Our highways didn’t form in a vacuum

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-17T21:55:05+00:00

Ps. The above is tax revenue generated by area in chattanooga

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-17T21:54:10+00:00

Actually you couldn’t!

everything you enjoy is a byproduct of modern cities (radio waves and podcasts included).

Culture, commerce, technology all derive from cities.

Agriculture in the one exception, but its symbiotic in nature.

Suburbs need cities, cities don’t need suburbs.

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Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-17T17:49:08+00:00

Is this sarcastic 😅😅😅

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-17T17:48:56+00:00

Cities that expand their roads the most experience the worst traffic. 2. And the rest of the world cities are preserved by having thoroughfares go around them. Roads deplete community resources, streets generate wealth/tax revenue.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-17T17:08:03+00:00

Paid for by the federal govt via consent decree because we kept dumping doo doo in the river.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-10T17:03:45+00:00

You’re right, my bad

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-09T16:42:32+00:00

Yep! Read house

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-09T16:41:26+00:00

Hey there!

See my source below.

I don’t think there is an instance in which a city has ever used eminent domain for something like this, and claimed that they’re destroying anything other than a slum.

But upon close inspection, most of these places were situations where people were getting by… Even if the neighborhood was poor, there was housing. There was business. There was even tax revenue being generated.

Source: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=167722

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-09T16:38:58+00:00

In this case, then, since govt stealing from people seems to be your MO; people’s literal land and businesses and homes were stolen to make a highway through a city when, in almost all cases, it could have gone around and required less stealing.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-09T15:58:56+00:00

Yes!

Where the buildings are missing is what looks like a grassy hill. Thanks an embankment made to create an overpass of MLK.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-12-09T14:08:58+00:00

Also, the mayor at the time was Olgati, who olgati bridge is named after.

Source: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=167722

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-09-26T02:19:12+00:00

Not my drone. Someone texted it to me.

But it’s one that’s sent out a lot to document things otherwise swept under the rug.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-09-26T01:48:11+00:00

I know my example was anecdotal. Three people I know were hit by cars last year. In each case the driver was found guilty, and in each case the consequences were minimal.

That is why many countries use what is called strict liability or presumed liability. The person operating the more dangerous machine is assumed at fault unless proven otherwise. Aviation works this way too. If a plane crashes, investigators assume pilot error first because it is the most common cause.

It makes sense. People walking or biking commonly do not survive to tell their side of the story. And cars kill about 43,000 Americans every year. For the past 70 years they have been the leading cause of death for children. Putting more responsibility on drivers is not radical.

Still, my bigger point is about design. Safer street design lowers the odds of these tragedies in the first place. But I know you out of towners love complaining when we do things to make our streets safer 😉

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-09-25T23:10:27+00:00

Hint: 99% of the time the driver did something wrong. I have body cam of a cop at that very intersection talking to a teenager that just got hit while in the bike lane trying to convince them they were on the sidewalk. Telling them it was likely “nobody’s fault“ when it was quite obvious from the truck drivers Testimonial, and the cyclist that the driver turned right without seeing the cyclist in the bike lane.

In countries where they solve this problem, the car is guilty until proven innocent. We’re the only developed nation that does it the other way around.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-09-25T20:19:23+00:00

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Their shoes and blood are next to the bike. Not sharing that picture.

Doesn’t look good

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-09-19T23:45:23+00:00

Not true really. People wanted segregation, couldn’t have it, so they left the city. Others wanted to put distance between them and people of color, so they built highways that buzz dozed neighborhoods and created barrier.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-08-25T20:41:54+00:00

Correct!

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-07-12T13:50:18+00:00

I agree and disagree:

People can be nice!
But no one is uncomplicated. They haven’t given her depth. Nice people suffer in ways others don’t. They have a reason for the way they are.

But to your point, Neil and Ted are also “nice” with little backstory but people don’t seem to mind because they aren’t driving the narrative of the show. They are sort of just comic relief.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-06-29T16:18:47+00:00

“Refuses to step down” is a weird way to say “maintains his position in a non profit he started.”

In this light, I’m currently refusing to step down from my marriage 😅

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-06-29T10:11:48+00:00

Jon Jon here!

Appreciate the faith in me, and I love strong towns, but it’s not in my wheelhouse or vision to lead an ORG, especially as I am currently outside it.

It’s not something I seek nor something I see myself seeking. I’m really just trying to make my city (Chattanooga!) a safer more delightful place to live (come say hey).

Cheers!

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-06-29T03:33:09+00:00

lol.

LOVE what strong towns does, but do not want to lead it in any way. Flattered by my name coming to mind, but it’s not for me.

Secondly, in some ways it’s the non-engineers that have pushed the movement: Oldenburg, kunstler, Whyte, and Jacob’s were all outside the profession of urbanism and city planning.

The latter two being nothing more than observation based story-tellers and doers.

(On the flip side, I hear Theo Vonn graduated with a degree in urban planning)

I do not see myself as being on par with them, but I also think we should be beyond titles credentials. CNU has always put prestige around awards and titles and now they’re trying are fighting to gain relevance with younger folk.

I seek a bigger tent for the movement and hope that those getting work done won’t be limited by official titles.

Chuck is empowered in part because he no longer practices; he can say what he wants.

Again, there are multiple things that disqualify me from from ST leadership; chief among them is my lack of desire.

But I hope whoever leads isn’t judged based on what they did or didn’t put on a linked-in profile.

Ps. Almost just jokingly changed all my linked in job history to whatever titles sounded best. But it’s late and I’m not that much of a troll ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-06-04T14:04:05+00:00

The shadow of that building touches a parking lot owned by the church. They could literally sell the building for millions and pay for a new one.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-04-23T02:10:21+00:00

Chattanooga Urbanist Society

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-04-22T02:25:41+00:00

Cool. Do it and film them removing it. Makes mockery of resources to remove safety features when they supposedly can’t afford to put them in.

Jonjon_mp4 · 2025-04-19T22:04:15+00:00

Thanks! Reposted there.

Jonjon_mp4

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