Burlington Roundabout Cure for Signalized Intersection Highway Deaths

Burlington Intersection Death List...Our Recent History of Fatal and Serious Injuries...Now Modern Roundabouts Cut Fatal/Serious Injury by About 90 Percent 

The National Picture of Highway Safety

About 9,000 fatals--23% of the over 40,000 annual highway deaths--occur at or near intersections.  Half of all senior driver and pedestrian deaths involve intersections.  For every U.S. fatality there are about seven disabling injuries.  In 2003 U.S. pedestrian deaths and disabling injuries, included in the US highway totals, amount to 20,700 and bicyclists numbers were 6,600.  Unfortunately since 2010 US pedestrian deaths are up 45% nationally.  Once 1st in highway safety in 1990, the U.S. has fallen to 18th.  Based on highway miles driven we now have over 23,000 excess deaths compared to the performance of the top four nations—U.K. (co-leader with us in 1990), Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland.   In a recent year highway crashes were the highest cause of death for those aged 4 to 34.  

The Vermont Highway, Gun, Opioid Deaths Data

Current U.S. longevity decline, the only one among advanced nations, coincides with the extremely high rates and numbers of highway, gun and opioid deaths:  over 40,000 highway deaths (2018), 39,800 gun deaths (2017), and 70,000 opioid deaths (2017-2018 average).  Vermont death numbers are 69 highway (2017-2018 average); gun 78 (2016); and opioid 109 (2018).  (Alcohol addiction remains far and above these three causes of death in U.S.)  For highway safety, returning Vermont and the nation to number one would halve Vermont highway fatalities, a reduction of about 35 a year.  Adopting neighbor Massachusetts gun regulation, lowest in nation in gun deaths, would reduce our gun deaths up to two-thirds, about 40 less deaths per year.  Certainly opioid reduction efforts can very likely attain a 50% reduction or 55 deaths a year.  Overall the estimated potential reduction in highway/gun/opioid deaths totals 130 a year.  All three areas require equal, aggressive governmental attention at the local, state and federal levels.  

First and foremost in regard to highway safety the United States and each state—Vermont can take this action now—must undertake a “systematic safety” plan and program, a comprehensive planning and implementation plan which led several advanced nations past the U.S. in highway safety performance and even in many cases continues to widen the gap with the United State.  The local equivalent of “systematic safety” can take the form of a strong “Vision Zero” initiative but to this time Vision Zero initiatives have been at most halfway measures. 

The Burlington Picture of Highway Safety

The Burlington roadway deaths and injuries show a need to address pedestrian and bicycle carnage because these latter two modes not only are more prevalent in urban areas but because there are strong currents to expand these “active transportation modes” for health and environmental reasons.  In addition to safety as the first and overriding concern, consideration of global warming, air quality, and resource constraints are now recognized as a given in transportation investments decision making. 

Burlington clearly is not immune to deaths and injuries at our intersections.  Burlington recently averaged 150 roadway injuries yearly including a pedestrian and car passenger fatality in the 2014-2018 period.  About a third of annual injuries, about 50, comprised those on foot or bicycle in roughly equal proportions.  Most pedestrian injuries occur at intersections.  Two of the three pedestrian fatalities in Burlington dating from 1998 were at a signalized intersection as was the one cyclist fatality.  A survey taken as part of the PlanBTV Walk Bike adopted in 2017 found (2011-2015) found 17 intersections (“the dirty 17”), mostly signalized, averaging one injury a year—again including a pedestrian fatality in the survey period.  Burlington has three of the highest current Vermont Agency of Transportation (VAOT) crash intersections in Vermont—Colchester/Barrett/Riverside US 7 (#1); Main/S. Prospect US 2 (#16); and Pearl/ N. Willard US 7 (#27).  The only reason the Burlington intersection Shelburne/Locust/S. Willard/St. Paul is no longer on the list is because it is set for construction as a roundabout.   

Burlington from 1998 through 2018 recorded seven road fatalities, about one every three years.   All but one of the seven occurred at a signalized intersection: three car occupants (two drivers and a passenger); three pedestrians; and one bicyclist.  With 150 injuries a year in a five year survey period, it fair to conclude that about one fatality occurs here for about every 450 injuries.  Again, six of seven fatalities occurred at one of the City's approximately 75 traffic signal intersections.  Finally, it is the pedestrian and bicyclist who suffers disproportionately when it comes to fatalities versus the car occupant who retains the protections of a motor vehicle—while pedestrian and cyclist injuries in Burlington are one third of all injuries, when it comes to fatalities they are the majority, four of seven.   

