This article is reposted from Urban Kchoze. I thought it was an interesting summary on how Japanese zoning differs from the U.S. Enjoy. 1- Zoning is a national law, not a municipal by-law This might be the single most interesting characteristic of Japanese zoning that differentiates it from zoning in North America. Here, cities are essentially the sole masters of their zoning, they conceive it, adopt the bylaws and then apply them as they see fit. This isn’t quite wise considering how many cities, particularly smaller ones don’t really have the expertise to plan a city decently with euclidean ..read more

A woman pushing a baby stroller was killed by a truck last week at the intersection of Biscayne Boulevard and 22nd St. Like many of the pedestrians in the area, she lived in a nearby condo building and most likely walked every day for errands. Between new residential and commercial development, the number of pedestrians on Biscayne are increasing, but unfortunately, pedestrian safety measures are not. Designed as a fast through route to supplement I-95 in Miami, Biscayne is carrying more local trips now. And as its land use and trip characteristics change, Biscayne needs to change as well to m ..read more

If you’re a regular in the Miami neighborhood of Brickell, you know the SW 13th St. at SW 3rd Ave. intersection because of the terror it caused. You probably gripped the steering wheel as you approached it, or became your Uber driver’s second set of eyes as your heart rate went up, dividing the labor as one of you looked right and the other left, slowly inching through the intersection hoping oncoming cars didn’t crash into you. The pre-roundabout SW 13th St. Intersection So it was relief when we heard the roundabout at this location was being expedited by FDOT. Roundabouts are one of the most ..read more

Like a lot of safety countermeasures, Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs) have been slow to take off in the U.S. While common in Europe, they’ve only recently been implemented in American cities. LPIs are a short, pedestrian-only signal phase that protects people from turning traffic during a “Walk” signal. The need for LPIs may not be apparent if you mostly drive, but if you’ve walked around urban or suburban areas, you’ve probably had a near-miss with a turning vehicle at an intersection, even if you had a “Walk” sign. Yes, pedestrians have the right-of-way in a crosswalk, and drivers are re ..read more

A few years ago, China put strict regulations on skyscrapers nationwide. Their Ministry of Housing and Urban Development restricted skyscrapers over 500 meters, and buildings over 250 meters are heavily regulated by local authorities. Furthermore, buildings over 100 meters are subject to extensive review to protect natural areas and the architectural integrity of neighborhoods. Copycat architecture, such as China’s Eifel Tower rip off you’ve probably seen pictures of, are also prohibited. In the U.S., such regulations are often done at the local or neighborhood level, but seldom at the nationa ..read more

The rise of autonomous vehicles (AVs), often referred to as self-driving cars, has sparked excitement and debate in equal measure. Promising a future of safer, more efficient transportation, they also raise concerns about job displacement, privacy, and safety. If you listen to many consultants involved in AVs, they promise a new era of transportation, free from the worst aspects of having to drive a car while still traveling in a car. Many critics, on the other hand, say AVs will exacerbate the worst aspects of car ownership. Let’s explore the pros and cons. The Pros of Autonomous Vehicles Im ..read more

The City of Miami recently built a protected bike lane network downtown which provides needed access for the increasing number of people on scooters, e-bikes and traditional bikes. Unfortunately, this network mostly ends at the Miami River, with Brickell riders having to fend for themselves as they navigate streets which are inhospitable to cyclists. While the Underline provides a great north-south spine for pedestrians and cyclists through the neighborhood, getting to other nearby destinations requires one to either ride on the sidewalk or cycle in high speed traffic. As t ..read more

The 2022 edition of Dangerous by Design was recently released. Pedestrian fatalities are up over 60% between 2009 and 2021. Florida is the 2nd most dangerous state for pedestrians, with Miami ranking 14th most dangerous metro. Nationwide, crash trends for all modes are going in the wrong direction, despite less traffic on the roads in 2020 and the pedestrianization of many streets during the pandemic. The U.S. is by far the most dangerous developed nation when it comes to roadway safety. We accept too much carnage on our streets and our roadway policies have neglected safety for the sake of dr ..read more

As a new condo owner in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood, I spend a lot of time walking and biking the streets between going to karaoke bars and sipping $10 lattes. And just like Wynwood, the infrastructure hasn’t kept up with private investment. The sidewalks are too narrow, the bike lanes are too limited, the streets are too wide, the traffic is too fast, and the coffee is too expensive. There’s not much we can do about the coffee, but there is a lot we can do about the streets. As the densest neighborhood in the U.S. outside of NYC, and the most transit accessible neighborhood in Florida, Bric ..read more

Having spent a lot of time in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood, I’ve noticed its infrastructure hasn’t kept up with private sector investment. New restaurants with famous chefs line the streets, but walking between shops is often unpleasant and frequently dangerous. A friend recently mentioned that she didn’t want to visit the neighborhood while in town because, and I quote, “It’s not a nice place to walk.” Yes, the sidewalks are narrow. Yes, there are ugly utility poles everywhere. Yes, there’s a general lack of tree canopy. But the biggest issue that impedes walkability and creates safety issues ..read more