be built without a public hearing so if there are projects in your area with which the public disagrees, the public needs to either contact their elected officials or attend public hearings so their opinions are heard during the planning process.<BR/><BR/>We were fortunate in our city that our local biking community was active and helped prepare a bicycle plan for the city that the council ended up adopting. That plan now helps to make sure bike paths are addressed in each project located along the identified bike routes.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again for the chance to express my thoughts. And again, the opinions expressed by me are my own, and not those of my employer.pbroviakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821408663879058660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-17385989191202711472009-01-13T14:01:00.000-06:002009-01-13T14:01:00.000-06:00Midtowner:Thanks for the follow-up. We just disag...Midtowner:<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the follow-up. We just disagree on the role of engineers. They should be given their chores after there is a clear vision of what a city's quality of life should be and what the vision for the future is. Instead, we have turned them loose to build roads and fuel sprawl that works to the detriment of the community and to public budgets.<BR/><BR/>For example, Shelby County Government this year is paying $180 million in debt payments for this kind of thinking. It's engineers' jobs to build what we see as essential to our infrastructure, not to decide that the paramount priority for our city is a road network that means that Memphians pay for their own infrastucture and then pay again for infrastructure in sprawling areas that they never visit.<BR/><BR/>It's just a question of roles for us, and engineers should not be the arbiters of our quality of life. When they are, we get things like the bridge over Walnut Grove Road into Shelby Farms Park that doesn't even have bike lanes and pedestrian lanes. <BR/><BR/>We don't have any problem calling borrowing what it is and debt what it is. It just seems that the option is to retool our economy or sink deeper into a recession that lingers for years. We just don't think there's a choice (although we'd be more skeptical about bailing our car manufacturers and bankers).Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-76112804851648486842009-01-12T21:20:00.000-06:002009-01-12T21:20:00.000-06:00For a moment, I thought y'all were talking about M...For a moment, I thought y'all were talking about Milton Friedman.<BR/><BR/>I knew deep down that was unpossible.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-10229503517576093762009-01-12T15:19:00.000-06:002009-01-12T15:19:00.000-06:00SCC, actually I wasn't trying to draw you into an ...SCC, actually I wasn't trying to draw you into an economic debate. I'm sure you're a Keynesian. And we can agree to disagree.<BR/><BR/>But I was agreeing with the essence of LaSalle's post in that a "stimulus" needs to be for shovel-ready projects if it is to do any good for the recession.<BR/><BR/>Your idea of the word "stimulus" appears to be in an entirely different sense. You want to "stimulate" the economy to move in a different direction which is a long-term project not a short term one to reduce or reverse the recession.<BR/><BR/>You and Obama just aren't on the same page as to the meaning of the word "stimulus". <BR/><BR/>As for my meaning of "stimulus" by the gov't, you could substitute more honest words like "borrow" or "print" or "debt" for stimulate or stimulus. <BR/><BR/>Try "The government plans to borrow another $700 billion for the economy." <BR/><BR/>"The administration will print another $700 billion to jumpstart the economy." <BR/><BR/>As for Jeff Speck, I don't care how many books or articles he's written. A statement like he made shows a real lack of understanding (and that's the kind way to say it). It will be the engineers who build your quality of life so you should be nice to them rather than giving them such a back-handed insult.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-28861670665215860992009-01-12T12:27:00.000-06:002009-01-12T12:27:00.000-06:00PS:Here's the link to the Friedman column that was...PS:<BR/><BR/>Here's the link to the Friedman column that was referred to by anonymous: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/opinion/11friedman.html?_r=1Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-32240725832845980082009-01-12T12:26:00.000-06:002009-01-12T12:26:00.000-06:00Sarah:Glad to have you aboard and thanks for your ...Sarah:<BR/><BR/>Glad to have you aboard and thanks for your first comment. <BR/><BR/>Antisocialist:<BR/><BR/>Rather than both of us quoting our favorite economists and social scientists, we'd rather concentrate on the new momentum for change and new thinking that can get this country back in the right direction. Surely, we do not disagree that the policies of the past eight years have been disastrous and we need something fundamentally different to turn things around.