[Vision2020] Traffic in Moscow

[Luke]

Dear Visionaries:
    Unicycles would take up even less space than bikes, so let's all go
become unikers!
Random happy thoughts,
Luke Nieuwsma


----- Original Message -----
From: "roger hayes" <rhayes@turbonet.com>
To: <vision2020@moscow.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2003 8:13 AM
Subject: [Vision2020] Traffic in Moscow


> Visionaries:
>
> I am encouraged by debate, and opinion expressed in response to my
> inquiry about the increase in traffic on the Palouse of late.  One
> individual, Luke, said he would have 5,000 cars and SUVs coming to
> downtown Moscow rather than 20,000 bikes. So I got my tape measure and
> calculator out.  Measuring an average bike, and then an average motor
> vehicle (not an SUV, but just a sedan), and then doing the math, I
> found the following.  5,000 cars, bumper to bumper and door handle to
> door handle would consume roughly 630,000 square feet.  20,000 bikes in
> the same configuration would take up 125,000 square feet.  So it would
> take about 100,000 bikes to take up the room of 5,000 motor vehicles.
>
> But let's put everything in motion.  At slow to moderate speeds, it is
> not dangerous or uncomfortable for a biker to be 2 or 3 feet from
> another rider.  Of course, the faster one pedals, a bit more room is
> nice.  Imagine being that close driving a motor vehicle!  Maybe on race
> tracks this happens, but it's not a good idea for most of us.  This
> means that cars, SUVs and pick-ups take up more room when put in
> motion. The ratio, then,  changes substantially.  In motion, motor
> vehicles take up roughly 3 times their stationary area while bikes take
> up about 1.5 times their stationary area.  I will let the
> mathematicians finish this equation.
>
> I can also think of a few final points that have risen from this small
> research. As we put more money in upgrading our roads, allowing traffic
> to move at higher rates of speed, the more room the cars need.   The
> greater acreage we designate to parking lots and motor vehicle
> accommodations the more roads we need, and consequently the more
> parking we need.
>
> It's up to us, the citizens, the drivers, the taxpayers to envision
> what our towns will look like and how livable they will be in the
> future.  My vision would be bike racks, walking lanes, bike roads, bus
> stops, and maybe some green space where people can talk to each other
> and connect.  This would be called "community."  I don't see cars,
> pavement, and racing traffic providing this.
>
> Sincerely.
>
> Roger Hayes
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