Over the semester, I've been exposed to a variety of unique ways that other people have chosen to implement change in their cities to make them just a little bit better. Each time I see one of these ways of change, I feel disappointed with myself for not thinking of that first. However, I also know that Salt Lake City is extremely unique. It is filled with Mormons, which makes the social environment different from anything else in the world. We are blessed with a foul smelling lake that defines the ultimate Northeastern border of the city, when it finally does expand that far. We are also bounded in every other direction but straight south by vast mountains. I like to think of these mountains as boundaries too, although the city does expand up onto their foothills in neighborhoods like the Avenues.
This outward expansion is disconcerting, because there is plenty of space existing within the bounds of the valley. Suburbs, though an ideal part of the American dream, do not further a healthy social environment, as we have discussed in class. Salt Lake City has a beautiful blueprint already laid out, and within this blueprint the city could blossom into a lively, contained metropolis. The area we have to work with could be easily combed with public transit to make all areas of the city accessible. We already have this beautiful grid laid out, which can be both a blessing and a curse. The grid promotes uniformity, which lends itself to the assumption that all areas are and should be the same. However, in order for Salt Lake City to become the city I see it as, each of the areas must embrace what they have that is unique. The roads should not all be the same width, and some roads should not be roads at all, but public walking plazas. Most public walking plazas that we have are not integrated into the grid system.
Unfortunately, the beautiful geographic blueprint that has already been laid out for us also serves to trap us in our own filth. By this I am referring to the inversion, which happens in the winter months. The mountains here, which are such an attractive feature for so many people, also hold us accountable for our pollution. While the inversion makes me wish I didn't live where I do, I am also glad that we are held accountable for our awful pollution regulations and our higher-than-average commute distance/time. If I lived in another city, I might own a car by now, but living here makes me see how irresponsible using a car is. If there was one thing I could change about Salt Lake, it would have to be the pollution habits of the citizens. Whether this means that my pinprick of change is expanding the public transportation network to include a TRAX line on Foothill or re-doing the entire city bike lane commute system, I know that my priority is to try to implement something that changes commute habits and the way that people think of the inversion.
The main categories that I can think of that we could implement change in are transportation, social space, social programs, forming a non-profit company, and natural landmarks (such as water). There are so many directions that this project could go in, but I would ultimately want to change the transportation culture of the city. To me that seems like a really big task, which the PRAXIS lab can't accomplish on its own, but hey, a girl can dream. I am also struggling with my selfishness. The easiest place/way for me to imagine change is close to or relating to the University of Utah Campus, because it is my genus locai. I would love to put a TRAX line in on Foothill, and I would love to turn the area that forms a "T" at the base of President's circle on University street and 200 S into a red rock pedestrian plaza with a fountain and bustling storefronts. However I feel selfish thinking of these things because they directly benefit me, and they benefit the rest of the city less. I'm not sure how to alter my perspective to encompass more of the city, because I don't use much of the city besides my little corner.
This outward expansion is disconcerting, because there is plenty of space existing within the bounds of the valley. Suburbs, though an ideal part of the American dream, do not further a healthy social environment, as we have discussed in class. Salt Lake City has a beautiful blueprint already laid out, and within this blueprint the city could blossom into a lively, contained metropolis. The area we have to work with could be easily combed with public transit to make all areas of the city accessible. We already have this beautiful grid laid out, which can be both a blessing and a curse. The grid promotes uniformity, which lends itself to the assumption that all areas are and should be the same. However, in order for Salt Lake City to become the city I see it as, each of the areas must embrace what they have that is unique. The roads should not all be the same width, and some roads should not be roads at all, but public walking plazas. Most public walking plazas that we have are not integrated into the grid system.
Unfortunately, the beautiful geographic blueprint that has already been laid out for us also serves to trap us in our own filth. By this I am referring to the inversion, which happens in the winter months. The mountains here, which are such an attractive feature for so many people, also hold us accountable for our pollution. While the inversion makes me wish I didn't live where I do, I am also glad that we are held accountable for our awful pollution regulations and our higher-than-average commute distance/time. If I lived in another city, I might own a car by now, but living here makes me see how irresponsible using a car is. If there was one thing I could change about Salt Lake, it would have to be the pollution habits of the citizens. Whether this means that my pinprick of change is expanding the public transportation network to include a TRAX line on Foothill or re-doing the entire city bike lane commute system, I know that my priority is to try to implement something that changes commute habits and the way that people think of the inversion.
The main categories that I can think of that we could implement change in are transportation, social space, social programs, forming a non-profit company, and natural landmarks (such as water). There are so many directions that this project could go in, but I would ultimately want to change the transportation culture of the city. To me that seems like a really big task, which the PRAXIS lab can't accomplish on its own, but hey, a girl can dream. I am also struggling with my selfishness. The easiest place/way for me to imagine change is close to or relating to the University of Utah Campus, because it is my genus locai. I would love to put a TRAX line in on Foothill, and I would love to turn the area that forms a "T" at the base of President's circle on University street and 200 S into a red rock pedestrian plaza with a fountain and bustling storefronts. However I feel selfish thinking of these things because they directly benefit me, and they benefit the rest of the city less. I'm not sure how to alter my perspective to encompass more of the city, because I don't use much of the city besides my little corner.
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