The Modern Roundabout Cure

The modern roundabout, the 53 year-old powerful technology composed of stone age materials, cuts about 90 percent of fatalities and serious injuries as well as injury severity  (Insurance Institute for High Safety [2000]).

Below find added information on Burlington fatal crashes at intersections, only some of the recent fatalities statewide and a small fraction of critical injuries at Vermont intersections.  The signalized intersections appear good candidates for roundabouts. Vermont passed the first US state legislation in 2002 calling for a transportation department to aggressively pursue installing roundabouts at dangerous intersections. 

Roundabouts in downtowns and village centers in Vermont are a proven safety treatment.  The five Vermont downtown roundabouts (Manchester Center, Middelbury and Montpelier) in their first 52 years of performance recorded zero bicycle injuries, one pedestrian suffering bumps and bruises and four minor car occupant injuries—one injury (none serious) a decade.

Several jurisdictions—states, Canadian provinces, counties and cities—have adopted “roundabouts first” policies.  NY State Department of Transportation is certainly the most prominent with its “roundabouts first policy” in place since 2005.  

In a 2011 report, AAA called for a White House Conference of all interests and adoption there of a “zero fatality rate” goal on the nation's highways.  That AAA study done by the reputable Cambridge Systematics found highway fatality and injury social costs twice the cost of congestion in all but the smallest metropolitan areas—and higher in all metro areas.  The Federal Highway Administration uses a highway fatality social cost as $6.1 million and an injury $126,000 (2009 dollars).  

Burlington Intersection Death List  1998-2018

Linda Ente, 48, Winooski (Home Avenue/Shelburne Road, signalized).  Pedestrian killed in car crash (1998).  Employed at adjacent supermarket. 

Charles Burch, 72, Burlington (Manhattan Drive/VT 127, signalized).  Bicyclist killed in car crash (2004).

Raymond Herbert, 23, Vergennes (Main Street/Spear Street, signalized).  Driver killed in two vehicle crash (2005).

Kaye Borneman, 43, Burlington (Main Street/St. Paul Street, signalized) Driver killed in two vehicle T-bone crash (2010). 

Bruce Lapointe, 63, Winooski (Colchester Avenue/Barrett Street/Riverside Avenue, signalized).  Pedestrian killed on motor vehicle crash on crosswalk (2012). 

Lul Ali Gure, 29, Burlington (Home Avenue/Shelburne Road, signalized).  Car occupant killed in two car crash (2018). 

Jonathan Jerome, 61, Winooski (North Avenue/Poirier Place, sign control).  Pedestrian killed crossing North Avenue in a car crash (2018).

Tony Redington

Safe Streets Burlington   

TonyRVT99@gmail.com September 9, 2019

Glitter in the Gutter--Plus Glutter in Available Burlington Rental Housing

Signs of a Burlington Housing Glut, Rapidly Rising 1-Bedroom Rents—A Snapshot Inventory of Rental Housing July-August 2019

A July “snapshot rental vacancy” for Burlington identified a record number, 257, of vacant and available rentals July to September 1. With new Burlington housing projects now coming on line with some frequency, the vacancy rate among privately owned rentals continues in the 5-8% range suggesting an unhealthy near glut status in vacant private sector rentals.

A comparison of a snapshot sample of 1 and 2 bedroom Plattsburgh available rentals done earlier this year shows Burlington median rents about 64% higher—over $6,000 more a year to rent a 1 or 2 bedroom median priced apartment in Burlington versus Plattsburgh.

Two newly completed complexes, South End Apartments on Pine Street and Bayberry Commons on Grove Street, advertised a month free rent with lease. The new Redstone complex overlooking Lake Champlain on North Avenue listed a 2 bedroom apartments for $3,000 and $2,700 monthly respectively. The survey involved tabulating both apartments and single family houses offered on various online sites, principally Craigslist.

The trend of Burlington rents in spite of substantial rental inventory increases in recent years still are on the increase 2016-2019 with median 1-bedroom apartment a most significant average yearly increase of 7.9% with a median rent of $1,300 monthly.