<BR/><BR/>As you know, this blog is a corporate one, so we apologize if not taking the time to debate economic theory was interpreted as a lack of confidence in your opinion or lack of interest in yours. We appreciate your comments, and thank you for them. <BR/><BR/>We just see the world differently, and as a result, we see solutions differently and we see them working in other cities. But we welcome your differing points of view.Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-22939391733445254622009-01-12T12:11:00.000-06:002009-01-12T12:11:00.000-06:00Midtowner and antisocialist are trapped in a time ...Midtowner and antisocialist are trapped in a time warp quoting theories and economists when the day to day work shows that other ways do indeed work. Would you guys read Thomas Friedman's column in the new york times yesterday? It's not about shovel ready projects. It's about projects that do really act as a stimulus for a new economy and new jobs that move us from our same old unsustainable lifestyles and growth.<BR/><BR/>To simply quote your favorite economists as a kneejerk way to justify why things can't work and to justify your already preconceived opinions is a cop-out. You guys can always think of a million reasons why everybody else is wrong and only you are right. How about an open mind for a change?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-10161689714184206832009-01-12T07:00:00.000-06:002009-01-12T07:00:00.000-06:00Antisocialist:I came across this blog today and th...Antisocialist:<BR/><BR/>I came across this blog today and thought you might be interested in seeing it, if you haven't already. It's a fairly comprehensive discussion of the economics of this situation.<BR/>http://www.becker-posner-blog.com/archives/2009/01/the_obama_stimu.htmlpbroviakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821408663879058660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-91124408356745964612009-01-11T21:39:00.000-06:002009-01-11T21:39:00.000-06:00Yeah, don't you just "hope" there is "change". You...Yeah, don't you just "hope" there is "change". <BR/>You'll be hoping for change in your pocket if waiting on change is the new game in urban renewal.<BR/> Better off waiting on a bus to go to McDonalds.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-52999716616813047602009-01-11T13:13:00.000-06:002009-01-11T13:13:00.000-06:00Midtowner:SCC's fundamental disagreement "with eve...Midtowner:<BR/><BR/>SCC's fundamental disagreement "with everything you've said" suggests they do not grasp that Keynesian economics doesn't work. They claim they'd like to respond, but choose to "leave it that differences of opinions are what democracy is all about." Since they cannot refute that Keynesian economics doesn't work, they can't muster a substantive response.<BR/><BR/>SCC is wrong. Adam smith says so.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-83360669238261693432009-01-10T20:45:00.000-06:002009-01-10T20:45:00.000-06:00The last comment and bullet point in your lists sh...The last comment and bullet point in your lists should come first, everything else can be fueled by that.<BR/> The rest are ideals that are epensive as things are now, but, if you do get Government utility bills off our backs, it's a LOT more affordable.<BR/> Seems like that Zippy poster used to say it a lot.<BR/> Iran is taking over the middle east with free energy and if we go to war with them, it's going to be their free energy that will sustain them.<BR/> We need even "free-er" energy. Wind powered. Not those big clunky windfarm things that are a cover for the next round of government sponsored natural gas cartel's extortion, but vertical axis wind and roof mounted units that will really power city hall+.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-72086078362717161892009-01-09T18:06:00.000-06:002009-01-09T18:06:00.000-06:00midtowner:Thanks for your comments. We'd like to ...midtowner:<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comments. <BR/><BR/>We'd like to respond, but we so fundamentally disagree with everything you've said, we'll just leave it that differences of opinions are what democracy is all about.<BR/><BR/>The only response we'll make is that if Jeff Speck is an idiot - despite his books, his influence on New Urbanism and his time as director of design at National Endowment of the Arts - we need more idiots. The sprawl draining the life from our cities and our budgets and raising our taxes and the cost of doing business are not merely lifestyle differences. They are the fundamental kind of places that engineers have set out to make, and that alone is testament to the foolishness of leaving city design to just that profession as we have done here for decades. We now pay the price.Smart City Consultinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13985783340016474051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-33874432694839792412009-01-09T17:52:00.000-06:002009-01-09T17:52:00.000-06:00I have a little bit of a dilemma here.When you sco...I have a little bit of a dilemma here.<BR/><BR/>When you scoff at the term "shovel-ready projects", I'm not sure whether you truly grasp that Keynesian economics doesn't work and therefore you're wanting to use the money for long-term projects ...