David Edmondson
@thegreatermarin.bsky.social
Urban planner, specializing in transportation, but posts a helluva lot about indigenous political cartography. aka theGreaterMarin. Find me as @OctaviusIV elsewhere, too. DC and SF.
J’examine le corridor d’University Boulevard au Montgomery County, MD, et sa refonte proposé est nul. Le 16 pieds du terre-plein central a l’intention de fournir les voies pour tourner à gauche, mais ils sont des gâches.
October 21, 2025 at 3:30 PM
J’examine le corridor d’University Boulevard au Montgomery County, MD, et sa refonte proposé est nul. Le 16 pieds du terre-plein central a l’intention de fournir les voies pour tourner à gauche, mais ils sont des gâches.
I'm looking at the University Boulevard corridor in Montgomery County, MD, and its proposed redesign is bad y'all. The 16-foot median is intended to support left-turn lanes but that's such a waste.
October 21, 2025 at 3:29 PM
I'm looking at the University Boulevard corridor in Montgomery County, MD, and its proposed redesign is bad y'all. The 16-foot median is intended to support left-turn lanes but that's such a waste.
I was poking around Fort Wayne on Streetview and found this bit of irony at Clinton & Washington.
I mean, I'm really impressed by the lack of grade-separated freeways destroying neighborhoods, but it seems like some still did whatever else they could to facilitate the city's hollowing out.
I mean, I'm really impressed by the lack of grade-separated freeways destroying neighborhoods, but it seems like some still did whatever else they could to facilitate the city's hollowing out.
October 14, 2025 at 2:07 PM
I was poking around Fort Wayne on Streetview and found this bit of irony at Clinton & Washington.
I mean, I'm really impressed by the lack of grade-separated freeways destroying neighborhoods, but it seems like some still did whatever else they could to facilitate the city's hollowing out.
I mean, I'm really impressed by the lack of grade-separated freeways destroying neighborhoods, but it seems like some still did whatever else they could to facilitate the city's hollowing out.
I've been thinking a lot about U St NW and Florida Ave NW/NE and it struck me:
In a rational DC, we'd have just closed the roads off to trhough-traffic years ago and made the rest of the space busways, bikeways, and shared space. The busway plans are better but still bad. buspriority.ddot.dc.gov
In a rational DC, we'd have just closed the roads off to trhough-traffic years ago and made the rest of the space busways, bikeways, and shared space. The busway plans are better but still bad. buspriority.ddot.dc.gov
October 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
I've been thinking a lot about U St NW and Florida Ave NW/NE and it struck me:
In a rational DC, we'd have just closed the roads off to trhough-traffic years ago and made the rest of the space busways, bikeways, and shared space. The busway plans are better but still bad. buspriority.ddot.dc.gov
In a rational DC, we'd have just closed the roads off to trhough-traffic years ago and made the rest of the space busways, bikeways, and shared space. The busway plans are better but still bad. buspriority.ddot.dc.gov
You need my kitty, Petunia Thumbelina Bláthnat, to cheer you up this evening.
October 5, 2025 at 11:57 PM
You need my kitty, Petunia Thumbelina Bláthnat, to cheer you up this evening.
Me, about to say what I've been up to today that doesn't involve transportation and whatnot, and then I saw this and I was like oops.
Anyway, just going back over 90-year-old field notes collected by a 27-year-old who was still 5 years away from being a doctor of anthropology.
As one does.
Anyway, just going back over 90-year-old field notes collected by a 27-year-old who was still 5 years away from being a doctor of anthropology.
As one does.
August 29, 2025 at 9:11 PM
Me, about to say what I've been up to today that doesn't involve transportation and whatnot, and then I saw this and I was like oops.
Anyway, just going back over 90-year-old field notes collected by a 27-year-old who was still 5 years away from being a doctor of anthropology.
As one does.
Anyway, just going back over 90-year-old field notes collected by a 27-year-old who was still 5 years away from being a doctor of anthropology.
As one does.
I have not found salmon that wasn't actively rotting on the shelves of stores in DC in more than a year. I keep trying it once every few months and I keep getting fooled.
I don't understand. Wtf. It's infuriating.
I don't understand. Wtf. It's infuriating.
August 24, 2025 at 12:40 AM
I have not found salmon that wasn't actively rotting on the shelves of stores in DC in more than a year. I keep trying it once every few months and I keep getting fooled.
I don't understand. Wtf. It's infuriating.
I don't understand. Wtf. It's infuriating.
I was away for about a month and got back a couple days ago.
I think my kitty missed me.
I think my kitty missed me.
July 18, 2025 at 10:53 AM
I was away for about a month and got back a couple days ago.
I think my kitty missed me.
I think my kitty missed me.
These can get worn away, though, as in this spot in Malmö (Sweden), and not get replaced.
June 20, 2025 at 9:30 AM
These can get worn away, though, as in this spot in Malmö (Sweden), and not get replaced.
