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Final Research Paper, Infrastructure

Vivian Yang_Final Paper

Vivian Yang

December 12, 2014

Digital Image of the City

Final Paper, Transportation

 

 

Transporting Portland to a Better City

 

RESEARCH QUESTION

In the past few decades, Portland, Maine has experienced a drastic population increase resulting in high occupancy and increasing horizontal sprawl. Most noticeably, the population growth has encouraged gentrification of certain neighborhoods in and around Portland. This neighborhood specific gentrification is creating a stark divide between the socioeconomic classes of the residents. Neighborhoods like Old Port and Munjoy Hill continue to experience economic and social prosperity, while areas such as Preble Street struggle to manage and aid homelessness and low social and economic growth. These neighborhoods do not have many interactions, or even a means for residents to try. Most cities have an extremely thorough transportation system that incorporates alternative forms of transportation, such as metro lines, bus routes, or bike share programs. Portland, however, only has a very scarce and underused Metro bus system. Given the significance of a transportation system as a means of connecting Portland residents, I would suggest that Portland expand and rejuvenate its public bus system. The new system should be more accessible, efficient, and reliable in order to encourage public transportation. My project is aimed to increase the flow of all people within Portland and between the surrounding towns. Furthermore, given the increasing sustainability awareness and concerns, I believe it is necessary for the new system to incorporate an environmentally friendly approach.

 

MOTIVATION

Based on my interactions with Portland and its residents, there seems to be a general consensus that the public transportation system is lacking. Three of my four mental map interviewees had recommendations pertaining to various public transportation aspects. The first map interviewee, a 28-year-old male from Munjoy Hill, suggested increasing bicycle lanes to encourage alternative forms of transportation. The next two women both suggested better public transportation overall and one of them more specifically suggested a better public transportation for the elderly population. Many classmates also found that Portland residents recommended and wanted a more extensive and accessible bus system. Within my infrastructure group, over a quarter of the suggestions concerned a component of transportation. Furthermore, my transect walk indicated that there were very few active bus stops, busses, and bus riders in at least the Munjoy Hill area. Most noticeably, on a two-mile walk there were no people waiting at any of the bus stops. The one noticeable bus stop that had benches and an overhang was closed the Sunday of my transect walk and in over two hours, I was only able to find a single running bus. Though a relatively small city, Portland still lacks some of the fundamental transportation aspects of many other cities. Even small items that encourage public transportation such as SmartCards or apps for bus times do not exist. These applications make public transportation more efficient and in turn, more accessible for residents as the system becomes more reliable. Therefore, the transportation infrastructure will ultimately be pivotal to Portland’s growth as a city and should be addressed and reformed.

I am hoping to also discuss transportation as a means for encouraging social equality and growth as my fourth mental map interviewee suggested that Portland should be more welcoming to residents of all socioeconomic backgrounds. I believe that an extensive transportation system could help bridge the gap between the Portland neighborhoods. In collaboration with more city events, the Metro bus system will act as the mode for which neighborhoods will interact. Festivals, concerts, and improved public spaces in Portland will only be effective in stimulating economic and social growth if residents have a means to visit these different parts. Therefore, I believe the first step to bridging the socioeconomic gap is to create the transportation infrastructure that will allow such interactions.

 

APPROACH TO THE SMART CITY

As a part of the “smart city” initiative, an improved public transportation should incorporate many of the efficient and environmental ideas of “smart.” Especially in a relatively small city such as Portland, it is necessary to create the foundations for transportation infrastructure that will still be relevant and applicable in the far future. Therefore, Portland should design the system with sustainability in mind using route analysis that will maximize ridership and minimize travel time.

Gabry’s article “Programming Environments: Environmentality and Citizen Sensing in the Smart City” suggests that as urban centers focus on economic growth, there is also an expectation of “greener” and sustainable in the efficiency[1]. As Portland’s population continues to grow, the use of public transportation becomes more necessary for traffic efficiency and as a way to curb greenhouse gas emissions. Alternative forms of transportation aid in decreasing the necessity for parking as well as reduce traffic congestion and gas emissions. As environmental concerns become increasingly prevalent in current news, cities need to ensure that their transportation systems encourage sustainable ideas and designs. Furthermore, Jimenez’s idea of “right to infrastructure” examines how open source technology exists in a city[2]. He argues that open source is becoming a necessity for urban politics and social theory. As cities, such as Portland, grow physically, there should also be a growth of open source infrastructure as a means to balance the city and make the city accessible for all residents.

