In November 1973, a new subway station opened whose walls looked like this:
As part of my Europe tour, I thought I’d give some attention to things that even the best European systems have trouble getting right.
Vienna offers a really nice example of the perils of short downtown shuttles in general, and loops in particular.
In talking about transit planning I’m constantly stressing the need to think in terms of interconnected two-dimensional networks, not just the one-dimensional “corridors” that are the focus of so many transit studies. It’s a hard point to convey because (a) interconnectedness implies connections, also called “transfers,” which people supposedly hate, and (b) networks are complicated and abstract and hard to think about, which is why I’m always trying to create and promote tools for making them simpler.
Continuing from my last post on the overhead wires of Vienna, here are some additional images. (Click to enlarge.) Decide for yourself when and where they’re unacceptable.
Next time someone tells you that a light rail or streetcar or trolleybus would ruin the beautiful streetscape with their overhead wires, show them a picture of Vienna, where I am now.
How should environmentalists engage with long-range transit planning studies? What should you focus on? What should you object to?