The median prices tabulated for rentals offered results and average annual percentage increase 2016-2019: O BR (bedroom) Studio $1,050 2.8%; 1 BR $1,300 7.9%; 2 BR $1,478 3.2%; 3 BR $2,012 3.4%; and 4-or-more BR $2,975 8.0%.

Burlington City officials continue without evidence a tight housing market with little available inventory. This was in fact true for decades leading to about 2010 when student populations growth (UVM and Champlain College primarily) not only cut vacancy rates to about 1% or sometimes less, but impacted rental markets throughout Chittenden County as well as adjacent counties. Three factors changed from 2010: (1) new housing developments spurred in great part by the leadership of Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger were developed and developments already in the books will result in added supply for the next few years at least; (2) college populations peaked and are slowly declining combined with UVM and Champlain College housing more of their student population; and (3) housing development outside Burlington in other Chittenden County towns also relieved pressures on the Burlington market.

Changed demographics also play a major role and will continue to for the next decade or two at least as most Vermont counties are losing population, Chittenden County under 65 population has flat lined, and seniors comprise almost all the Chittenden County population increase of about a thousand residents a year. Growing senior residents presents the one growth area in housing demand here and throughout Vermont. Outside of the northwest part of Vermont, seniors resident numbers grow rapidly and non-senior population markedly declines. Statewide population from 2010 to date has increased by less than 1,000.

There is little reason to consider certain segments of the Burlington housing market which mostly operate of waiting lists and where units are never offered to the public—student housing being the exception. The Burlington rental market is composed of segments: (1) “private market”; (2) public housing and housing occupied by those with federal “Housing Choice Vouchers” which total about 2,000 units; (3) non-profit housing including units owned and managed by Champlain Housing Trust (CHT) and Cathedral (mostly aged restricted housing) well over 1,000 housing units; (4) college student rented private apartment units which comprise a submarket of well over 1,000 housing units.

There are essentially no vacancies, only waiting lists for federally assisted housing and non-profit housing (about 2,000 on CHT and Cathedral wait lists). The same applies to student housing as this population does take a certain portion of housing out of the “private market.”

Burlington, VT Mayor Weinberger -- Glitter in the Gutter

Glitter in the Gutter

A guest commentary by Dr. Charles Simpson, retired SUNY Professor and Burlington, VT resident


Young, energetic, attractive in a riverboat gambler sort of way, holding developer credentials, our mayor is a man in a hurry. He promised to get things done. So what's not to like about Miro Weinberger? The persona worked once, then again. His problem now is that he didn't deliver. Not much, at least. 
We got an absurdly expensive remake of the bike/walk path, including a toxic soil fiasco that had the City storing it at a public park. He couldn't pull off a Moran Plant remake, flawed in concept to begin with: an ice climbing wall? Please. In 2006, the School District, intent in off-loading the Taft School--a structure built in 1939 by private philanthropy and $111,000 from the Works Progress Administration whose post-educational future was required to be housing for indigent men according to the Taft will, was off-loaded to UVM. Weinberger took that as a cue and tried the same trick with Memorial Auditorium, imagining it as just a fiscal liability rather than a vibrant civic arena. But the university opened the bag and found a cat instead of a pig, the cat being the absence of adequate parking. Desperate to get something done, he promised to revive the '80s circumferential highway through the South End, pretending that the public purpose of moving interstate highway traffic to the downtown core was still a viable goal. Not to worry that the highway was to end at Lake Street and the downtown has evolved away from mass shopping. Thanks to alert citizen activists, that plan is in the courts. 

Then, there's his efforts to prime the development pump with political favors. There was spot zoning to raise the height limits on three blocks of downtown as if the elaborate public process leading to Plan BTV had never happened. Add to that $22 million in forgiven future property taxes on the project. Before the project ground to a halt, leaving the present hole in the ground, Macy’s was rendered inoperable and we lost our only department store. Desperate for some achievement, he fixated on a $6 million-plus redesign of a completely serviceable public park. This grandiose "improvement" was overtly proposed as a solution to soil management issues but seems more likely to be a way to “cleans” downtown of panhandlers. This too has been stalled by civic activists, unconvinced that lighted and pulsating water jets are the attraction that tourists seek in New England. 
Then there's sins of omission. In control of the airport, our mayor could have scotched the Air Force plan to station 18 nuclear-capable fighter/bombers in the most densely settled area of the state. He “let it happen”, as he did with a financial deal with a private investor that guaranteed that our municipal telecom would pass out of public ownership.

