Comments on: Car Free Suburb http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/ Transit in the Greater Seattle Area Fri, 25 May 2012 09:05:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: andrew smith http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44874 andrew smith Wed, 13 May 2009 07:16:21 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44874 four hours to paris! Nice. zurich is 1.5 hours by car, they need better rail connections: http://maps.google.com/maps?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=freiburg%20to%20zurich&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl
four hours to paris! Nice.

zurich is 1.5 hours by car, they need better rail connections:
http://maps.google.com/maps?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=freiburg%20to%20zurich&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

]]> By: mike http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44865 mike Wed, 13 May 2009 06:23:11 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44865 it's about 2-2.5 to zurich (via basel) fastest way to paris, fbg>offenburg>strasbourg>paris, it was around 4 hours.
it’s about 2-2.5 to zurich (via basel)

fastest way to paris, fbg>offenburg>strasbourg>paris, it was around 4 hours.

]]> By: andrew smith http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44863 andrew smith Wed, 13 May 2009 06:06:59 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44863 It would be cool to live there, since you're about 45 minutes from strasbourg, france (and thus a TGV away from Paris), and about an hour or so from Zurich
It would be cool to live there, since you’re about 45 minutes from strasbourg, france (and thus a TGV away from Paris), and about an hour or so from Zurich

]]> By: mike http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44859 mike Wed, 13 May 2009 05:45:24 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44859 hey, i was just there! http://www.flickr.com/photos/16881406@N00/ the whole city of freiburg is pastoral, vauban is about 8 minutes from the altstadt by light rail. vauban is about 50% denser than the altstadt. you can walk from one side of freiburg to the other in about an hour, it's not large. it's not really car-free. several "streets" aren't accesible by car but most are. part of vauban is student housing (s.u.s.i.) and doesn't look as nice as the "family area" there are amenities and groceries within walking distance. you absolutely don't need a car to reside in freiburg. freiburg has a very fast and extensive NODAL transportation system utilizing light rail and buses. this is in addition to the s-bahn which serves more regional 'burbs. bicycles are used extensively, even in winter. freiburg is also the heart of the green community in europe. several local architects are doing great things with sustainable/plusenergie projects (in vauban and surrounding city) i'm thinking a larger community similar to this in the port area would be phenomenal.
hey, i was just there!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/16881406@N00/

the whole city of freiburg is pastoral, vauban is about 8 minutes from the altstadt by light rail. vauban is about 50% denser than the altstadt. you can walk from one side of freiburg to the other in about an hour, it’s not large.

it’s not really car-free. several “streets” aren’t accesible by car but most are. part of vauban is student housing (s.u.s.i.) and doesn’t look as nice as the “family area”

there are amenities and groceries within walking distance. you absolutely don’t need a car to reside in freiburg.

freiburg has a very fast and extensive NODAL transportation system utilizing light rail and buses. this is in addition to the s-bahn which serves more regional ‘burbs. bicycles are used extensively, even in winter.

freiburg is also the heart of the green community in europe. several local architects are doing great things with sustainable/plusenergie projects (in vauban and surrounding city)

i’m thinking a larger community similar to this in the port area would be phenomenal.

]]> By: joshuadf http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44840 joshuadf Wed, 13 May 2009 04:26:30 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44840 Cmon, Bernie, "dormitory living?" The NYT calls it upscale so I doubt those lowrise condos have shared toilets and open showers. It was a French base but the barracks and mess hall are long gone. :) Speaking of college campuses, though, we clearly do know how to design these in the US but for whatever reason they're limited to the 18-24 set... and don't have grocery stores.
Cmon, Bernie, “dormitory living?” The NYT calls it upscale so I doubt those lowrise condos have shared toilets and open showers. It was a French base but the barracks and mess hall are long gone. :)

Speaking of college campuses, though, we clearly do know how to design these in the US but for whatever reason they’re limited to the 18-24 set… and don’t have grocery stores.

]]> By: joshuadf http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44824 joshuadf Wed, 13 May 2009 03:26:14 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44824 It's worth mentioning that they required some density. No standalone housing allowed.
It’s worth mentioning that they required some density. No standalone housing allowed.

]]> By: Andrew Smith http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44822 Andrew Smith Wed, 13 May 2009 03:12:45 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44822 Those densities seem different if you have few jobs, but yes, it is certainly more dense than most suburbs in America. But it;s not that far off from the Eastside. Kirkland is in the ~4000pp/sqmi Bellvue and Redmond are both in the ~3000pp/sq mi. So it's not totally nuts.
Those densities seem different if you have few jobs, but yes, it is certainly more dense than most suburbs in America.

But it;s not that far off from the Eastside. Kirkland is in the ~4000pp/sqmi Bellvue and Redmond are both in the ~3000pp/sq mi. So it’s not totally nuts.

