Truck kills neighbor

A neighbor of ours from Elm Street was struck dead a few days ago while trying to cross Liberty Street. Miss Anna was of those people who seem to be permanent parts of your block; always there, watching everyone and making small talk. Elm Street got a bit poorer today.
From the Cincinnati Post:

An 85-year-old was killed Saturday while trying to cross a street in Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati police said.

Anna Pace of Over-the-Rhine was crossing West Liberty Street near Pleasant Street when she was hit by a pickup truck about 3:45 p.m. She was not in a marked crosswalk, police said. She was taken to University Hospital, where she died.

I don't yet know the details, however I can pretty much guess she had just finished picking up a few items at Findlay Market and was walking home, down Pleasant, which continues on both sides of Liberty, but where there is no light. Many people cross here, and you will often see people dodging the traffic.

Liberty Street is the most dangerous street in the neighborhood to cross. The entire length of Liberty needs a green median, like Central Parkway and parts of MLK (in Clifton/Avondale) have. The median is needed partially because older people cannot get accross the street fast enough, and need to stop and rest in the middle.

Trains, Subways and Amtrak

 

Doesn't look like much fun getting kids in and out of old timey street cars does it?

In my opinion trains are the ideal way to travel with children. We just completed a trip in which we rode on several versions of rail travel: Amtrak, two subway systems and one incline.

Amtrak provided us with a very smooth and enjoyable ride from Harrisburg to Manhattan (Penn Station). What a relief to get away from a steering wheel for 3 peaceful hours and read with the kids. We got 4 seats facing each other, and we packed a lunch and could get up and walk around as we please. Also, what kid doesn't like trains? Very enjoyable. The only negative with our travel on Amtrak is that on the return trip, someone either stole or found our camera on the train and kept it (along with our memory card with all of our photos)

Subways: Kids also like the subway, but it is louder, bumpier and more confusing for kids. In NYC very few of the stops are stroller freindly, and thus it is a very big headache getting in and out. The subway in D.C. however was totally accessible and a much more pleasant ride, being that long stretches of the track run above ground, and kids and parents alike prefer to gaze at passing neighborhoods, not sooty black tunnel walls.

Incline: Wow, the kids loved going up the incline in Pittsburgh. Kinda like Charlie and the glass elevator. I wish I had those photos.

After this trip, I am more than ever excited about Cincinnati's proposal for streetcars. Above-ground rail travel is the most pleasant and accessible way to travel. Separated grade trains are ideal for longer distances of course, but after seeing the video showing people in wheelchairs rolling on and off street cars in Portland, I am convinced this will be a great way to move around the basin area.

130 pictures lost

I haven't posted lately because I was on a roving vacation. I documented lots of cool playgrounds and child-friendly city activities in New York City and Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, my camera somehow dissapeared in the past few days, and I fear it is lost, along with a memory card with over 100 good photos, many which were intended for use on this blog. Very frustrating.

Pittsburgh kicks ass

I just spent half a day or so in Pittsburgh with the kids. I had visited once or twice before many years ago, and always liked it. Being a river town, with steep hills I always thought of it as a kind of sister city to Cincinnati.

In the past I travelled their very short subway/light rail, line, and basically checked-out the "downtown" area. This time however, we visited the University area, Oakland, and then spent an enjoyable evening in Southside. We ended up the evening with a trip up the Duquesne Incline.

I was impressed on several levels. First, the people were down to earth, regular and freindly. Oakland is home to several universities, and the campus buildings interact with the city life much better than UC does in our Clifton neighborhood. Also, the civic buildings are very impressive. These proud buildings made me feel that these people had civic pride and love of their city.

Southside is a kinda working class, Over-the-Rhine or Northside type neighborhood, that seems to have embraced it's destiny. I know nothing at all about this neighborhood. But the streets, the ethnic churches,and brick rowhouses tell you where you are. It was chock full of people on a Sunday evening. I saw many young families in Southside. I also saw lots of active storefronts and renovated houses. I saw some buildings that needed maintenance, but never saw one totally vacant building, like you will find all over parts of Cincinnati.

Overall, Pittsburgh kicks Cincinnati's ass in that the University area is better, the civic structures are better, and the streetlife and nightlife are better. Add on top of that, the steeper, and taller hills, 3 rivers, 15 bridges, and many tunnels and intense rail traffic, and you have one great city.