Had Weinberger listened to authentic public input, each of these projects would have been greatly improved to public benefit. Citizens developed a much better plan for the remnant of the circumferential highway that would enhance rather than damage travel connectivity and neighborhood life. Had he listed to critics of downtown development, a reasonably-sized project would now be in the last stages of construction. Had he heard park enthusiasts, there would be a public bathroom in the downtown, maybe a shaded toddler  play area rather than another festival venue. 

There’s some changes the mayor does own. He blocked his own Parks and Recreation department's proposal to expand public moorings at the lake, refusing an associated federal grant in order to allow private investors to lease the public waterfront. Oh, and subsidizing them with $800,000 in TIF support. Yes, more than 700 units of new housing at Cambrian Rise are on the way, but that project was greased with $2 million in public funds spent to secure its lake view and front lawn. Citizen activists wanted more open land and space for wildlife. 
To a great degree, politics is a matter of projection. Voters endow candidates with their own hopes and dreams, creating an aura that reflects back on voters to make them feel good. In Burlington, we like to think our town is dynamic and innovative while delivering quality social services with the costs justly apportioned. This conviction is like a pat on the back we give ourselves. Didn’t we chose to live here? It takes a lot of government failure to chip away at this cultural capital. And for a long time we may be distracted by razzle-dazzle: "cool" electric scooters on our bike path; fireworks on July 4th; bouncing colored water jets in City Hall Park. But now its the morning after Mardi Gras. The only razzle-dazzle we can see is some glitter in the gutter.

A, B and C of Safe Modern Busy Street Design

Note: The U.S. dropped from first to 20th in highway safety since 1990 with today about 22,000 excess fatalities and hundreds of thousands of serious injuries each year compared to the numbers generated per mile of travel by the average of the top four nations--the UK (we were tied with them in 1990 for #1), Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.  AAA studies point to desperate need for U.S. to address its shoddy highway safety status.  AAA, AARP, Federal Highway Administration and Geico all support roundabouts for safety and converting signals to roundabouts for reducing serious and fatal injuries. 

The A, B and C of Modern Busy Urban Street Design:

the Burlington, VT Example

--yes, there are D, E, F, etc. to be covered in future analyses

Since 2000 a revolution occurred in United States modern busy urban streets design. Today there are three generic elements necessary when choosing to serve safely those who walk, bicycle, and, yes, those who travel by car on a busy urban street.

The three core busy urban street design elements are:

1. sidewalk
2. roundabout
3. cycle track (protected bike lane)

The basic design principle? Safety first!

If your busy urban street lacks one or more of these three central components—or their equivalent--by definition one or more ways of travel is unsafe, undeserviced and/or less than the desired, complete transportation street.

In many cases geographic (sharp grades like San Francisco hills), physical constraints (older narrow streets), etc., prevent fully achieving all three elements. The three elements remain the desired objective for safety! The 1000 Friends of Portland study found, essentially, the formula to walkable busy streets are a sidewalk network free of sharp grades plus ease of crossing intersections only the roundabout enables safely.

Almost by default by a neighborhood driven planning process, the Burlington, VT adopted its North Avenue Corridor Plan in 2014 where these three elements were enshrined to provide the highest level of safety for all modes: an existing sidewalk system, cycle track from end to end of the 2.6 mile corridor, and conversion of three of seven busy intersection traffic signals to roundabouts. Note the report two-page Chapter 1 vision and goals: https://studiesandreports.ccrpcvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/FINAL-NorthAve_CorridorReport.pdf

The roundabout, birthed in the U.K. in 1966, arrived in the U.S. in 1990. By 2005 NY State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) made the roundabout which cuts serious and fatal injuries about 90% its standard based on better safety for all modes. At U.S. and Canadian roundabouts, about 10,000 today, only one pedestrian and two cyclist fatalities occurred to date. NYSDOT's 2005 action instantly fossilized the traffic signal in America. (Consider the Assam, NL design preferred by many in the U.S. with a separate walk and bike lane: https://www.google.com/search?hs=ylX&q=assam+roundabout+design+netherlands&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=opera&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiYqdO8_s_iAhVkRN8KHbZODNIQsAR6BAgFEAE&biw=784&bih=462 )

Historically cycle track is the newest and most rapidly adopted generic street element—the first cycle track network in North America being installed in Montreal in 2007.