]]> By: David SB http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44819 David SB Wed, 13 May 2009 03:03:47 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44819 An interesting and noble concept, but is this place really a suburb by American standards? With a density of 5500/square mile, it's more tightly populated than most American cities, and in the photos, the housing appears to be primarily apartments. As result, seeing this experiment through the eyes of Sunbelt America, this really appears to be suburbia in name only. It's a somewhat pastoral setting removed from a the "big city," but the density and housing stock are quite urban. Personally, I like the concept, but I see it as having limited appeal. A more realistic goal for most of the U.S. would be suburbs with walkable town centers rail transit park-and-rides, allowing families to consolidate around one car per household rather than one car per adult.
An interesting and noble concept, but is this place really a suburb by American standards? With a density of 5500/square mile, it’s more tightly populated than most American cities, and in the photos, the housing appears to be primarily apartments. As result, seeing this experiment through the eyes of Sunbelt America, this really appears to be suburbia in name only. It’s a somewhat pastoral setting removed from a the “big city,” but the density and housing stock are quite urban.

Personally, I like the concept, but I see it as having limited appeal. A more realistic goal for most of the U.S. would be suburbs with walkable town centers rail transit park-and-rides, allowing families to consolidate around one car per household rather than one car per adult.

]]> By: Andrew Smith http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44762 Andrew Smith Tue, 12 May 2009 23:38:45 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44762 I guess the kids would be in school.
I guess the kids would be in school.

]]> By: Finish Tag http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44750 Finish Tag Tue, 12 May 2009 22:42:03 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44750 @alexjonlin It's still a *suburb*; everyone is at work in Freiburg :)
@alexjonlin
It’s still a *suburb*; everyone is at work in Freiburg :)

]]> By: Ben Schiendelman http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44745 Ben Schiendelman Tue, 12 May 2009 22:37:38 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44745 At work?
At work?

]]> By: alexjonlin http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44739 alexjonlin Tue, 12 May 2009 22:26:56 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44739 Cool. Only thing is, where are all the people? There was almost no one around in most of those pictures.
Cool. Only thing is, where are all the people? There was almost no one around in most of those pictures.

]]> By: Bernie http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44738 Bernie Tue, 12 May 2009 22:25:11 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44738 It's cute. The whole car free zone looks to be 800m x 500m; about 90 acres (the UW Seattle Campus is 700 acres). It reminds me a bit of the short stint when I lived in base housing in Germany. Good times but I think I'm done with dormitory living.
It’s cute. The whole car free zone looks to be 800m x 500m; about 90 acres (the UW Seattle Campus is 700 acres). It reminds me a bit of the short stint when I lived in base housing in Germany. Good times but I think I’m done with dormitory living.

]]> By: Andrew Smith http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44722 Andrew Smith Tue, 12 May 2009 21:49:55 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44722 It's likely really safe for children. I was hit by a car riding my bike as a little kid...
It’s likely really safe for children. I was hit by a car riding my bike as a little kid…

]]> By: joshuadf http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44718 joshuadf Tue, 12 May 2009 21:39:00 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44718 I'd heard of Vauban but didn't know the extent of it. I'm about ready to cry. That's exactly the setup I want my kids to grow up in. From the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/05/12/science/20090512-SUBURB_6.html" rel="nofollow">Nearly Car-Free: More Photos</a>: <blockquote> "Many people move to Vauban not for environmental reasons, but because they feel that a car-free environment is far better for children. Indeed, children are everywhere! With no cars on the streets, many residents call Vauban a children's paradise, where youngsters wander from a young age in safety. Even some residents who say they miss the convenience of a car at their doorstep have concluded that it is worth the tradeoff." </blockquote>
I’d heard of Vauban but didn’t know the extent of it. I’m about ready to cry. That’s exactly the setup I want my kids to grow up in.

From the Nearly Car-Free: More Photos:

“Many people move to Vauban not for environmental reasons, but because they feel that a car-free environment is far better for children. Indeed, children are everywhere! With no cars on the streets, many residents call Vauban a children’s paradise, where youngsters wander from a young age in safety. Even some residents who say they miss the convenience of a car at their doorstep have concluded that it is worth the tradeoff.”

]]> By: David Wiggins http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44708 David Wiggins Tue, 12 May 2009 21:22:34 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44708 I'm ready to move to Deutschland now... Here's a <a href="http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=rzw2b8hnk1qx&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&phx=0&phy=0&phscl=1&scene=10910464&encType=1" rel="nofollow">bird's eye view</a> too- in addition to the housing, in this view you can see the parking garage, the tram stop (with tram), and a bus all right there. Cool stuff.
I’m ready to move to Deutschland now…

Here’s a bird’s eye view too- in addition to the housing, in this view you can see the parking garage, the tram stop (with tram), and a bus all right there. Cool stuff.

]]> By: Zelbinian http://seattletransitblog.com/2009/05/12/car-free-suburbs/#comment-44699 Zelbinian Tue, 12 May 2009 20:52:02 +0000 http://seattletransitblog.com/?p=5081#comment-44699 Wunderbar!
Wunderbar!

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