Mike Lydon
@mikelydon.bsky.social
9K followers 310 following 440 posts
Co-Founder @ Street Plans | Co-Author #TacticalUrbanism, Smart Growth Manual, Streets for Pandemic Response + Recovery | Board Member @ Congress for New Urbanism | Creator Open_Streets Project | Léo + Luca’s dad | 📍 Brooklyn, NY 🚲 🚶 🚌 🌆
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
mikelydon.bsky.social
Putnam and Fulton: 2009 vs 2025

✅ More places to live

✅ More public space

✅ More trees

📍 Brooklyn
mikelydon.bsky.social
The last time I was in Dublin was 2007! I’ve been told the pandemic served as an accelerant for pedestrian and cycling upgrades in the city center. Here are a few:

📍 Liffey Street Lower
📍 Ormand Quay
📍 Capel Street
📍 Suffolk Street
mikelydon.bsky.social
Tour de Europe continues. Now in Belfast City to lead a workshop tomorrow for re-thinking the delivery of a better Shaftesbury Square. Spent the late afternoon and early evening exploring.
Reposted by Mike Lydon
yonahfreemark.com
For years, GOP has been campaigning against cities, rooting against their success, accusing their residents of not being “real Americans,” lying about their crime rates, denigrating their diversity.

The campaign’s is logical conclusion: the GOP uses the federal government to attack those cities.
atrupar.com
Trump says he’s authorized Hegseth to use “Full Force” against Antifa in “War ravaged” Portland
At the request of Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, I am directing Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, to provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland, and any of our ICE Facilities under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists. I am also authorizing Full Force, if necessary. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
mikelydon.bsky.social
Thousands efficiently access / depart Manchester City’s Ethihad Stadium ⚽️ via the Ashton Canal Towpath. Per square foot, this moves more people than any highway could. I’d love to see more American cities improve trail access to / from large event venues.
mikelydon.bsky.social
Just learning about Manchester, but it appears the city bought into the modal filter approach to liberate active transport.
mikelydon.bsky.social
The city’s (first?) tram line is also underway.
mikelydon.bsky.social
The porticoes, dating to 1041 and codified in 1288, are a climate responsive revelation (Sun, Heat, Rain) from 700+ years ago.
mikelydon.bsky.social
I had a few hours to explore Bologna today. I’ve visited a lot of medieval city quarters but_none_compare to the monumentality of this city; I found it really difficult to photograph the squares, towers, and cathedrals because the scale to sight line ratio is overwhelming. 🤯
mikelydon.bsky.social
Something I didn’t expect is that Reggio Emilia is a great bike city! 🇮🇹 🚲
mikelydon.bsky.social
Architects need to bring excellence to the ground plane and this now seems to be the design factor they understand or are directed to focus on the least.
mikelydon.bsky.social
Davidson’s critiques are harsh but are valid. I’m very supportive of upzoning but the city’s regs direct architects and developers who get handed opportunities to move forward while remaining ignorant to what makes a walkable street.

www.curbed.com/article/down...
The Disappointment of Downtown Brooklyn
Twenty years after it was upzoned, it’s become a showcase of millennial architectural mediocrity.
www.curbed.com
mikelydon.bsky.social
One of these units exists at the *entrance* to the Holland Tunnel and I thought it would be sparsely used… but every time I pass by I’m impressed by the number of bikes parked.
mikelydon.bsky.social
Delighted to be in Reggio Emilia, Italy for European Placemaking Week. 🤩
mikelydon.bsky.social
Jersey City’s Exchange Place upgrade applied relatively subtle design moves and simple materials to achieve a huge difference in how the public space is used.
mikelydon.bsky.social
Popped out at the Danforth LRT station in Jersey City today and enjoyed seeing the 8:1 capacity flex of the Oonee Mini vs the typical 8’x20’ SUV corral.
mikelydon.bsky.social
Transit agencies often groan when we push travel lanes < 12’. But here are 9’ travel lanes that I see negotiated on my daily 🚲 commute.

There are standards, and then there is reality. Hat tip to the bus drivers who skillfully figure this out all day, everyday.
mikelydon.bsky.social
davidzipper.bsky.social
On the unmet need for safe bike storage:

"Results suggest a relative undersupply of bicycle parking at destinations compared with free car parking [and] an increasing need for bicycle parking for costlier e-bikes."

findingspress.org/article/1442...
mikelydon.bsky.social
Goodbye parking, goodbye piles of trash. Win, win.
kevinduggan.bsky.social
Mayor Adams is set to announce the expansion of containerized garbage collection to Brooklyn Community Board 2, which includes areas like Fort Greene, Cobble Hill, Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Heights, and Boerum Hill
mikelydon.bsky.social
Kate Slevin at RPA
Sarah Kauffman, at NYU’s Rudin Center
mikelydon.bsky.social
We had a law passed several years ago in NYC that accomplishes the same for people walking and cycling and it has been a game changer. 👍🏻