Cycle track adoption here includes its appearance statewide bike plans like the first Illinois state bicycle plan in 2014 and by 2017 in the form of a cycle track network in

Burlington, VT's planBTV Walk Bike: https://www.burlingtonvt.gov/planbtvwalkbike The “old” bicycle provisions of paint on street may have been help to the then prevalent young adult male cyclists. But paint on streets excluded most less skilled, old and young, and women concerned with personal safety. Simply, paint on asphalt is not a safety device and offers minimal safety benefit compared to cycle track while leaving most of the potential bicycle riding community unwilling to ride two wheelers.

Yes, there are some additional wrinkles. Led by Vermont bikepath pioneer, now Dr. Anne Lusk, Harvard School of Public Health, the cycle track alternative location on sidewalk level where there are business or other mixed use areas emerged. Dr. Lusk led the first safety studies showing the superior safety performance of cycle track in Montreal early this decade. Here is the 2010 Lusk study report: https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/17/2/131

Japan cities feature widespread use of sidewalk level cycle track (though only now adopting roundabout technology). Bicycling is a natural part of Japanese urban neighborhood travel activity (and connecting to subways in major cities) with pedestrians and cyclists of all ages mixing in a low speed cycling context on sidewalk spaces and street crossings. (Up to 10% of Japanese bicycles are E-bikes.)

Among other features, sidewalk level cycle track favors adjacent businesses with easier access and added flexible space between the business and vehicle travelways. Cycle track not on vehicle travelway may be at sidewalk level or at a separate level between the sidewalk level and vehicle travelway. Sidewalk cycle track examples:

https://www.google.com/search?hs=pNs&q=sidewalk+level+cycle+track&tbm=isch&source=univ&client=opera&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi_w9DW_c_iAhWGT98KHRe9Ah8Q7Al6BAgFEA0&biw=784&bih=462

There are a few other variations in street design of note, particularly “shared space” where all modes mix, coexist in a low speed and safe context https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shared_space One reason busy street urban Japan cycle track works so well is the presence of shared space neighborhood “local” side streets as described in the Wikipedia entry.

These major changes in safe busy urban street design took place since 1990 when the U.S. began its drop from 1^st to 20^th in highway fatality rates, now 22,000 yearly excess highway deaths compared to the average of the top four, the U.K. (co-leader with U.S. in 1990), Norway, Sweden and Switzerland. Safety first!

Tony Redington  June 7, 2019

TonyRVT99@gmail.com @TonyRVT60 TonyRVT.Blogspot.com

Plattsburgh, NY Rents $4,000 to $8,000 Lower Per Year than Burlington, VT

Renter and Economy the Big Losers in Current High Plateau of Burlington Rents Compared to Plattsburgh Market 

A combination of historic market forces—all harming the renter and the economy—leaves Burlington renters paying thousands of dollars more each year for the same or even sometimes inferior apartment than renters across the lake in Plattsburgh. While the difference in rents—Burlington over Plattsburgh—is in hundreds of dollars monthly the annual cost of a median rent is $4,200 higher in Burlington for a 1-bedroom (1-BR) apartment, $8,100 for a 2-BR apartment. 

Certainly over decades a collusion involving real estate interests, banks, rental property owners, yes, even the large non-profit housing sector all have played—and continue to play—a role in reaching the high rent levels and unfortunately those same interests have a stake in maintaining those high rents regardless to how overall this is a self-inflicted wound to both to the renters (with particular pain to low and moderate income).

From the early 1990s through the early years of the recovery from the Great Recession in 2010-2012, the Burlington housing market featured notoriously low vacancy rates as both population and student numbers grew in the County a the City. Suddenly, thanks in part to mayoral leadership and growth moderation in the County, rental housing supply increased and so did vacancy rates reaching healthy 3-5% levels about 2016-2017. Today with about 1,000 new apartments coming on line and student populations, flat since 2010 at UVM, likely to slowly decline, pressures will likely build to lower rents. 

My first look at Plattsburgh versus Burlington rents occurred in 2011 when considering a move from Montreal back to the Burlington area. Took a look at both Plattsburgh and Burlington rents at that time and those in Plattsburgh were significantly less than Burlington. In 2011. Burlington and Chittenden County rental vacancy rates as measured by Allen and Brooks surveys each year generally were 1-2%. When I sought an apartment in late 2011 there were literally no apartments which were decent on the market. Needing a studio or 1-bedroom (1-BR), there was a 2 BR available here and there but about twice the 1-BR rent. Suffice to say did come across a 1-BR which had not yet been put on the market at a reasonable cost. Will leave further history on rent and landlord relations moot at this point.