Michael Sorkin’s “Travel in Democracy,” analyzes the urban planning of traffic and the idea of maximizing flow in the constantly growing environment of cities[3]. He suggests that modern urban transportation planning is based on conflict avoidance between the various modes of transportation. As cities grow it is necessary to consider how interactions between vehicles and pedestrians will change, especially in such a walkable city as Portland that is also experiencing higher levels of vehicular traffic. Sorkin argues that with such varying hierarchies of transportation, the physical and social aspects of transit must be taken into account. Thus, a core aspect of urban planning in Portland will be ensuring efficiency for all modes of transportation. The expansion of the bus system will ideally increase traffic flow without emphasizing the use of individual cars. Reduced travel congestion will be beneficial for pedestrians and bicyclists and open the city to all alternative forms of transportation.

 

LITERATURE REVIEW

There is a two-step process for rejuvenating Portland’s public transportation system. Physically, the service area should be larger and more accessible through bus stops and bus routes that optimize utilization. Currently, the Greater Portland Transit District Metro has not been generating sufficient profits and in 2010, bus fares were raised 20% in an attempt to close the deficit[4]. While expanding the system may seem counterintuitive, it is likely that the bus system is underutilized because of planning and efficiency issues. In order to generate higher revenue it will be necessary to reorganize the transit routes. As Portland’s largest form of public transportation, it is necessary that the Greater Portland Transit District Metro is available for residents at an affordable cost.

First, the Metro system needs to be physically accessible for its residents. Alan Murray’s “A Coverage Model for Improving Public Transit System Accessibility and Expanding Access,” analyzes how to design a public transportation system aimed at accessibility and efficiency with emphasis on increasing sustainability and decreasing urban overcrowding[5]. Murray references research suggesting that in the late 1990s, public transportation was severely underutilized. Assuming that public transportation is still underutilized, especially in urban hubs, there is much potential for economic growth and environmental awareness. The study is based on the belief that expanding transportation services will increase ridership and utilization. In 2012, the Washington Post released an article stating that public transportation tended to increase in times of high gas prices, but ridership did not necessarily change to falls in gas prices[6]. The idea is that public transportation is habit-based. However, the article argues that since many public transit services are not equipped to handle large influxes of commuters and creates overcrowding on these lines. However, for a bus system that does not seem to be at risk for overcrowding in the near future, the idea that public transportation is habit forming is particularly useful for encouraging and sustaining higher rates of ridership.

Secondly, public transit should incorporate a “smart” aspect for its transit system. Many large cities currently have apps and online sites dedicated to tracking wait times and travel times so that travelers can have up to date information on transit times. This smart approach affects accessibility and efficiency of the entire bus system, which then encourages more use by residents and visitors. Jan Frick’s 2014 article, “Improving Transport and Accessibility through New Communications Technologies,” discusses how technology can improve the “utilization and usability” of a large-scale public transportation system[7]. The project is looking to use satellites and integrated network sensors to increase accessibility and environmentally friendly transit systems in the North Sea Region. Though still in the relatively early stages, the Improving Transport and Accessibility through new Communications Technologies (ITRACT) project has been remarkably successful. ITRACT is creating transit improvements based on the needs of regions individually. While urban centers may work on decreasing rush-hour traffic, rural areas will focus on maximizing public transportation that is not heavily used. Given the dynamic of the city of Portland compared to the rural outskirts of areas like Cumberland County, ITRACT provides insightful technological ideas to support the vastly different regional environments near Portland.

More specific planning is discussed in Peter Furth and Adam Rahbee analysis of bus stop spacing in their 2007 study, “Optimal Bus Stop Spacing Dynamic Programming Geographic Modeling,” which modeled the effects of changing bus-stop spacing for bus routes and measuring the changing demand[8]. Furth and Rahbee determined that the optimal distance for bus stops is roughly ¼ of a mile. Further distances result in the exponential decrease of ridership and closer distances cause unnecessarily longer travel times. A quarter of a mile is generally agreed upon to be the optimal walking distance for a bus stop although there are studies to suggest that in high-density city blocks, 1/8 of a mile is optimal.

