Xavier D. Stickler
@xavierdstickler.bsky.social
If Barbur Blvd was a person: curvy, too wide, useless. Transit, architecture, urban geography.
Opinions are that of *your* employer.
Opinions are that of *your* employer.
Gobble gobble goose
November 6, 2025 at 12:14 AM
Gobble gobble goose
Spooky-time Goose
November 1, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Spooky-time Goose
The 2nd feature that really stood out is the real-time movement tracker displayed inside the metro cars themselves.
A screen which shows the previous and upcoming station is pretty standard fare these days, but the Montréal metro includes a black dot which shows your real-time movement between them
A screen which shows the previous and upcoming station is pretty standard fare these days, but the Montréal metro includes a black dot which shows your real-time movement between them
October 3, 2025 at 10:07 PM
The 2nd feature that really stood out is the real-time movement tracker displayed inside the metro cars themselves.
A screen which shows the previous and upcoming station is pretty standard fare these days, but the Montréal metro includes a black dot which shows your real-time movement between them
A screen which shows the previous and upcoming station is pretty standard fare these days, but the Montréal metro includes a black dot which shows your real-time movement between them
As a transit nerd, I had such a great time in Montréal--in large part because of these fantastic user interface features.
The 1st is a graphic displayed on platform screens. It relays how full each part of the next upcoming trainset is, allowing riders to disperse and find a less crowded section.
The 1st is a graphic displayed on platform screens. It relays how full each part of the next upcoming trainset is, allowing riders to disperse and find a less crowded section.
October 3, 2025 at 10:05 PM
As a transit nerd, I had such a great time in Montréal--in large part because of these fantastic user interface features.
The 1st is a graphic displayed on platform screens. It relays how full each part of the next upcoming trainset is, allowing riders to disperse and find a less crowded section.
The 1st is a graphic displayed on platform screens. It relays how full each part of the next upcoming trainset is, allowing riders to disperse and find a less crowded section.
I still have several really cool things I want to talk about from my trip, but I think they deserve their own thread. For now, I'll end by highlighting this: a very vibrant street activation outside a metro station.
The lesson: place activation where you know there will be people to use it!
The lesson: place activation where you know there will be people to use it!
October 3, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I still have several really cool things I want to talk about from my trip, but I think they deserve their own thread. For now, I'll end by highlighting this: a very vibrant street activation outside a metro station.
The lesson: place activation where you know there will be people to use it!
The lesson: place activation where you know there will be people to use it!
On the Champlain bridge, rather than building a whole extra travel lane that would only be needed during rush hour, they have a shoulder that is temporarily convertible to a thru-lane as required during peak times.
Take notes, ODOT: we need not build-out to the highest need as default.
Take notes, ODOT: we need not build-out to the highest need as default.
October 3, 2025 at 9:56 PM
On the Champlain bridge, rather than building a whole extra travel lane that would only be needed during rush hour, they have a shoulder that is temporarily convertible to a thru-lane as required during peak times.
Take notes, ODOT: we need not build-out to the highest need as default.
Take notes, ODOT: we need not build-out to the highest need as default.
One thing Montréal is hugely lacking in, however, is a good central train station.
At one point, it had several grand, beautiful, castle-like depots. Today, the REM system, subway, and long-distance trains stop at a subterranean station beneath a mall/office building/hotel. As you can see, it's eh.
At one point, it had several grand, beautiful, castle-like depots. Today, the REM system, subway, and long-distance trains stop at a subterranean station beneath a mall/office building/hotel. As you can see, it's eh.
October 3, 2025 at 9:49 PM
One thing Montréal is hugely lacking in, however, is a good central train station.
At one point, it had several grand, beautiful, castle-like depots. Today, the REM system, subway, and long-distance trains stop at a subterranean station beneath a mall/office building/hotel. As you can see, it's eh.
At one point, it had several grand, beautiful, castle-like depots. Today, the REM system, subway, and long-distance trains stop at a subterranean station beneath a mall/office building/hotel. As you can see, it's eh.
Not really relevant to the urbanism, but I was tickled by this silly little truck. It's used to be able to access billboards. I've never seen anything quite like it, so I thought it was notable.
October 3, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Not really relevant to the urbanism, but I was tickled by this silly little truck. It's used to be able to access billboards. I've never seen anything quite like it, so I thought it was notable.
Here's another example of their really fantastic bike infrastructure in action. Even accommodating driveways and curb cuts, they manage to bring a lot of protection to the street.
Really great to see.
Really great to see.
October 3, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Here's another example of their really fantastic bike infrastructure in action. Even accommodating driveways and curb cuts, they manage to bring a lot of protection to the street.
Really great to see.
Really great to see.
Cities differentiate their bike boulevards differently. In Vancouver BC, it's simply an icon of a bike embedded in the print of their standard green street signs. In Portland, we really don't demarcate streets with bike-priority at all. But in Montréal, they had these delightful decals atop the sign
October 3, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Cities differentiate their bike boulevards differently. In Vancouver BC, it's simply an icon of a bike embedded in the print of their standard green street signs. In Portland, we really don't demarcate streets with bike-priority at all. But in Montréal, they had these delightful decals atop the sign
One of the quirks of being such an old city is that, sometimes, you get thoroughly modern uses in very historic buildings.
