Critical Urbanism
@criticalurbanism.bsky.social
Critical observations on the urbanist movement from someone who's lived in a city, with and without a car, before it became a fad. Philly.
Pinned
Parking is never wasted space. Millions of people drive 10 billion miles a day, an unprecedented level of mobility that allows people to go to more places, do more things, connect with more people, and have a high standard of living, all of which would be impossible without parking.
What doesn't make sense about induced demand is that the demand is for the destinations served by a road, not for the road itself. If capacity doesn't match demand, people won't go to desired destinations, limiting growth, snarling traffic, and perhaps causing more sprawl. @jeffspeck.bsky.social
July 15, 2025 at 10:49 PM
What doesn't make sense about induced demand is that the demand is for the destinations served by a road, not for the road itself. If capacity doesn't match demand, people won't go to desired destinations, limiting growth, snarling traffic, and perhaps causing more sprawl. @jeffspeck.bsky.social
The biggest thing that undercuts the legacy of planning surrounding the Schulkyll RiverTrail, the Schulkyll Banks Park, and Grays Ferry is the railroad that cuts off the city from the park and Grays Ferry from the rest of the city. Get rid of the railroad and viaduct. @ingasaffron.bsky.social
June 23, 2025 at 9:18 PM
The biggest thing that undercuts the legacy of planning surrounding the Schulkyll RiverTrail, the Schulkyll Banks Park, and Grays Ferry is the railroad that cuts off the city from the park and Grays Ferry from the rest of the city. Get rid of the railroad and viaduct. @ingasaffron.bsky.social
Reposted by Critical Urbanism
Reposted by Critical Urbanism
What we learned yesterday.
The Times They Are a-Changin'
The Times They Are a-Changin'
June 15, 2025 at 4:42 PM
What we learned yesterday.
The Times They Are a-Changin'
The Times They Are a-Changin'
25 years ago there were 3 department stores, a Kmart, and a popular shopping mall on East Market, but @civicgrit.bsky.social thinks parking minimums are the reasons these businesses aren't there any more. Developers will make any opportunistic argument to externalize their parking costs on others.
June 15, 2025 at 5:44 PM
25 years ago there were 3 department stores, a Kmart, and a popular shopping mall on East Market, but @civicgrit.bsky.social thinks parking minimums are the reasons these businesses aren't there any more. Developers will make any opportunistic argument to externalize their parking costs on others.
Somehow, @americanfietser.bsky.social thinks people aren't cycling for transportation because they don't know they can, rather than because they already rejected the idea.
June 13, 2025 at 7:14 PM
Somehow, @americanfietser.bsky.social thinks people aren't cycling for transportation because they don't know they can, rather than because they already rejected the idea.
Americans have unprecedented mobility, driving 10 billion miles a day, so we can go more places, do more, and see more people, all of which is impossible without parking. Complaining about traffic is like complaining there's too much selection in the grocery store.
@victorfloresbart.bsky.social
@victorfloresbart.bsky.social
May 3, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Americans have unprecedented mobility, driving 10 billion miles a day, so we can go more places, do more, and see more people, all of which is impossible without parking. Complaining about traffic is like complaining there's too much selection in the grocery store.
@victorfloresbart.bsky.social
@victorfloresbart.bsky.social
If you call undocumented immigrants criminals, you're a bigot. It's not complicated. They're people who have come to the United States to work and are no more prone to criminality than the people who are born here, like our felon president.
May 1, 2025 at 8:05 PM
If you call undocumented immigrants criminals, you're a bigot. It's not complicated. They're people who have come to the United States to work and are no more prone to criminality than the people who are born here, like our felon president.
That is a misleading post, @momentummag.bsky.social , to imply those cities are relying on cycling. Those are cities with extensive mass transit systems.
April 29, 2025 at 10:40 PM
That is a misleading post, @momentummag.bsky.social , to imply those cities are relying on cycling. Those are cities with extensive mass transit systems.
Here's @davidzipper.bsky.social looking for support for his predetermined position that people don't like driving. The only people who research these questions are people who already know the answer they want. Do people want to cycle in cold rainy weather, the study says yes. Bullshit.
April 10, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Here's @davidzipper.bsky.social looking for support for his predetermined position that people don't like driving. The only people who research these questions are people who already know the answer they want. Do people want to cycle in cold rainy weather, the study says yes. Bullshit.
I don't know @davidzipper.bsky.social, for decades I've lived in beautiful walkable urban neighborhoods close to highways, and those highways are invaluable when I need to travel to places around the region beyond walking distance. I don't get why you're trying to cripple people's mobility.
April 10, 2025 at 4:52 AM
I don't know @davidzipper.bsky.social, for decades I've lived in beautiful walkable urban neighborhoods close to highways, and those highways are invaluable when I need to travel to places around the region beyond walking distance. I don't get why you're trying to cripple people's mobility.
Between trucks being able to stop to deliver the billions of consumer goods on which we all depend and bike lanes, I prefer the trucks. I'll look carefully behind me, and I will then cycle around the trunk. Problem solved.
@kemcdonell.bsky.social @tomflood.bsky.social
@kemcdonell.bsky.social @tomflood.bsky.social
March 6, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Between trucks being able to stop to deliver the billions of consumer goods on which we all depend and bike lanes, I prefer the trucks. I'll look carefully behind me, and I will then cycle around the trunk. Problem solved.