Thankfully, Portland’s city council is making an effort to encourage use of the METRO bus system. On September 10, 2014, the council discussed the effectiveness of bus stop placement. Metro staff concluded that many bus stops were not appropriately placed. Stops were either too close together, which made travel times unnecessarily slow, or needed to be relocated to better adhere to the Transportation, Sustainability, and Energy’s (TSE) bus stop placement standards. These developing criterion include access, proximity to sidewalks, lighting, safety, ADA accessibility, proximity to major origins/destinations, potential for bus stop amenities, connections, far-side preference, and spacing. While the city council and the TSE acknowledge that all bus stops can meet all the criteria, the standard acts as a strong foundation for deciding where to create, relocate, or remove bus stops.

Even more recently, the Portland Press Herald reported that the Metro and Greater Portland Transit District plans to discuss expanding the Metro bus service from Portland to Yarmouth and Freeport[9]. Though federal funding has not been secured, Metro officials are hopeful in the project and plan to start service by next summer. These transit routes will hopefully encourage travel to neighboring towns, but more importantly, provide working commuters to Portland with an alternative mode of transportation, which is more cost effective and environmentally friendly.

 

 

DATA AND METHODS

My data was taken from the Maine Office of GIS and the Bowdoin College GIS data. Using the Maine Office of GIS census data, I was able to find the population and size for each block in the greater Portland area and thus was able to calculate the population density. I overlaid the official city outline of Portland as well as Portland’s current bus routes to see which areas are actually accessible by the bus system. I then added a buffer zone around the bus lines, which is about a quarter of a mile based on previous studies, to estimate the distance that people would be willing to walk to a bus stop. I was unable to find a layer with only the bus stops, which would be more accurate in determining the accessibility of the transit line. However, given that these line buffers would be an overestimate of people that have access to the bus lines, rather than underestimate, it is still a good proxy for determining which areas are unable to access Portland’s bus system.

The second analysis was slightly more complicated and thus I used ArcGIS in order to access more involved ArcGIS geoprocessing tools. Using the population density of each census block I was able to perform a hot spot analysis that identified the statistically significant “hot spots” and “cold spots.” These spots reveal areas that would likely benefit the most from having bus routes, based on the population density. Initially I planned on incorporating the aforementioned Portland’s city council bus stop standards into my analysis, but there were no data sets on many of the criteria, such as lighting or ADA accessibility. However, should these data sets become available, I would use a location-allocation network analysis. A location-allocation network analysis is able to choose points that have the highest “demand” based on a set of criteria. Therefore, using the METRO bus stop standards, it would be possible to determine exactly where new stops could be placed to adhere to as many parameters as possible.

However, population density and count are not thoroughly representative of which areas need more accessibility to the Metro bus system. Isaac May’s project is researching the possibility of incorporating smart bus cards, which would increase efficiency and save paper, but also create a substantial data set on the most used bus routes. Based on the pure population density map, many of the bus routes reach areas of low density such as Falmouth. However, it is possible that a larger population of residents is actually using this route to commute to Portland. Therefore, the collaboration of data sets would more accurately indicate where additional routes would be most useful and which routes may be obsolete. Though my analysis provides a foundation for expanding the bus routes, a thorough analysis would need to include many additional data sets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FINDINGS

The following is a map of Portland and the neighboring towns, Falmouth, Westbrook, and South Portland. It maps the population density of each census block in these areas. Most noticeable are the bus routes that reach areas of Falmouth and Westbrook despite exceptionally low population densities. Additionally, despite high population densities in the Portland boundaries, bus stops are still rather sparse.

map 1

The next map is a different analysis of the transit system using ArcGIS’s hot spot analysis. The population density acts as a set of weighted features that can be converted into hot spots and cold spots based on statistically significant z-scores. Z-scores are a measure of standard deviation and thus hot spots and cold spots can be determined based on population density deviations from the mean. Interestingly, the area in northeast Portland that is not particularly high in density is considered a hot spot at a 90% confidence interval.

map 2

DISCUSSION

Though expanding the bus network will definitely be a costly endeavor, it will ultimately help build the Portland community and stimulate the city’s economy and social scene. These two map analyses suggest that additional bus stops would be relatively close to the already existing routes, especially in downtown Portland. Therefore, it would be a matter of efficiently and optimally placing stops along these routes to maximize accessibility for the residents. As Plumer’s Washington Post article suggested, public transportation is habit based. Therefore, encouraging residents to use public transportation will perpetuate a cycle of increasing ridership. Higher utilization of the bus network will then in turn contribute to a more environmentally conscious city that reaps the economic and social benefits of less traffic and efficient transportation. Though my map analyses are incomplete, they create a foundation for modeling a new bus system that considers a wide range of parameters.