Such as this Subway Sandwich in an old row home.
Such as this Subway Sandwich in an old row home.
October 3, 2025 at 9:38 PM
One of the quirks of being such an old city is that, sometimes, you get thoroughly modern uses in very historic buildings.
Such as this Subway Sandwich in an old row home.
Such as this Subway Sandwich in an old row home.
A piece of design I thought was damn sexy was this streetlight. Like most streetlights, it illuminates the roadway at an appropriate and fairly-high height. However! It also includes a lamp which lights the sidewalk which is positioned more at human-scale. Very seamless execution.
October 3, 2025 at 9:34 PM
A piece of design I thought was damn sexy was this streetlight. Like most streetlights, it illuminates the roadway at an appropriate and fairly-high height. However! It also includes a lamp which lights the sidewalk which is positioned more at human-scale. Very seamless execution.
I'm back! Going through my photos, I'm realizing there's still so much good stuff from Montréal I want to highlight.
One of them being their wayfinding signs for parking. By directing people to nearby lots, you help make better use of existing capacity without the need to add more.
One of them being their wayfinding signs for parking. By directing people to nearby lots, you help make better use of existing capacity without the need to add more.
October 3, 2025 at 9:32 PM
I'm back! Going through my photos, I'm realizing there's still so much good stuff from Montréal I want to highlight.
One of them being their wayfinding signs for parking. By directing people to nearby lots, you help make better use of existing capacity without the need to add more.
One of them being their wayfinding signs for parking. By directing people to nearby lots, you help make better use of existing capacity without the need to add more.
I love my boyfriend
October 3, 2025 at 9:12 PM
I love my boyfriend
Here's a picture where you can see all the different spans that used to go across the slough. I had no idea
www.pdxhistory.com/html/lotus_i...
www.pdxhistory.com/html/lotus_i...
September 30, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Here's a picture where you can see all the different spans that used to go across the slough. I had no idea
www.pdxhistory.com/html/lotus_i...
www.pdxhistory.com/html/lotus_i...
PPB plane doing its thing over South Waterfront ICE facility.
September 29, 2025 at 3:09 AM
PPB plane doing its thing over South Waterfront ICE facility.
For what it's worth, here is the Downtown Neighborhood Association's statement from two weeks ago when Trump first started threatening a military occupation of Portland.
You can expect a more up-to-date statement from leadership soon.
You can expect a more up-to-date statement from leadership soon.
September 27, 2025 at 4:46 PM
For what it's worth, here is the Downtown Neighborhood Association's statement from two weeks ago when Trump first started threatening a military occupation of Portland.
You can expect a more up-to-date statement from leadership soon.
You can expect a more up-to-date statement from leadership soon.
Something interesting I noticed while in Astoria this weekend is how the City created accessible sidewalk curb ramps by simply extending them with a blub-out planter, rather than tearing out and completely rebuilding the curb.
Very ingenious and frugal. I like it.
Very ingenious and frugal. I like it.
September 25, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Something interesting I noticed while in Astoria this weekend is how the City created accessible sidewalk curb ramps by simply extending them with a blub-out planter, rather than tearing out and completely rebuilding the curb.
Very ingenious and frugal. I like it.
Very ingenious and frugal. I like it.
I think the biggest challenge we face as progressives is the need to understand that the average American is 2025 is actually a fascist. The social and cultural views espoused by this administration actually are quite popular with the average person.
September 25, 2025 at 3:22 AM
I think the biggest challenge we face as progressives is the need to understand that the average American is 2025 is actually a fascist. The social and cultural views espoused by this administration actually are quite popular with the average person.
Today on Burnside, a BMW jumped the curb, plowed across the sidewalk, and careened into the ground floor of the Crystal Ballroom in downtown Portland. Sounds like speed was likely a factor.
We need major changes on this roadway immediately.
#Portland #downtownportland #pdx #downtown #safestreets
We need major changes on this roadway immediately.
#Portland #downtownportland #pdx #downtown #safestreets
September 19, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Today on Burnside, a BMW jumped the curb, plowed across the sidewalk, and careened into the ground floor of the Crystal Ballroom in downtown Portland. Sounds like speed was likely a factor.
We need major changes on this roadway immediately.
#Portland #downtownportland #pdx #downtown #safestreets
We need major changes on this roadway immediately.
#Portland #downtownportland #pdx #downtown #safestreets
Sometime between 1975 and 1990, SE 8th Ave between Morrison and Belmont Streets was removed from the grid and became a parking lot in the middle of this whacky little superblock.
I wonder if the City was compensated at all.
#Portland #portlandhistory #urbanplanning
I wonder if the City was compensated at all.
#Portland #portlandhistory #urbanplanning
September 12, 2025 at 5:40 AM
Sometime between 1975 and 1990, SE 8th Ave between Morrison and Belmont Streets was removed from the grid and became a parking lot in the middle of this whacky little superblock.
I wonder if the City was compensated at all.
#Portland #portlandhistory #urbanplanning
I wonder if the City was compensated at all.
#Portland #portlandhistory #urbanplanning
New Goose-from-down-the-hall just dropped.
September 8, 2025 at 2:51 AM
New Goose-from-down-the-hall just dropped.