Goudappel is a very international company. The last woman to ride my bicycle was from Uganda. She was working with the company doing a similar study: what can Uganda learn from the Netherlands?
Today I had the opportunity to chat with a student from the Kurdish region of Iraq. He is here doing a similar study for Iraq: what can Iraq learn from the Netherlands? I enjoyed discussing the similarities and differences between our transportation systems. There is a gender disparity in transit usage versus driving that isn't seen in the US. More women ride transit and fewer drive because it is still a male-dominated society. They have the same problem as us that shopping malls have been built outside of large cities, detracting from city centers. As they rebuild cities, they can require that buisnesses locate in the city center. Will the U.S. be able to implement such policies? They also share our issues with transportation as a status symbol. The wealthy are less likely to bicycle or use public transport because driving is a status symbol. Here's to buidling friendships between the U.S. and Iraq!
I knew that this internship would be an international experience, but I didn't realize to what extent.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Deventer Day Two
4/3/11
Today I went for a run from Diepenveen, where I am staying with the Boschs, back towards Deventer. I love roundabouts! I have heard concern about how to handle bikes and pedestrians in roundabout, but as far as I can tell it is unfounded. In the roundabouts here there is an inner lane for cars, then a colored bicycle lane or cycle track, and then the sidewalk. Here they use a line of triangles on the pavement to indicate that the road user must yield. Everything works if everyone watches out for each other, yields when they are supposed to, and tries not to run over anybody. They also have great wayfinding signage. The streets are far simpler here than they are in Amsterdam, nevertheless, it was because of the signage that I was able to find my way home without a map on my second day in town. Do the roundabouts in Bend have wayfinding signage? If not, they should.
After my run I went back to the city center to see more of the festival. My favorite was probably Generik Vapeur. They were like a French blue man group with two women and a lot of fireworks. A van carried the blue man band through the city center. The audience was lining the street at each stop in anticipation of the band's arrival, hanging out of windows and on patios, or walking along with the troupe from stop to stop as I was. This is a great way to bring art to people who are not willing to sit quietly in a seat and create a stage out of the built environment.
I also enjoyed the stiltwalkers on tall bikes and French bicycle/unicycle act on a trampoline with a track around the outside. They were like cats! They bounced and flipped and still they landed on their feet.
I am only slightly embarrased to say that I literally ran from a stiltwalking dragon. They were really scary! When the festivities ended, I found my way out of the center, again thanks to excellent wayfinding signage.
I noticed a traffic jam as I headed out of the area. The inner part of the city center is car-free, but there are several parking areas around the outside. I am pointing this out to show that the Netherlands is not a fairytale place where nobody drives. Next to the long line of cars, was a bicycle traffic jam, which seemed to be taking up less space. The cyclists also seemed to be getting through the light more quickly. There is an all-way green phase at that intersection for cyclists and pedestrians. I for one, was glad to be walking towards the bicycle that the Boschs lent me, which was parked near the first performance I had watched. This is bicycle number eleven that I have ridden on or in during my trip.
Today I went for a run from Diepenveen, where I am staying with the Boschs, back towards Deventer. I love roundabouts! I have heard concern about how to handle bikes and pedestrians in roundabout, but as far as I can tell it is unfounded. In the roundabouts here there is an inner lane for cars, then a colored bicycle lane or cycle track, and then the sidewalk. Here they use a line of triangles on the pavement to indicate that the road user must yield. Everything works if everyone watches out for each other, yields when they are supposed to, and tries not to run over anybody. They also have great wayfinding signage. The streets are far simpler here than they are in Amsterdam, nevertheless, it was because of the signage that I was able to find my way home without a map on my second day in town. Do the roundabouts in Bend have wayfinding signage? If not, they should.
After my run I went back to the city center to see more of the festival. My favorite was probably Generik Vapeur. They were like a French blue man group with two women and a lot of fireworks. A van carried the blue man band through the city center. The audience was lining the street at each stop in anticipation of the band's arrival, hanging out of windows and on patios, or walking along with the troupe from stop to stop as I was. This is a great way to bring art to people who are not willing to sit quietly in a seat and create a stage out of the built environment.
I also enjoyed the stiltwalkers on tall bikes and French bicycle/unicycle act on a trampoline with a track around the outside. They were like cats! They bounced and flipped and still they landed on their feet.
I am only slightly embarrased to say that I literally ran from a stiltwalking dragon. They were really scary! When the festivities ended, I found my way out of the center, again thanks to excellent wayfinding signage.
I noticed a traffic jam as I headed out of the area. The inner part of the city center is car-free, but there are several parking areas around the outside. I am pointing this out to show that the Netherlands is not a fairytale place where nobody drives. Next to the long line of cars, was a bicycle traffic jam, which seemed to be taking up less space. The cyclists also seemed to be getting through the light more quickly. There is an all-way green phase at that intersection for cyclists and pedestrians. I for one, was glad to be walking towards the bicycle that the Boschs lent me, which was parked near the first performance I had watched. This is bicycle number eleven that I have ridden on or in during my trip.
First Day in Deventer
4/2/11
I was welcomed to town by the Boschs and Richard, Spanish aerial dancers, and French street theatre. This weekend is one of Deventer's annual festivals. I think that my friend Dana went to Spain to study aerial dance. I will have to ask her if Delreves is the company you studied with. Tonny Bosch explained that the outdoor patio area where we were seated for lunch used to be car parking. It is only within the past 15 years that they have made the center carfree and started removing parking. They still have to fight battles every time they remove car parking. I look forward to seeing before and after pictures.
After lunch, Richard showed me around the center city. It is ringed by a canal, has narrow winding carfree streets in the center, cute shops and cafes, and was especially full of activity on account of the festival. Richard suggested that we could perhaps make streets like these in the US. Parts of Boston are already built this way. In Chattanooga, I could see parts of the southside developing this way first. Seeing as that Eugene's downtown is on rocky ground and the city recently created free parking I think it will be awhile before Eugene can attempt car-free streets again. I could see 13th Street near the University as a car-free street. Richard said that Dutch cities forbid the development of malls outside of the city center. I must admit I am envious. He said that there was an initiative to make modern developments in place of some of the old buildings in the center city. Fortunately, in our opinion, the city didn't have enough money at the time.
I was welcomed to town by the Boschs and Richard, Spanish aerial dancers, and French street theatre. This weekend is one of Deventer's annual festivals. I think that my friend Dana went to Spain to study aerial dance. I will have to ask her if Delreves is the company you studied with. Tonny Bosch explained that the outdoor patio area where we were seated for lunch used to be car parking. It is only within the past 15 years that they have made the center carfree and started removing parking. They still have to fight battles every time they remove car parking. I look forward to seeing before and after pictures.
After lunch, Richard showed me around the center city. It is ringed by a canal, has narrow winding carfree streets in the center, cute shops and cafes, and was especially full of activity on account of the festival. Richard suggested that we could perhaps make streets like these in the US. Parts of Boston are already built this way. In Chattanooga, I could see parts of the southside developing this way first. Seeing as that Eugene's downtown is on rocky ground and the city recently created free parking I think it will be awhile before Eugene can attempt car-free streets again. I could see 13th Street near the University as a car-free street. Richard said that Dutch cities forbid the development of malls outside of the city center. I must admit I am envious. He said that there was an initiative to make modern developments in place of some of the old buildings in the center city. Fortunately, in our opinion, the city didn't have enough money at the time.
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