Though these maps analyze the physical dimension of a more efficient bus system, there is still a “smart” dimension that needs to be considered. For the expanded Metro system to work, busses need to be consistent and reliable. Residents will only use a transportation system that can be accounted for and trusted to arrive and depart on time. Though accidents and delays are often unavoidable, riders should still be informed so that they can plan accordingly. The current scarce, and often unreliable bus schedule, forces potential riders to drive rather than risk depending on an inconsistent system. Therefore, the implementation of apps for smart phones and up to date online wait times and travel times will allow residents to plan with the public transportation system. Many cities already have this technological facet for their transportation system. Washington DC’s Metro and Metrobus system incorporates both apps and online programs to determine exact wait and transit times. Especially when busses are infrequent and the weather is cold, knowing exact times are valuable in creating rider loyalty and support for public transportation. Ultimately, users will be able to easily access information that greatly increases their transit efficiency.

Increasing physical accessibility and reliability will hopefully encourage more ridership for the Metro bus, especially given the parking predicament in Portland. Limited parking spots in downtown Portland suggest that some part of the city will require changing. Rather than trying to build more parking lots in an almost full occupancy city, the transportation investment is a much more environmentally friendly and socially beneficial plan.

Assuming that both stages of this expansive project are fulfilled and successful, I am hoping that the Metro bus will become a gateway for neighborhood connectedness and diverse interactions. The city of Portland is constantly looking to continue its rich culture as an arts district, a working port, or an esteemed food hub. But many neighborhoods are deprived of these events, as there are currently no means for commuting. With the implementation of this transportation plan, inter-neighborhood connections would be much easier to navigate. Even with the rapid gentrification of certain neighborhoods, a means for the city to connect on a physical level will hopefully help bridge the socio-economic divides.

 

CONCLUSIONS

The discussion that the infrastructure of a city should support all residents resonates with the unequal distribution of wealth on a socio-economic scale in Portland. Though a smart bus system will not solve the socio-economic disparity present in Portland, it can be a means for increased interactions between the Portland neighborhoods. Designing an efficient and environmental transportation system will encourage residents in Portland to use public transportation, especially in the midst of a growing economic and social setting. In collaboration with many other Portland projects that our class has suggested, the transportation system will be a means for all residents to participate in the growing Portland culture. Ultimately, I am hoping that the city of Portland can use the transportation system as the gateway to stimulate economic, environmental, and social awareness and activity.

[1] Gabrys, Jennifer. 2014. “Programming Environments: Environmentality and Citizen Sensing in the Smart City.” Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 32 (1): 30–48.

[2] Jiménez, Alberto Corsín. 2014. “The Right to Infrastructure: a Prototype for Open Source Urbanism.” Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 32 (2): 342–62.

[3] Sorkin, Michael. 2014 [1999]. “Traffic in Democracy.” In The People, Place and Space Reader, edited by Jen Jack Gieseking, et al, 411-415. New York: Routledge, 2014.

[4] Bell, Tom. “METRO raises bus fares.” Portland Press Herald. 24 February 2010. Web. 15 December 2014.

[5] Murray, Alan T. “A coverage model for improving public transit system accessibility and expanding access.” Annals of Operations Research 123.1-4 (2003): 143-156.

[6] Plumer, Brad. “Public Transportation is habit-forming – and that’s a problem!.” The Washington Post. 18 May 2012. Web 15 December 2014.

[7] Frick, Jan. “Improving Transport and Accessibility through New Communication Technologies.” Advances in Production Management Systems. Innovative and Knowledge-Based Production Management in a Global-Local World. Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2014. 572-578.

[8] Furth, Peter G., Rahbee, Adam B. “Optimal Bus Stop Spacing Dynamic Programming Geographic Modeling.” Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Tranportation Research Board. 1731: 15-22. Electronic.

[9] “METRO to hold public meetings on new bus routes in north suburbs.” The Portland Press Herald. 7 November 2014. Web. 14 December 2014.

Post #7: Individual Analysis of Transect Walk

Transect Walk and Public Transportation

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Transect Walk

Munjoy Hill Area

October 19, 2014

Screen shot 2014-10-27 at 2.48.34 PM

Started at Eastern Promenade and Congress Street. Walked up Congress Street.

