It seems like things around Decatur have been relatively peaceful this past week from what I can gather from thousands of miles away. But I just wanted to check in and share a few thoughts, generated by firsthand observations here in Berlin, along with an article Cherie was good enough to send along.

The article talks about the countless U.S. cities that are voting to demolish their archaic and poorly planned highways. The one in Oklahoma City, highlighted in the article, will be turned into a park while other cities look to open up the waterfront property that many highways overtook because of the flat terrain. (Seriously, I don’t understand any of the motivations behind urban development in the U.S. mid-20th century.)

As for observations from Berlin…they all deal with public transportation. And though none are unexpected, they still are worth mentioning.

First, bikes are everywhere. On nearly all Berlin streets, bikers have their own dedicated lanes, sometimes in the street, but more often as a part of the sidewalk, indicated by a different color brick. Also, bikers always follow the rules of the road (unlike Atlanta bikers that pretend that traffic lights and signs don’t apply to them)

Second, trains and buses are ultra-efficient and always on time. Even the bus stops tell you when the next bus will arrive with electronic signs

I’d be a fool to think that we’re not a long way off from this in the U.S., especially in a city like Atlanta. But cities like Berlin show us that $8 gas creates an entirely different urban dynamic.