[RTC List] Comments for General Plan on info-tech

Wed Jan 30 17:22:18 PST 2008

To all, 

Well said Rob. 

Many of us with real IT jobs wonder how the activists that have taken over
this list have the time to whine on and on about all this political crap. I
suggest you go fix yourselves before you go try and fix the world for us.
The backlash of the radical no-compromise approach broke the spirit of some
well meaning folks in the late 60's and it appears to be happening all over
again.

I am deleting myself from the list as well. 

Keep the faith,

Walter Chalton

-----Original Message-----
From: list-bounces at redwoodtech.org [mailto:list-bounces at redwoodtech.org] On
Behalf Of Arkley, Rob
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 4:47 PM
To: Josh Koenig; list at redwoodtech.org
Subject: Re: [RTC List] Comments for General Plan on info-tech

Dear All,
    This is my last e mail to Redwood Tech.  I am deleting myself from
your list. 
    The below idea is a bad one.  In fact, it is REALLY bad.  
    One observation:  Redwood Tech is in real danger of becoming too
political, if it has not already.  Once this occurs, your strengths will
dissolve and you will become just another group with a political agenda
rather than an above the fray, well focused and objective group.  

                                   Vty,

                                   Rob

-----Original Message-----
From: list-bounces at redwoodtech.org [mailto:list-bounces at redwoodtech.org]
On Behalf Of Josh Koenig
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 4:10 PM
To: list at redwoodtech.org
Subject: Re: [RTC List] Comments for General Plan on info-tech

Hey Pat/List,

With the caveat that I am not a lawyer, or certified to parse govspeak,
I have done a fair amount of translation to/from bureaucrateeze. So
here's my best shot.

The gist of this proposal is that these two paragraphs should be
included in the General Plan:

> "Information technology solutions or which make travel by non-single 
> occupant vehicle modes more convenient, desirable, or efficient, and 
> which would reduce peak-hour automobile travel demand, shall be 
> considered as mobility management solutions that may, singly or with a

> suite of other solutions, substitute for projects which would increase

> roadway capacity."

Meaning: the county's plan should tell them to look at technology which
will alleviate traffic by making alternatives to solo-driving more
attractive/viable, instead of simply building more roads.

> "Consider information technology solutions such as telework and 
> teleconference programs and facilities that allow for the substitution

> of vehicle travel as mobility management solutions that may, singly or

> with a suite of other solutions, substitute for projects which would 
> increase roadway capacity."

Meaning: the county's plan should also tell them to look at telework
technologies which will reduce overall demand for road travel as
alternatives to building more roads.

The rest of the proposal includes some rationales for this change, and a
few examples of how such technologies are beginning to be used
elsewhere, but that's the meat. The plan should explicitly endorse the
consideration of these alternatives.

IMHO the strongest argument here is that the General Plan has a 20- year
lifespan. Even if you're skeptical about "telepresence centers"  
or "electronic ridematching," over the coming two decades the variety
and viability of technologies which can potentially increase
productivity and quality-of-life while simultaneously reducing
automobile traffic is going to increase. Putting this language in now
lays a foundation for paying attention to these opportunities in the
coming years.

Transportation funds are a huge part of how our Public money is spent.  
For instance, the proposed Indianola interchange on Hwy 101 between
Eureka and Arcata could pay for a redundant fiber-optic link to Redding
twice over. This seems like a decent opportunity to try and herd our
transit planners towards more innovative solutions in the future.

It's not just about driving technology either; it's also about
effectively managing traffic. Nobody likes rush hour in Eureka, but
expanding road capacity historically has *at best* a temporary impact on
congestion -- at least this is what study after study has told us since
Robert Moses first noticed the effect in New York City in 1942.  
It makes a lot of sense to me to encourage the county to think outside
the box, and I'm happy to add my name to the document.

Cheers
-josh

------------------------------------------
Josh Koenig, Partner
http://www.chapterthreellc.com
AOL IM: chap3josh
1-888-822-4273

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