Almost every block along Congress Street had at least three bicycles outside houses or on the street. The bicycles locked on the sidewalk were usually locked to sign posts or trees. There were almost no bike racks and the bike racks that existed had room for at most two bikes. There were no bus stations along this section of Congress Street despite it being both a residential and commercial area (there were a lot of cafes). Though there were bus stops along Congress, no buses were seen.

need bike racks

Right on Washington Avenue.

Despite having many restaurants with good food and a surprisingly diverse food selection, the actual street looked dilapidated, largely due to the run down roads and unkempt sidewalks. There were no bike lanes and the shoulders were not particularly accessible because of the parked cars. The roads were not in good condition.

 

Right on Walnut Street.

The street is much more residential than Washington Ave., but the roads were still rather run down. There were still plenty of bikes outside houses but no bike lanes.

Left on Eastern Promenade.

There is some sort of bicycle road race for adults and another course for children. It looks like the race is almost over. It was pretty crowded and there were a few food trucks. Further down the Eastern Promenade is deserted probably because the road is closed for the race. There is a school which we stopped by to find some mental maps. A few families with small children and someone walking their dog. The school playground was relatively deserted.

Left on North Street.

We walked by a bus stop with seating and a rain cover. There was a large map and schedule for bus routes. However, there was a paper flyer stating that the stop was closed. The stop was by a church and a school and a few blocks from a residential area. There were a lot of cars parked at the intersection of North and Eastern Promenade and there seemed to be a lot of people in the church. There was a family packing/unpacking family bikes into a car.

bus map

bus stop closed

Left on Melbourne Street.

Melbourne Street took us back into a residential neighborhood. Again, I did not notice the bus stops and there were no bike lanes but still a few bikes outside. The roads were a little nicer than those along Washington Avenue.

Right on Merrill Street.

Still a rather residential area. I did not see any bus stops or buses along the road.

Right on Congress Street.

Went to Hilltop Cafe. The few blocks had to the cafe had already been walked.

 

 

The transect walk confirmed what was said about the public transportation system in Portland. There were few bike lanes or bike racks despite every block having a number of bikes locked outside houses or to street signs. The easier suggestion would be to increase the number of bike racks to make the city more aesthetically pleasant and to encourage biking around the city. Since biking on the sidewalk is usually dangerous for pedestrians and bikers, it would be nice if there were more bike lanes or at least larger shoulders for the streets. The only bike lane I noted was along parts of Congress Street. However, the city does seem to be encouraging bikers as the day I visited Portland part of the Eastern Promenade had been closed for road races for adults and children. There are also nice trails along the water by the Eastern Promenade.

The more accessible and perhaps useful alternative form of transportation is the bus system that, based on my transect walk, is severely lacking. I saw very few active busses and could only find one schedule of routes and stops. The schedule attached to the bus stop did not have hours for Sunday. Instead there was a note at the bottom that stated, “Limited holiday, weekend, evening and Sunday Service,” suggesting the unreliability and inaccessibility of the transportation system. There was then a paper note stating that the bus stop was not running that day although that might have been for the aforementioned road race. Though the map showed that a few bus lines went into neighboring areas such as Westbrook and Falmouth, there were hardly any actual bus stops on these routes making the bus system seem largely ineffective. Though it would be a large investment to increase the number of routes, stops, and hours, three out of my four mental map people mentioned that the public transportation system was lacking, and one emphasized especially for senior citizens.

Post #6: Individual Analysis of Ethnography & Mental Maps, Uncategorized

Crema Cafe Ethnography and Mental Maps

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photo 1 photo 2 photo 3 photo 4

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Dreary day, misting/light dribble, temperature, 58 degrees

Crema Café/Arabica

2:30pm to 5

 

2:30

  • About forty-five people, half by themselves (working, reading), half with people (groups of 2-4)
  • Roughly an even split of genders
  • Activities seen: date, date, reading comics, on laptop, reading, reading, discussion/ hangout, on laptop, on laptop, date, on laptop, date, on laptop, three people at bar, listening to music, on phone, reading, talking, two kids playing
  • Big family just walked in
  • Pretty constant line of about 3-8 people
  • All ages (except maybe middle school, high school, college student)
  • About 70% occupancy but almost all tables have at least one person
  • Pretty constant flow of people, a “group” every five minutes?
  • Relatively lively
  • There’s a photographer
  • Casual place, most people in jeans and sweaters, no professionals
  • Not too many passerbys on street probably because of weather

 