Plattsburgh like Burlington does have a large number of 4-5 bedroom apartments termed “student housing” on Craigslist. Plattsburgh is about half the Burlington population of 42,000. As part of exploring rental housing in Burlington I have from time to time over almost three years undertaken “snapshot” rental vacancy tabulations by price and bedroom size in a two-three day period. This involves examining available vacant units primarily on craigslist, but also on various websites—Bissonnette Properties, Trulia, MyBurlingtonApartment, etc. The snapshot surveys began in mid-2016 just when significant numbers of new apartments began to come on line. Follow up snapshot inventory numbers show about a 3% annual increase in median 1-BR rents and 5.6% increase in 2-BR rents. 

Give credit to Mayor Miro Weinberger for opening up Burlington for private development of housing, a rising tide which now appears a flood with more than 1,000 housing units coming on the market (Cambrian Rise [Burlington College property site], Bayberry [SD Ireland site on Grove Street] and City Hall Place numbers alone top 1,000). Note rents surveyed generally did not include heat and electric so one might add, for example, about $100 to a 1-BR and $125 for a 2-BR to adjust a median rent as offered to a median rent with all utilities included. 

Here are the 1 and 2 br numbers BTV, Plattsburgh and 2019 HUD FMRs used for all housing assistance (HUD Fair Market Rents include all utilities):

Rents

                                     1 Bedroom        2 Bedroom

Burlington                            $1,140             $1,575

(March 2019 Snapshot Survey)

Plattsburgh                             790                 900

(May 2019 Craigslist survey)

Rent Difference: Monthly       350              675

                     Yearly             $4,200        $8,100

HUD FMR (2019) (Source: Rentdata.org) 

Burlington                              $1,044          $1,341

(Burlington-South Burlington Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

Plattsburgh                             810              1,052

(Clinton County)

Rent Difference:                   $234                 $289

Note:U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FMR (Fair Market Rent) tables by location are published each year and are approximately 80% of median rents. These are the maximum rent that HUD will subsidize for a Section 8 Voucher (affordable housing assistance). The FMRs are updated annually. 

Some preliminary thoughts. Apparently the past tight market for housing in BTV may have led to bidding wars for private apartment sales with the student housing pricing somewhat inelastic and essentially zero vacancy rates overall in the rental market (now 5-7% or more in the pure private sector) resulting in high capital cost and therefore very high rents in BTV (forcing many to live in outlying areas). The market now has about 1,000 units on tap (Ireland's Bayberry, Cambrian, and about 60 units behind COTS by Redstone--plus about 250 units in the currently stalled City Place).  

Both cities probably have comparable property tax rates and cheap natural gas via pipelines.  So, we have overcapitalized housing (nice depreciation!).  Until the price of private purchasing of rental housing comes down and/or CHT-Cathedral find HUD or other sources to reduce their acquisition costs, rents like Plattsburgh remain far off.  

Then there are the other "soft" actions--activist tenant unions, better communications on pricing/tougher negotiation by tenants, etc.  CDBG could be brought into play. 

Key is a housing plan (there is none) at the state level and Region/City levels which recognize these realities and work on bringing market rents in line with Plattsburgh--looking a little more into the market there (the loss of population/air base a factor in current low rents?).  

Note there are a number of good landlords and apartment owners who buck the "all the market will bear" approach to renting and whose rents for quality units are below the median numbers with quality housing. 

Just building more housing which is capital intensive because of the once tight market (which inflated the rents and squeezes the tenants) is one sure way not to solve the problem of the current high plateau of rents. Still the offering of a free month of rent with an initial lease at Bayberry, a one year reduction of about 8% in the rent is an encouraging sign of a rental retrenchment in Burlington. 

Be aware that as a former state housing director I did deal in New Hampshire in a number of new/rehab housing projects where I encountered honest and fair minded developers and do not assume these folks are anything but effective and efficient builders of needed housing.  That said, conditions and individual owners can vary across the spectrum!  I view the HUD Section 8 New/Rehab program (initiated by Nixon) with 20-25 year commitments of affordable housing assistance as perhaps the most successful housing development programs to date. 