Danish curb cuts aren't curb cuts at all, just a bit of asphalt. Possible due to very low curb heights, I guess, but wouldn't ponding be an issue?
June 18, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Danish curb cuts aren't curb cuts at all, just a bit of asphalt. Possible due to very low curb heights, I guess, but wouldn't ponding be an issue?
The bikeway is integrated into the sidewalk with soft separation, i.e., just a change in pavement type. This only works where everyone notices and sidewalks are wide enough for it.
June 16, 2025 at 10:52 AM
The bikeway is integrated into the sidewalk with soft separation, i.e., just a change in pavement type. This only works where everyone notices and sidewalks are wide enough for it.
This very bland street corner in Malmö shows how small decisions can lead to big outcomes. The local street intersecting with the major arterial uses a raised crosswalk to indicate the change of type. The short curb height means it's not severe for the driver.
June 16, 2025 at 10:35 AM
This very bland street corner in Malmö shows how small decisions can lead to big outcomes. The local street intersecting with the major arterial uses a raised crosswalk to indicate the change of type. The short curb height means it's not severe for the driver.
The problem is the media ecosystem is wildly unbalanced between how the Right covers things (seeks negative, derisive emotional reactions), how the Left covers things (a feeling of intellectual & moral clarity are paramount), and how the mainstream covers things (provide nuance) are quite different.
June 10, 2025 at 1:56 PM
The problem is the media ecosystem is wildly unbalanced between how the Right covers things (seeks negative, derisive emotional reactions), how the Left covers things (a feeling of intellectual & moral clarity are paramount), and how the mainstream covers things (provide nuance) are quite different.
Okay, as an ADHD person let me just say that having a chatbot be your task manager and admin assistant is exceptionally helpful. I know the words of encouragement are just probabilistic outputs, but it's still nice to have a computer tell me I'm doing okay and help me structure my day.
June 10, 2025 at 2:04 AM
Okay, as an ADHD person let me just say that having a chatbot be your task manager and admin assistant is exceptionally helpful. I know the words of encouragement are just probabilistic outputs, but it's still nice to have a computer tell me I'm doing okay and help me structure my day.
Charles Allen is exactly right about design and enforcement going together. Basically: you cannot do create a safe city by relying on enforcement of speeds that don't match the street designs. This road is simply not built for 25mph.
www.wusa9.com/article/traf...
www.wusa9.com/article/traf...
May 7, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Charles Allen is exactly right about design and enforcement going together. Basically: you cannot do create a safe city by relying on enforcement of speeds that don't match the street designs. This road is simply not built for 25mph.
www.wusa9.com/article/traf...
www.wusa9.com/article/traf...
Me: Oh hey you know what would be fun? Putting together all the published geographical information about precolonial Northern California so we can finally get a good map of the place!
Long-dead anthropologists: *Laughs in field notes and bad handwriting*
Long-dead anthropologists: *Laughs in field notes and bad handwriting*
April 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Me: Oh hey you know what would be fun? Putting together all the published geographical information about precolonial Northern California so we can finally get a good map of the place!
Long-dead anthropologists: *Laughs in field notes and bad handwriting*
Long-dead anthropologists: *Laughs in field notes and bad handwriting*
Scott Forsythe's hair alone makes me want to work here.
April 11, 2025 at 4:55 PM
Scott Forsythe's hair alone makes me want to work here.
My apologies for not properly qualifying my OP: bike-priority roundabouts are safer for bicyclists relative to a level junction but are less safe than a driver-priority roundabout. "Relatively unsafe" is what I should have said.
April 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
My apologies for not properly qualifying my OP: bike-priority roundabouts are safer for bicyclists relative to a level junction but are less safe than a driver-priority roundabout. "Relatively unsafe" is what I should have said.
Given that this research (if valid! knowledge is power!) is within the Netherlands, CROW's V32 has been my preferred template over V31 for areas with low understanding of roundabouts. Confusion, in this research, is hypothesized as a reason for the decreased safety.
April 8, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Given that this research (if valid! knowledge is power!) is within the Netherlands, CROW's V32 has been my preferred template over V31 for areas with low understanding of roundabouts. Confusion, in this research, is hypothesized as a reason for the decreased safety.
I applied for $180,000 in grants at work, did a bit of work on this Toronto map, and now it's time to finish the laundry.
March 8, 2025 at 12:01 AM
I applied for $180,000 in grants at work, did a bit of work on this Toronto map, and now it's time to finish the laundry.
It breaks down but not irretrievably and not without charm. For example, Fredericktowne Village is boring from the air but it really succeeds in the way cul de sac neighborhoods should: being very quiet, promoting community, and having a great green space at the river. It's lovely on foot.
March 5, 2025 at 8:56 PM
It breaks down but not irretrievably and not without charm. For example, Fredericktowne Village is boring from the air but it really succeeds in the way cul de sac neighborhoods should: being very quiet, promoting community, and having a great green space at the river. It's lovely on foot.