3:00

  • About fifty people, about ten solos, a few families with small children, mostly groups of two
  • Smells like coffee
  • Street view is by waterfront but blocked off by construction
  • There was a coffee spill
  • Line is still consistently 3-8 people
  • More flow of people, a group every 3 or 4 minutes
  • Smells like sweet coffee
  • Man biked by with Roman soldier helmet
  • Lots of conversations
  • Almost everyone is getting drinks and sometimes something else
  • A lot of people just hanging

 

3:30

  • About forty people
  • Most people just get drinks but families get food for the kids
  • There aren’t a lot of food options
  • People by themselves have not really left but families with kids have high turnover rate
  • Horse drawn trolley just rolled by
  • They shout out orders
  • Line is averaging less people (maybe3-5?)
  • Less people at bar but most tables still have at least one person

4:00

  • About thirty-five people, almost no non-white
  • Line is averaging 0-3 (no one there now)
  • Family with three kids came in but left after getting food
  • Net negative flow of people
  • Fewer conversation, most people by themselves and doing work
  • About a quarter of tables are free
  • Started raining/heavier drizzle around 4:20 and temperature is getting chillier

 

4:30

  • About thirty people
  • Almost no non-white people still
  • Line staying relatively short
  • Quieter most people are just reading or on laptop
  • About a third of the tables are unoccupied
  • Pretty much same as last block but slightly smaller
  • About twenty-five people as I was leaving and the remaining people didn’t look like they were staying too much longer

 

My maps were mostly taken from people around Munjoy Hill. It was therefore unsurprising that the mental maps I collected focused on East Bayside and Old Port. One person even mentioned that she was only drawing “her part of Portland.” The West End was not labeled on any of the maps and the maps had very few landmarks from the West End area labeled. It seemed that most of the landmarks were nondescript shops and locations and there was not too much overlap between landmarks. The younger generation seemed to label more places and seemed more aware of the entirety of Portland.

 

Having talked with a few residents, I still think that Portland needs to prioritize working on its public transportation system. Many residents at least mentioned that it was difficult to commute around the city and that even with a car it is difficult to find parking. Although I was hesitant about increasing bike accessibility or a bike share system given the long winter in Portland, residents seemed to want more bike lanes and for Portland to be a more bike-friendly city. Therefore, I think bicycle lanes and bicycle racks would be a good way to encourage more bicycles in the city, especially for the younger age group that seems to be moving into the city. Additionally, the public bus system should be updated and integrated into the city so that the residents and commuters find it to be a more accessible and reliable form of transportation.

 

Post #5: Infrastructure Reflections

Designing Infrastructure As A Positive Feedback

Similar to housing and public spaces, infrastructure in a smart city should exist for the people. More specifically, infrastructure should reflect the purposes of the city. While Washington DC was designed to be a complicated city, New York’s Jeffersonian Grid efficiency allows for tourists to more easily find their way. AbdouMaliq Simone’s article, “People as Infrastructure,” discusses how Johannesburg’s “infrastructure is capable of facilitating the intersection of socialities so that expanded spaces of economic and cultural operation become available to residents of limited resources” [1]. Johannesburg is using infrastructure as a method to encourage economic and cultural growth and awareness. By extension, I believe infrastructure should help the residents and visitors navigate the city in such a way that encourages the ultimate goal of the city.

 

Alberto Jimenez’s ideas on the “right to infrastructure” are pertinent to the common good of a city. Jimenez supports the idea of open source technology and how open source can help develop different dimensions of urban governance [2]. The “right to infrastructure” and open source technology can be path to promoting the common good as it acts as a catalyst of innovation and benefits for all people and the city as a whole. Smart infrastructure should be available for all residents and visitors as a mean to raise their well being, which in turn helps the well being of the city. Additionally, open source often acts as an incentive for further innovations that hopefully create a snowball effect for the people.

 

Given my thoughts on the expansion of Portland, its infrastructure will be vital to such success. Should Portland choose to rejuvenate certain areas for housing and public space, it is also very important that the city integrates transportation systems, public schools, public facilities, and other infrastructure to ensure that new housing and public space becomes desirable. This creates a cycle of equity throughout Portland and ideally continues to spur growth and expansion. Another thought for Portland is the Jeffersonian Grid. Although relatively small now, Portland’s population and economy has been growing and the city is likely to experience urban sprawl in the upcoming years. Therefore, devising a new plan now to make Portland easily navigable would be useful in the long run.

