The Urbanist Digest, Volume 4, 2017

A digest of all the topics discussed by The Urbanist in the December 2017 quarter, including cars and traffic, public transport, cycling, planning and a helluva lot more

The Urbanist Digest, Volume 4, 2017

What books to read over the holidays?

Like the ABC, The Urbanist is in summer recess but back for special occasions; this time it’s The Urbanist’s annual list of good books – mostly novels – to read over the holidays

What books to read over the holidays?

Is this underpass plan under-developed?

The promise by the Opposition in Victoria to grade-separate 55 congested intersections is likely to be politically appealing, but the case hasn’t been made it’s a sensible policy

Is this underpass plan under-developed?

Weekend reading

Weekend reading

How will driverless vehicles change cities?

Once the difficult transition period when human controlled vehicles are still common is over, a world of fully driverless vehicles should be a lot different from today

How will driverless vehicles change cities?

Should we demand more of heavy vehicle drivers?

It’s time to consider if heavy vehicle driver licensing should require that applicants understand the risks they pose for others and are committed to protecting their welfare

Should we demand more of heavy vehicle drivers?

That was The week That was…

Tw3 provides a brief commentary on stories bearing on the delights and discontents of urbanism in the news over the week ending 12 November 2017

That was The week That was…

Weekend reading 11/12 November

Weekend reading 11/12 November

Is the popularity of cycling on the wane?

One interpretation of a recent survey of cycling is that riding is losing popularity in cities. Maybe, or perhaps the numbers fluctuate between surveys in ways that aren’t a big worry

Is the popularity of cycling on the wane?

That was The week That was…

In this week’s Tw3 The Urbanist comments on:

• Are “three Sydneys” better than one?
• Is Sydney really full? The politics of urban density
• Queensland election: does the Greens pledge of a flat $1 fare make sense?
• Is high-density living worse for the environment than suburban sprawl?
• Do vehicles hitting this rail bridge tell us there’s a bigger problem that lasers can’t fix?
• Is selling public housing land to developers why there’s not enough housing for the poor
• Why does Amsterdam work so well for bicycles?
• Is riding a bicycle without a helmet “simply stupid”?
• Is the Minister right to reject the Heritage Council’s recommendation?
• Do the kinds of social changes brought on by online dating have wider implications for cities?

That was The week That was… w/e 5 November 2017

Weekend reading 4/5 November

Weekend reading

Are there easy fixes for traffic congestion?

Politicans like to sell new roads and rail lines as the solution to traffic congestion but it’s an illusion. There are no quick or politically easy fixes for peak-hour traffic

Are there easy fixes for traffic congestion?

What’s the problem airport rail would solve?

There needs to be a clear and focused justification for spending billions of dollars on building a rail line from the CBD to Melbourne Airport

What’s the problem airport rail would solve?

That was The week That was…

Tw3 provides a brief commentary on stories bearing on the delights and discontents of urbanism that were in the news over the week ending 29 October 2017

That was The week That was…

In this week’s Tw3 The Urbanist comments on:

• Lonely Planet lists Canberra as one of the world’s three hottest destinations
• Cars continue to rule Melbourne roads, Census shows
• Labor spends $10 million on spinners to win over public on transport projects
• What happens to the information you give to bike share companies?
• Are Trains Better Than Bus Rapid Transit Systems? A Look at the Evidence
• Ride sharing, better public transport have more to offer than solo car commutes
• Barak, Kirner and Chloe firm in station naming race, no joy for Dusty or Winterfell
• Becoming more urban: attitudes to medium-density living are changing in Sydney and Melbourne
• Growing unpopularity of Australia’s growing population
• Shifting the Dial: 5 year productivity review
• Sirius denied heritage protection, again

Weekend reading 28/29 October

Weekend reading 28/29 October

Who’s noticed the suburbs have turned green?

One of the the great unheralded changes in Australia’s cities was the greening of the suburbs – both old and new – over the last thirty to fifty years

Who’s noticed the suburbs have turned green?

Will Fishermans Bend meet this sustainability target?

It’s easy to give the appearance of being progressive when the proof of the pudding won’t be known until 2050, but sometimes inconvenient truths can’t be overlooked

Will Fishermans Bend meet this sustainability target?

That was The week That was…

Tw3 provides a brief commentary on stories in the news over the week ending 22 October 2017 that bear on the delights and discontents of urbanism

That was The week That was…

Weekend reading

Weekend reading

Does driving matter for a city’s liveability?

Driving will inevitably continue to have a huge impact on the liveability of Australia’s growing cities – policy-makers must stop ignoring the car and start “taming” it

Does driving matter for a city’s liveability?