Andrew Hayes on LinkedIn: Japan’s Transport Ministry Proposes Automated Logistics Link Between Tokyo… (2024)

"America’s reputation for unbridled capitalism, and a stereotype of Europe as a backwater of overregulation is often turned on its head in the construction sector."That's the problem with unbridled capitalism - it's often missing when you most need it!

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Cycling, more popular than driving. In a city much less dense than Manhattan.

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The more expensive it is to park your car, EV, van, truck, or bike(!), the more sense it makes to have automated parking. Add in the need to have charging stations for electric vehicles, and automated storage is far and away the best solution.

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all the more relevant now that NYC has decided to allow vehicles up to 4' wide in bike lanes. I'm not saying that was the right choice - but I do think that allowing people to sit in car-like vehicles, esp. in the rain, will facilitate the transition from standard "cars" to micromobility in general.

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E-bike parking can and should be provided by converting curbside car parking spaces. With HUB systems LLC, 2 car parking spaces become 30 e-bike storage+charging stations. This also solves the battery charging safety challenge. They make so much sense, and create so much more value than car parking that once people seem them working, everyone will want one on their block. Hence the motto, "A HUB on every block of every city, serving everyone."

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Absolutely true - and the sad irony is that there actually is one specific type of maglev system that can easily be retrofitted onto existing steel-rail mass transit rights of way - everything from subways to metros to commuter rail. - It is the only maglev system that permanently levitates its carriages clear above the track, using no power for levitation (yes, the lateral stabilizer uses some power, but not much). - Permanent levitation makes it the highest-capacity transport system: a packet-switching network of individually routed carriages (or car, pods, or whatever you want to call them). This system has a name: Landspeeder. People who really understood maglev technology used to say that its magnetic rails were too expensive. New magnet alloys now make those rails comparable in price to high-grade steel rails. So now, finally, it's time to make this ideal ground transport system a reality. Climb aboard.

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So great to see this timeless wisdom applied to urban planning! The quote is from contemporary economist Daniel Kahneman, but Seneca and Marcus Aurelius couldn’t have said it better (indeed, they actually said the very same thing): “Time is a very limited resource, and spending it well is the most important decision that you're going to make for your wellbeing.”

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Tokyo converting a busy highway to a pedestrian walkway:

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More proof that e-bikes are a mainstream thing: an article in the newsletter of the American Automobile Association - yes, automobiles! - strongly endorsing them: "“Pure joy” is one of the biggest attributes of e-biking, said Applegate. “If you have not ridden an e-bike yet, I would highly recommend trying one,” she said. “It will definitely put a smile on your face.”"

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