Tony Redington TonyRVT99@gmail.comMay 6, 2019

Internet Tour of Roundabouts at Event Venues, Airports, Tourist Attractions

Roundabout engineers recently put together a list of roundabouts now in place at event venues (like the Indianapolis 500), tourist destination (like Yosemite Park and Disneyland) and airports (Ann Arbor, MI--not listed the two new roundies at Manchester Airport).  An internet tour!

Major Venues with roundabouts nearby:

Indianapolis Motor Speedway: https://goo.gl/maps/3M6Yf4WrHku

Lambeau Field (NW of stadium): https://goo.gl/maps/qd27GRG8Py52

Pepsi Center, Denver, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/EfvEJURq5W52

Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE: https://goo.gl/maps/tSGDbdBRyXJ2

Tourist destinations also have seasonal influx issues:

Clearwater, FL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-5jpbaH6CY

https://vimeo.com/208422480?ref=em-share

Sarasota, FL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpMKPsBY7mY

Bird Rock, San Diego, CA: https://goo.gl/maps/QPULN3ygcm82

Avon, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/LUYQdNK5CVm

Vail, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/BprDFKb7S622

Breckenridge, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/cif4maQK4Ns

Yosemite National Park, CA: http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/news/local-news/9914-yosemite-national-park-implements-a-new-roundabout-in-the-yosemite-village-parking-area

Grand Canyon National Park, AZ: https://goo.gl/maps/NVB9ThAvsME2

https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/view.htm?id=1C36DB6F-155D-451F-673D2D967373E451

Fort Frederica National Monument, GA: https://goo.gl/maps/Cw3X7soRtx92

Grand Tetons: http://www.localnews8.com/news/grand-teton-plans-roundabout-at-busy-intersection/575000399

Legoland, Carlsbad, CA: https://goo.gl/maps/8S7FSNHLJeD2

Downtown Disney, Anaheim, CA: https://goo.gl/maps/Xq8CPEmdcTM2

Kings Beach, CA (Lake Tahoe): https://goo.gl/maps/q9tGtJ7J8rS2

Incline Village, NV (Lake Tahoe): https://goo.gl/maps/g4VVMymLAxx

Park City, UT: https://goo.gl/maps/vTY8WHZnxcR2

Kimball Junction, UT: https://goo.gl/maps/odnjf5mmzZ82

Aspen, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/xNSEbK47aqq

Big Sky, MT: https://goo.gl/maps/j92PZyuQyqM2

Steamboat Springs, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/oenKQn1zn8D2

Telluride, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/6oNYrnvYH562

Midway, UT (road to Brighton): https://goo.gl/maps/T9k67q1s2cJ2

Canyons Village, Park City, UT: https://goo.gl/maps/rZVgTKWixmt

Snoqualmie Falls, WA: https://goo.gl/maps/JCJmTaSpHx22

Northstar at Tahoe, CA: https://goo.gl/maps/PZnmK2EGXG62

Truckee, CA (Sugar Bowl): https://goo.gl/maps/5uJQDwzJT9G2

Summerlin, Las Vegas, NV: https://goo.gl/maps/xDtcDgCfpiv

Swinomish Casino and Lodge, WA: https://goo.gl/maps/tTXZGPw9Zhz

Airports are known to have peak travel periods:

Modern Roundabouts at Airports

Portland, OR, economy parking: https://goo.gl/maps/tD3WoKSfqrp

Billings, MT: https://goo.gl/maps/xUXP1gfvSNG2

Missoula, MT: https://goo.gl/maps/Rhcj9h7bvJr

South Bend, IN: https://goo.gl/maps/mdvkt5bhC812

Scranton, PA: https://goo.gl/maps/n1kbc94ZZL32

Pittston, PA: https://goo.gl/maps/DrCuMkMoQ1K2

Green Bay, WI: https://goo.gl/maps/s3D6aPJ9Bk72

Kansas City, economy parking: https://goo.gl/maps/orXCsCy656t

Vail, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/etMWGQZzAdN2

Grand Junction, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/6CtrqD6dwAD2