<BR/><BR/>OR<BR/><BR/>You're ignoring the fact that the money is supposed to be used to shorten or end the recession and you're willing to prolong the recession in order to pay for your own pork projects.<BR/><BR/>After all, any project that isn't "shovel-ready" would take waaayy tooo long to go thru the bureaucratic process of planning and environmental studies before the money would actually hit the economy. The recession would, hopefully, be over by that time and thus the "stimulus" would not be needed.<BR/><BR/>Don't worry, you aren't the only one lined up at the feeding trough using the word of the day ... "stimulate". From High Speed Rail supporters in California to the Mars Society, everyone is claiming how their pet projects will "stimulate" the economy and provide much needed long-term structural support and benefits. The problem is that none of them are "shovel-ready" right now so they, including you, are crying, 'Foul!"<BR/><BR/>Whine, whine, sniffle, sniffle, "But our projects are much more important than some "shovel-ready" road or bridge!"<BR/><BR/>So back to my original dilemma. I'm not sure whether you know in your heart of hearts that a "stimulus" for the purpose of shortening or ending a recession is a waste of time and money so you want to use the money other projects OR if you do believe that gov't spending can lift the economy out of a recession but willing to prolong the economic downturn in order to spend the money on your pet projects. You can't have it both ways. You know that any project that isn't "shovel ready" will be too late to "stimulate" the economy during the recession.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and BTW, if Jeff Speck did say that about engineers, then he is an idiot and I'd be more than happy to say that to his face. I'm not usually so blunt and I usually avoid personal attacks, but think about it. Who is going to build your utopian society? Who is going to construct that "quality of life" for you? That's right, it will be an engineer. Don't blame the engineer for building what the politicians wants on a shoestring budget. In essence, you get what you pay for.<BR/><BR/>You elected a demopublican ... and you really expect things to be so different?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-68237300434588835412009-01-08T07:38:00.000-06:002009-01-08T07:38:00.000-06:00antisocialistYes, you are right - sorry about miss...antisocialist<BR/><BR/>Yes, you are right - sorry about missing that. :-)pbroviakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821408663879058660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-68576339131651336452009-01-08T07:10:00.000-06:002009-01-08T07:10:00.000-06:00LaSalle:Maybe you missed my sarcasm with respect t...LaSalle:<BR/><BR/>Maybe you missed my sarcasm with respect to the water tower. If you're community becomes the beneficiary of public funds for infrastructure, you ought to be able to spend it on a water tower that is a health and safety concern and a high priority in the community. That seems more "fair" than spending it on some bike paths a couple of people will use for commuting, for example, just because some smarter-than-everyone-else socialist thinks a bike path is a good idea.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-67047855641809683102009-01-08T06:11:00.000-06:002009-01-08T06:11:00.000-06:00antisocialist:I can't stand the thought of pay...antisocialist:<BR/><BR/>I can't stand the thought of paying $750,000 to paint a water tower either, and I hate even more spending the money to build new ones.<BR/><BR/>But the people in our city want to have water come out of their faucets each day at a decent pressure, and our fire department demands they have water and proper pressure to put out fires. (Actually everyone's insurance rates would go up drastically if the water tower was not there to provide the water at a certain pressure.)<BR/><BR/>So until someone invents a better & cheaper alternative to providing water to our citizens, we, unfortunately, have to keep taking care of that old water tower.pbroviakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821408663879058660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12509286.post-87223192935658387962009-01-08T00:38:00.000-06:002009-01-08T00:38:00.000-06:00I pretty much agree with everything you said. But...I pretty much agree with everything you said. But an emphasis on bike paths as a transportation mode in Memphis is unfeasible. If you've been in Memphis in August, you know it ain't Portland. August in Memphis runs from mid-May to mid-September, incidentally. And now it's too cold to commute by bike. <BR/><BR/>Commuting by bike will never be feasible in Memphis -- at best it would work a couple weeks in spring and a couple months in fall, and warm days in winter. Meaning it will never be a widespread transportation mode. <BR/><BR/>Bike lanes for pleasure riding? Yes, definitely. For commuting? Get back with me on that next August. Which starts in May.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com