@kemcdonell.bsky.social @tomflood.bsky.social
@kemcdonell.bsky.social @tomflood.bsky.social
Well, drtaragoddard.com, may want to make your commute suck, but she gets pissed off when something goes wrong with her commute.
February 27, 2025 at 4:03 AM
Well, drtaragoddard.com, may want to make your commute suck, but she gets pissed off when something goes wrong with her commute.
Good riddance. This asshole is as responsible as anyone for getting Roe overturned and putting a cabal of conservative judges in the courts to attack all civil and consumer rights in favor of corporations.
sure, mitch mcconnell cynically masterminded the plot to destroy the US constitution and american democracy, but you have to at least credit him with lifting up his own constituents in Kentucky to make it one of our richest and most prosperous... (touching earpiece) wait I'm getting new information
BREAKING: Sen. Mitch McConnell says he won't seek re-election in 2026, ending a 40-year Senate career. nbcnews.to/4i5uZ9p
February 21, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Good riddance. This asshole is as responsible as anyone for getting Roe overturned and putting a cabal of conservative judges in the courts to attack all civil and consumer rights in favor of corporations.
In other words, @typewriteralley.bsky.social, developers got free parking. When developers don't have to build parking, they'll externalize their parking needs on the public to the detriment of the community. I say no free parking for developers.
February 20, 2025 at 3:17 PM
In other words, @typewriteralley.bsky.social, developers got free parking. When developers don't have to build parking, they'll externalize their parking needs on the public to the detriment of the community. I say no free parking for developers.
Reposted by Critical Urbanism
Emergency Video: will Congress do to itself what they are demanding of other departments?
Cut congress’ budget and shrink THEIR staff now!
Cut congress’ budget and shrink THEIR staff now!
February 18, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Emergency Video: will Congress do to itself what they are demanding of other departments?
Cut congress’ budget and shrink THEIR staff now!
Cut congress’ budget and shrink THEIR staff now!
Got that right.
www.currentaffairs.org/news/2023/09...
www.currentaffairs.org/news/2023/09...
The Strong Towns Movement is Simply Right-Libertarianism Dressed in Progressive Garb
Strong Towns’ critique of America’s car-centric sprawl sounds appealing. But its proposed solutions rely on a conservative politics that prioritizes ‘wealth creation’ over just and equitable urban pla...
www.currentaffairs.org
February 17, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Got that right.
www.currentaffairs.org/news/2023/09...
www.currentaffairs.org/news/2023/09...
This piece of developer propaganda repeated verbatim by @pushtheneedle.bsky.social, is demonstrably false. The budget of every large city proves the expenses of density far exceed the economies of scale. He just doesn't want to listen to anyone who tells him otherwise.
February 15, 2025 at 9:52 PM
This piece of developer propaganda repeated verbatim by @pushtheneedle.bsky.social, is demonstrably false. The budget of every large city proves the expenses of density far exceed the economies of scale. He just doesn't want to listen to anyone who tells him otherwise.
In other words, @cafedujord.bsky.social is going to someone else's neighborhood to support an outside developer build housing Mr. Grimes can't afford. Urbanism is always about development in someone else's back yard, and Mr. Grimes is a sucker if he thinks something's gonna trickle down to him.
January 15, 2025 at 2:15 PM
In other words, @cafedujord.bsky.social is going to someone else's neighborhood to support an outside developer build housing Mr. Grimes can't afford. Urbanism is always about development in someone else's back yard, and Mr. Grimes is a sucker if he thinks something's gonna trickle down to him.
If density has the economies of scale promoted by @clmarohn.bsky.social and @strongtowns.org, NYC wouldn't need to create yet another tax to support its parks.
January 13, 2025 at 3:49 PM
If density has the economies of scale promoted by @clmarohn.bsky.social and @strongtowns.org, NYC wouldn't need to create yet another tax to support its parks.
Developers actually want people to pay to lobby for them to build housing the people can't even afford. There's a sucker born every minute.
January 8, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Developers actually want people to pay to lobby for them to build housing the people can't even afford. There's a sucker born every minute.
Sorry @tomflood.bsky.social, but you cannot be a safety advocate and promote low visibility cycling. Cyclists riding at night without lights just appear to come out of nowhere and are a danger to themselves and pedestrians.
January 8, 2025 at 12:28 AM
Sorry @tomflood.bsky.social, but you cannot be a safety advocate and promote low visibility cycling. Cyclists riding at night without lights just appear to come out of nowhere and are a danger to themselves and pedestrians.
Bollard, an ever present urban eyesore.
January 8, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Bollard, an ever present urban eyesore.
All of the historically protected properties are the old middle housing @danieltrubman.bsky.social normally complains are illegal to build, but now he wants to tear them down. Go figure.
January 7, 2025 at 6:05 PM
All of the historically protected properties are the old middle housing @danieltrubman.bsky.social normally complains are illegal to build, but now he wants to tear them down. Go figure.
That illustrates @danieltrubman.bsky.social that the adoption of the automobile took place from the ground up because people wanted person on-demand point-to-point transportation. There was no conspiracy. No one has to twist anyone's arm.
January 7, 2025 at 5:47 PM
That illustrates @danieltrubman.bsky.social that the adoption of the automobile took place from the ground up because people wanted person on-demand point-to-point transportation. There was no conspiracy. No one has to twist anyone's arm.