High speed rail is the eco-travel mode that’s been getting a lot of attention lately, but human-powered travel we can use NOW. Plus, human-powered travel entails exercise, sight seeing, and community engagement all wrapped up in one healthy package! Here’s the latest on what’s happening with biking and walking in urban areas:
>> Want to really get to know your city? Do like Mathieu Young did, and take a 4-day, 20-mile walk [1]. Mathieu trekked all over Los Angeles, photographing everyone who’d let him snap their picture. The resulting portfolio of pictures are amazing to look at. Says Mathieu: “It was a remarkable experience to step out of the bubble and engage with the city’s changing landscape as it is reflected in the faces of its denizens.”
>> Walking in New York City will get even more enjoyable [2] now that midtown Manhattan’s going to be made more pedestrian friendly. Parts of Broadway are going to be closed off to traffic, making way for pedestrian malls. The New York Times reports that “Although it seems counterintuitive, officials believe the move will actually improve the overall flow of traffic, because the diagonal path of Broadway tends to disrupt traffic where it intersects with other streets.”
>> Bike to work — and look fashionable in the office [3] by following in the treadmarks of 3 women urban bike commuters profiled in Times UK. All 3 women bike a sizeable distance, then change once they get into the office to look work-appropriate and chic while staying fit and relaxed.
Read and bike likewis.
[1] http://www.good.is/?p=15843
[2] http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/nyregion/26broadway.html?_r=2
[3] http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/fashion/article5839358.ece
[4] http://www.flickr.com/photos/ianturk/
