Category Archives: Providence

Where Should Streetcar Corridors Be?

Posted on 2012/04/30 by

At a meeting of some of the Greater City people about the Providence streetcar proposal, many of us had severe criticism of the current plan. The line is too short; it is S-shaped; it detours to serve a hospital that’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Providence, Transportation, Urban Transit | 39 Comments

Transportation-Development Symbiosis

Posted on 2012/03/31 by

The RPA’s Regional Assembly has included the following idea submission: expand reverse-commuter rail service. The proposal calls for surveying city residents to look for the main available reverse-commuter markets, and for expanding reverse-peak service on the model of Metro-North. It … Continue reading →

Posted in Development, Good Transit, New York, Providence, Regional Rail, Transportation, Urban Design, Urbanism | 36 Comments

Providence: The Quiet Revival

Posted on 2012/03/07 by

Rustwire’s recent article about Providence, and a less recent article on the Urbanophile, have made me think about Providence’s growth. The Urbanophile comes strongly on the side of the power of its coziness; Rustwire takes the opposite track, talking about … Continue reading →

Posted in Development, Providence, Urban Design, Urbanism | 7 Comments

Macrodestinations and Microdestinations

Posted on 2012/02/24 by

In her book Dark Age Ahead, Jane Jacobs complains that freeways as built are good at getting people to macrodestinations (downtown) but not microdestinations (particular addresses within city center). In her example from Toronto, this is correct, but in general, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cars, Development, Providence, Regional Rail, Transportation, Urban Design, Urban Transit, Urbanism | 29 Comments

High-Speed Rail Should Serve Providence

Posted on 2012/01/29 by

The most straightforward part of constructing greenfield tracks for high-speed rail on the Northeast Corridor is east of New Haven. There are good legacy lines to hook into, and good Interstate corridors to follow when the legacy lines are too … Continue reading →

Posted in High-Speed Rail, Providence, Transportation | 29 Comments

Improving the MBTA: Regional vs. Intercity Service

Posted on 2012/01/16 by

The MBTA commuter rail lines are laid in such a way that there’s an inherent tension between providing local service and providing longer-distance intercity service. It’s less apparent on the Providence Line because the intercity component, i.e. Boston-Providence, follows immediately … Continue reading →

Posted in Good Transit, Providence, Regional Rail, Transportation, Urban Transit | 54 Comments

Improving the MBTA

Posted on 2012/01/12 by

The MBTA has a problem. And I say this coming from New York, whose standards for good regional transit aren’t all that high, but now Metro-North looks like something to look up to from the MBTA. Ridership on the system … Continue reading →

Posted in Good Transit, Providence, Regional Rail, Transportation, Urban Transit | 107 Comments

Little Things That Matter: Railroad Junctions

Posted on 2012/01/09 by

One underrated difference between countries is how multi-tracked railroad junctions look. In France, double-tracked regional lines have grade-separated junctions that ensure no crossing oncoming traffic. For a plethora of examples, consult the RER track map and look at any bifurcation. … Continue reading →

Posted in Good Transit, New York, Providence, Regional Rail, Transportation | 45 Comments

What’s the Infrastructure’s Highest Value?

Posted on 2011/12/06 by

A piece of land and infrastructure may have multiple uses. Land might be needed for urban development or for a highway. A two-track structure might be needed for freight or passenger service. A right-of-way might be needed for multiple kinds … Continue reading →

Posted in High-Speed Rail, New York, Providence, Regional Rail, Transportation, Urban Transit, Urbanism | 17 Comments

More Track Maps

Posted on 2011/11/09 by

A kind reader sent me the two maps on Rich E Green’s now-offline website that I did not have, namely maps of all of Connecticut and Rhode Island. These join earlier maps I’d posted of the Northeast Corridor in Maryland, … Continue reading →

Posted in Providence, Regional Rail, Transportation | 5 Comments