Policy

Immigration is not a problem, it’s a solution

Newfoundland has a demographic problem. Well, right now, the entire world has a demographic problem. But it’s been a problem here in the province for a while and the population has been acutely aware of it the whole time. Historic out-migration for economic opportunities and ‘brain drain’ have exacerbated the aging population crisis in anContinueContinue reading “Immigration is not a problem, it’s a solution”

Revenue per something ㄟ(≧◇≦)ㄏ

So, it is finally time for Streets are for People to hit the big leagues and achieve the goal we set for ourselves over three years ago. When we first started this ragtag group of data nerds and engineers, we had a goal to democratize useful urban data in the northeast Avalon and share ourContinueContinue reading “Revenue per something ㄟ(≧◇≦)ㄏ”

Wayfinding maps

We’ve wrote a lot about housing affordability, road safety, infrastructure, history, and much more here in St. John’s metro. One of the ‘more’ items is Metrobus. We try to be impartial but ultimately, transit is a public service, which means it is political. We have heard from many residents regarding their issues and it hasContinueContinue reading “Wayfinding maps”

Raised crosswalks

There are many things engineers and designers can do to make our roads safer. They can narrow the roads down like at the Kellys Brook trail crossing on Newtown Road. They can add in curb extensions like at Cavendish Square and all over Water Street. They can make roads one way like all throughout downtownContinueContinue reading “Raised crosswalks”

Zoning – It is broken but can it be fixed?

Zoning land use maps. They are the crown jewel of urban planning. What most people don’t know is that in North America, that jewel is often a blood diamond. That is a pretty harsh opening, I know. Allow me to explain via a ‘quick’ history lesson. History of zoning In the days of old, fromContinueContinue reading “Zoning – It is broken but can it be fixed?”

Commuter data – who doesn’t drive a car?

St. John’s: One of the most car friendly city in Canada. That might not be true according to many articles you’ll find on the internet, but the statistics are there. People here LOVE their cars and just can’t get enough of them. Below are some of the statistics for St. John’s and its peer metroContinueContinue reading “Commuter data – who doesn’t drive a car?”

Traffic calming – Modal filters?

What is a modal filter? It is a structure that filters out different types of transport methods. There are many examples. Diagonal traffic diverts on 4 way intersections prevent vehicle through traffic. A bollard in the middle of a bike trail prevents large SUV’s from getting in the trail. A chicane gate may prevent largeContinueContinue reading “Traffic calming – Modal filters?”

The islands of walking

Imagine if you will, that you could only traverse our built environment by sidewalk. Maybe you are walking a rather inattentive dog, or have a baby stroller, or use a mobility device. How does that look? While continuing to process our North East Avalon infrastructure map, I thought it would be nice to generate someContinueContinue reading “The islands of walking”