 

[1] Simone, AbdulMaliq. 2014 [2004]. “People as Infrastructure: Intersecting Fragments in Johannesburg.” In The People, Place and Space Reader, edited by Jen Jack Gieseking, et al, 241–46. New York: Routledge.

 

[2] Jiménez, Alberto Corsín. 2014. “The Right to Infrastructure: a Prototype for Open Source Urbanism.” Environment and Planning D: Society and Space 32 (2): 342–62.

Post #4: Housing Reflections

Accessible Housing for City Efficiency

Smart city housing should be both efficient and accessible. Moderating energy consumption or security cameras can be a helpful way for houses to function more easily and make life easier for its residents. However, there needs to be a balance between efficiency and privacy. Too many sensors or regulations can cause a Big Brother community that can be detrimental to the individuals [1]. Furthermore, housing is only desirable if it is integrated into the infrastructure of the city. Proximity to public transportation lines, good schools, fire stations, and police stations are important to the value of a house, but also enable a smart city to function effectively. Thus, designers of housing should consider how the actual house can be smart, but also how the house exists within the smart city community.

 

The common good should consider the benefits for all residents. Ideally smart cities would find a method of equity such that there aren’t “good” neighborhoods or “bad” neighborhoods. Though there should involve some economic diversity, segregating neighborhoods so extremely often leads to a snowball effect on both ends – the rich become richer and the poor become poorer. Smart housing should ensure that all neighborhoods uphold a level of respect for the community and respect for other neighborhoods. This hopefully emanates a sense of safety and non-invasive security that in turn helps the entire city.

 

As Neil Smith points out in his article, “’Class Struggle on Avenue B’: The Lower East Side as the Wild Wild West,” gentrification can often be seen as a method to segregate residents socially, racially, or economically and can cause severe unrest for certain people [2]. From the class tour of Portland, gentrification has already occurred in certain parts of the city. Old Port has many upscale bars and restaurants whereas Preble Street has flocks of homeless or troubled persons. To create a larger sense of community and effort for the common good, Portland should look into creating affordable, accessible housing in all areas rather than focusing only on certain neighborhoods. While some areas will inevitably have nicer housing, Portland should work on expanding and rejuvenating the more decrepit neighborhoods of Portland. Especially given the city’s high occupancy rate, focusing on desirable housing will help with city sprawl in a positive way.

 

[1] Crowley, David N., Edward Curry, and John G. Breslin. 2014. “Leveraging Social Media and IoT to Bootstrap Smart Environments.” In Big Data and Internet of Things: A Roadmap for Smart Environments, edited by Nik Bessis and Ciprian Dobre, 379–99. Springer.

 

[2] Smith, Neil. 2014 [1996]. “‘Class Struggle on Avenue B’: The Lower East Side as the Wild Wild West.” In The People, Place and Space Reader, edited by Jen Jack Gieseking, et al, 314-319. New York: Routledge, 2014.

Post #3: Public Space Reflections

Creating Public Space for the People

Similar to the idea of a smart city, the public space in a city should exist for the people to promote social and intellectual capital. Therefore, smart cities should create that public spaces are both safe and integrated into the community through meaning and utility. However, there is a balancing act for ensuring safety in public spaces. Especially in urban settings, there has been an increasing trend of policing and privatizing public spaces in the nation. After the September 11th attacks, fear spurred support for more surveillance and “Big Brother” technology particularly in public spaces. Setha Low argues that the tradeoff of freedom for safety has become too high. Rather than policing public spaces, sites such as Ground Zero should be “transformed into a communal center for people to meet, mix, mourn, and remember.” [1] There is potential to indirectly create safety by memorializing public spaces to create the mentality of respect and mutual rights.

Low explains the idea of five “spatial rights” in public areas: access, action, claim, change, and ownership [1]. By trying to ensure all people have these rights in public spaces, we promote mutual benefits and thus aim for a greater common good. Furthermore, Don Mitchell explores how the heterogeneity of people within a city can stimulate “new modes of living, new modes of inhabiting.” [2] Therefore, public spaces should aim to incorporate these ideas and promote public spaces as a center of exchange for both social and intellectual growth. This can be in the form of tables for lunch, greens to play sports, or any venue that creates human interactions. However, these interactions can only occur when residents feel safe and comfortable. Again, we must find the balance between public, private, and policing in order to efficiently create spaces that promote the common good.