Fort Collins, CO: https://goo.gl/maps/UHL6bXZ7Umq

Ogden, UT: https://goo.gl/maps/pGoAcCrRhfk

Charlottesville, VA: https://goo.gl/maps/GHtaW2XPvLT2

Ann-Arbor, MI: https://goo.gl/maps/aqsWba113rJ2

Atlanta, GA: https://goo.gl/maps/XiBjybdFLCN2

Bellingham, WA: https://goo.gl/maps/A47HGDrnevP2

Sacramento, CA: https://goo.gl/maps/i3RUt94sWyy

Jackson, MS: https://goo.gl/maps/TFEeBdTszP62

St Johns Int’l, NL, Canada: https://goo.gl/maps/BzMLGsVA9A62

Victoria, BC, Canada: https://goo.gl/maps/wHZRoXAoHu22

Hobart Int’l, Australia: https://goo.gl/maps/GKJUaF3TsmC2

Dublin, Ireland (RAB and rotaries): https://goo.gl/maps/pXFKuj6acaQ2

Munich, Germany (elevated): https://goo.gl/maps/HDXMoXV1sw32

Southampton, England: https://goo.gl/maps/fnjxQbThCG32

Edinburgh, Scotland: https://goo.gl/maps/n1kbc94ZZL32

Manchester, England: https://goo.gl/maps/pKwfCN9A1uw

Cork, Ireland: https://goo.gl/maps/VQkgRYK1q4x

East Midlands, England: https://goo.gl/maps/Qh2RAqKR7Yq

Luton, England: https://goo.gl/maps/uapnqDBdqi82

Kuwait: https://goo.gl/maps/9SGT2B6oYUR2

Yes We Can: Winooski Avenues--Making Burlington's Greatest Street

Yes We Can: Winooski Avenue--Burlington's Greatest Street 

The current North and South Winooski Ave corridor study seemed at first a challenging triage of a congested, narrow roadway--now it appears the Winooskis really can reach through flexible and unique design its deserving historic role as Burlington's "Greatest Street." 

The Winooski Corridor Study may very well achieve a "yes, we can" outstanding urban pathway:
Yes we can--cut carefully some parking which takes away from green space and safe walking-bicycling accommodation.  Yes, we can--serve the neighborhoods first and through traffic second in providing safe walking and bicycling for all ho can (see photo of sidewalk level cycle track applicable from Riverside to the north to at least Main Street).  Yes we can--employ the core safe best practices on our streets--the "intersection safety belt" roundabout and the safe for all ages and skills cycle track (protected bike lanes).  Yes we can--eliminate parking on at least one side of the street except for the central area (Archibald-North Streets) shifting the space to green and bike space use.  And, yes we can: provide a green strip throughout the corridor.  And, finally, yes we can:  strengthen and rejuvenate both the businesses and residential neighborhoods into a more sustainable and livable context.

Sidewalk level "cycle track" shifts the purpose of bike lanes to serving the needs of the neighborhood cyclists to access nearby businesses services and friends--this leaves the through cyclist to a secondary position, still retaining the skilled rider to the vehicle travelways.    Suddenly, all who can--young, old, and in between regardless of skill can bicycle--now only about 10% of the Burlington population bikes much at all.  This photo from Kyoto taken in October.


The intersections?  Again as in the North Avenue Corridor Plan (2014) the all-modes intersections safety belt, is the obvious choice.  (Recent public opinion surveys show about 75% of Americans favor replacing dangerous intersections with roundabouts--plus this is a priority change for GEICO, AAA, AARP and federal highway officials.)

Here is a 2011AARP Pine Street workshop photo from the report recommending roundabouts from stop to bottom of Pine Street in the South End, this engineering base design at Pine and Maple Streets.

Roundabouts  (all one way) are feasible at all the key intersections--they are not only safe (reduced pedestrian/vehicle injuries by about 90% and reduce bicyclists injuries) but the roundabout also cuts delay for all, cuts green house gas emissions by thousands of gallons of gas at busy intersections each year.  In the case of the Winooskis all intersections adjacent to the Marketplace (Pearl, Cherry, Bank, College and Main) are among the "Dirty 17"  City intersections averaging one injury a year--and add North Street/N. Winooski to that list. 

So, the "Greatest Burlington Street"?  Yes, the sacred Winooskis with the historic library and Fire Station, the main access to the City's shopping street (the Marketplace), location of the highest grossing co-op market in America, and the home to the lowest income Old North End neighborhood, the main avenue for the original trolley line from the waterfront to the Winooski manufacturing complexes--yes, the City's Greatest Street!  YES WE CAN!!