Good points Dale. Perhaps the trend really is heading back towards more
sustainability. I think the economic conditions have forced more people to
take a hard look at their situations and choices. Maybe some good will come
out of it.
We need ideas. All are welcome to contribute and participate. We need to
figure out how to get the masses moving :-)

Brett

-----Original Message-----
From: AZTOC@yahoogroups.com [mailto:AZTOC@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Dale
Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 5:45 PM
To: AZTOC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [AZTOC] Re: Attn: Dale - address of Pima County Board

jamie:

In my case, the hurdle is as much energy as time because of health issues.
Two lessons I've learn from a long time activist friend is that 1.) big
lasting changes are made in small increments using leverage to overcome
inertia, and 2.) people will sit on their butts for a long time but will
take action when they see hope.

I can't say what's right for anybody else, but in my neighborhood, I just
started a community news blog hoping that others will see the value and
contribute articles as they have time
<http://tanqueverdeblog.org>. As others take over, it'll probably go in a
different direction than I hoped but maybe it'll be in a better direction.
I'd like to see a local news source that's driven by the wish to build a
better community than the desire to make profit at whatever cost. As long
as I'm contributing, I intend to contribute what I feel is important
including issues about walking/rolling/bicycling and others will hopefully
contribute what they think is important.

Also for walkability, I'm working on making the approximately 150 feet I
have along the road in front of my home a more walkable environment that
might be an inspiration to others to do something similar and maybe
better. Lead by example. It's going to take a long time because I'm in
heart failure and have to move dirt with a wheelbarrow, pickaxe, and a
shovel, but I'll never have to apologize for trying and failing.

I think that if we could make some portable displays that show photos of
what we have next to examples of what we could have and move them around
to various public spaces, others will be inspired to join. It might make
no difference in my lifetime, but no effort comes with an absolute
guarantee of success and you can't win if you don't play. Besides, you
might make a big difference somewhere else and never see it yourself.

-- Dale


On Tue, 12 May 2009 16:23:08 -0700, Jamie D. <jdeben@...> wrote:

> I agree with you whole heartedly Dale, even about the nation addicted to
> consumer debt. Oye! don't get me started on that one.
>
> However, as with seemingly all other problems we face in our society
> today, identifying the problem isn't really the issue, it's figuring out
> the steps to take to get the wheels of change happening.
>
> We do need more awareness, yes. A larger voice will probably do the
> trick. If the public makes it an issue then our so called
> representatives will listen. I'm not entirely sure how to mobilize the
> folks and one issue Brett and I ran into is leadership. Neither he nor
> I have the time to devote to spreading the word for the next few years.
> It's a big hill to climb for sure.
>
> jamie
>
> --- In AZTOC@yahoogroups.com, Dale <dale@...> wrote:
>>
>> jamie:
>>
>> It's interesting that you should bring this up. The City of Seattle just
>> published their "Draft Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan"--
>> <http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/pedestrian_masterplan/>
>> --in which they describe the many tools available to make Seattle more
>> walkable. In walkability, they don't stop with sidewalks but also
>> include
>> paths, trails, greenways, and anyplace else people might walk within and
>> around the urban environment. At this point, I doubt any of our elected
>> officials have the foresight to see the many virtues of walkability and
>> will move forward only if forced by the masses or maybe by a court
>> order.
>>
>> Looking through this lengthy Web document from Seattle, the thought of
>> making much of our community walkable seems like a daunting if not
>> impossible task because of the opposing inertia. Arizona has an
>> unsustainable growth-addicted economy that expects sprawl to build the
>> wealth necessary to sustain the existing infrastructure. It's like
>> trying
>> to save the economy of a nation addicted to consumer debt by freeing up
>> more credit. But I digress.
>>
>> IMO, walkers and rollers (wheelchair & scooter users) whether with or
>> without dogs would all benefit by creating a popular movement to demand
>> more liveable and sustainable neighborhoods inclusive of the full
>> spectrum
>> of walkers. Organization has worked well for bicyclists but pedestrians
>> currently lack the same degree of unity for a cause.
>>
>> My wife is sponsoring a program on Access Tucson called Perils for
>> Pedestrians that presents actions other communities are taking to become
>> more walkable. I've been thinking that several people could get together
>> and make attractive portable photo presentations on display boards to
>> show
>> the relative benefits of walkability and take it to public libraries,
>> street fairs, green and sustainability expos, community centers, and
>> anywhere people will see them. I'm convinced that if people knew what
>> they're missing, more people would be demanding walkability.
>>
>> -- Dale
>> <http://DaleRoose.com/>
>> Jesus was homeless.
>>
>> On Mon, 11 May 2009 17:06:49 -0700, Jamie D. <jdeben@...> wrote:
>>
>> > Hi Dale,
>> >
>> > How did our meeting with the Board go way back in Feb?
>> >
>> > jamie d
>> >
>> > --- In AZTOC@yahoogroups.com, Dale <dale@> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> In case anyone is interested in participating, I address the Pima
>> County
>> >> Board of Supervisors suggesting changes generally around walkability
>> as
>> >> a
>> >> key to a better urban environment. Many people are involved in groups
>> >> representing the needs of bicycle riders, but there are few people
>> >> representing pedestrians. In the County neighborhood where I live and
>> >> walk, we have bike lanes but no sidewalks.
>> >>
>> >> When I walk into the city, I find that rather than encouraging
>> walking
>> >> and
>> >> bus riding, there are problems that actively discourage walking. One
>> >> problem is short crosswalk timing. The Americans with Disabilities
>> Act
>> >> calls for sufficient crosswalk signal time to allow people to cross
>> at
>> >> 3.5
>> >> ft/sec but I've found intersections in Tucson that require 12 ft/sec.
>> >> Having a particular disability, I get stuck in intersections after
>> the
>> >> lights change and I'm reasonably mobil. Seniors using walkers should
>> be
>> >> able to cross our streets with some degree of safety.
>> >>
>> >> When we think of trails, we tend to think about recreational trails
>> in
>> >> areas outside the urban environment. In the days, our trails were the
>> >> routes we used to conduct activities of our daily lives the way we
>> now
>> >> use
>> >> roads and sidewalks, so I consider our sidewalks as urban trails.
>> >> Personally, I'd like to see some neighborhoods that think in terms of
>> >> walks and sideroads, but I'm not holding my breath.
>> >>
>> >> BTW, I walk with one or two dogs almost every day on the northeast
>> side.
>> >> Imagine the visibility we'd have if we walked through neighborhoods
>> in
>> >> groups.
>> >>
>> >> -- Dale
>> >> Cry havoc and let loose the dogs of change!
>> >
>> >
>>




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