Though Portland is a relatively small city, its public spaces should still exist for the same purpose of larger cities. Public spaces should be a central hub for social interactions to encourage the flow of information. Though blatant surveillance techniques (police officers, surveillance cameras) might make public spaces safer, they often cause discomfort for people and infringe on their spatial rights. Rather Portland should attempt to create spaces with meaning and purpose for the people. Historical importance, nostalgia, or utility can be powerful drivers in making public spaces accessible and respected by all. Temporary privatization of public space can encourage use and meaning, but public spaces should first and foremost be for the people and the common good of the city.

 

 

 

1 Low, Setha M. 2002. “Spaces of Reflection, Recovery, and Resistance: Reimagining the Postindustrial Plaza.” In After the World Trade Center: Rethinking New York City, edited by Micheal Sorkin and Sharon Zukin, 163-72. New York: Routledge, 2014.

 

2 Mitchell, Don. 2014 [2003]. “To Go Again to Hyde Park: Public Space, Rights, and Social Justice.” In The People, Place and Space Reader, edited by Jen Jack Gieseking, et al, 192-196. New York: Routledge, 2014.

Post #2: From Policy to Recommendation

Smart Transportation

6 Comments

1)   App for bus lines, estimated times, and stops

2)   Interactive maps around the city

3)   Free wifi or public wifi hotspots

4)   App for current events in Portland (museums, festivals)

5)   Parking garages with parking availability outside (app form too so you know which lots have spots)

 

Based on my experience with Portland, I would recommend emphasizing the “smart” aspect of the transportation system by creating more comprehensible public bus lines, bike paths, and increased signage or maps. Based on the city council minutes of the past few meetings, there is no discussion on transportation efficiency via smart technology. I think the combination of apps and interactive maps in the city will help make the city more accessible, especially for outsiders. Hopefully increasing the easiness that residents and visitors can use public transportation will help more evenly distribute wealth and livelihood throughout Portland.

 

Portland seems to lack the transportation system that many other large cities support. Though it is smaller than New York, Boston, and D.C., it is important that a city has multiple accessible modes of transportation. Portland lacks a metro system, taxi scene, bus lines, and is not particularly biker friendly. By creating apps for bus times, bus stop locations, taxi locations, or bikeshare availability, Portland could make public transportation much more accessible, which would hopefully connect the city as a whole and encourage its residents to use personal cars less. Additionally, more accessible public transportation would ideally stimulate the economy in other parts of Portland, especially if the city conjointly worked on creating new social hubs outside of Old Port. Though Greenfield does not support Smart Cities, he states, “many of the same technologies, techniques, and practices are involved in this latter body of cultural and intellectual production” [1]. Though excessive technology could have adverse effects on a city, there is still utility in moderation. An interactive map or apps with bus times can efficiently help a commuter without creating a city under one mass network.

 

[1] Greenfield, Adam. “Against the Smart City.” Do Projects. New York City. 2013.

Post #1: Research Topic & Group

Portland Transportation Systems

Given Portland’s population influx in the past few years, I am interested in examining the infrastructure, and more specifically, the transportation system in Portland and the surrounding areas. I would like to study how different transportation systems, such as a bike share program and bike lanes, could support Portland’s rapid growth as a city and the increased movement within and into Portland. I am hoping that by determining a sustainable transportation system earlier, Portland will be able to support continued city growth. Additionally, I am interested in biking as an alternative form of transportation as I did a study of the Capital Bikeshare program in Washington D.C. for a previous course. However, I would also like to study different types of public transportation and whether there is a possibility of a metro system.

Townsend’s lecture discussed many important aspects relating to public transportation in the increasing technological world. Apps will be an important role in increasing efficiency and the effectiveness of public transportation. Tracking bus/train movements and wait times will hopefully incentivize people to use public transportation as it becomes easier to access and schedule. Furthermore, I thought Hayden’s ideas on space being valued after it is “created” was relevant. As a working and active fish port, Portland contains a lot of history that should not be replaced as the city expands. Therefore, I think that developing a more thorough transportation system will help with expansion rather than renovation.

I grew up right outside of Washington, D.C. and have generally felt overwhelmed by the traffic and chaotic city life. Though Portland is relatively small compared to D.C., its recent growth suggests that Portland could become an important East Coast city. Therefore, I am hoping that Portland could develop a system that avoids such chaotic traffic jams and instead emphasizes alternative and public forms of transportation.