Robert Foster

Austin slacker dreaming of a world where humans don’t completely and totally f-up the entire environment. He/him

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

For all the love that Paris is rightly getting for the pandemic transition away from cars, I am shocked that we are seeing so little about what is happening in Mexico City

So here is a thread about the best transition in North America

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

Every time I am about to delete this app @dieworkwear drops an absolute banger and I cannot bring myself to do it

Just wish I could block every blue checkmark I don’t follow by default… absolute garbage on this app

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@serraotweets @brintash @KUTnathan This station includes a significant amount of double tracking too. So that does add a good amount

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

Looks like the Texas state legislature is trying to prevent this with House Bill 146 they are voting on tomorrow. It wouldn’t allow any changes that reduce car lanes on Congress without State Preservation Board Approval

Loving all the “small gov’t” the State is forcing on Austin

[The ATX @TheATX1]

The City is seeking input on turning Congress Ave on the south side of the Capitol building into a pedestrian plaza. This would be between 7th St. & 11th St. From the Austin Business Journal:

"Public input is being sought regarding the so-called Congress Avenue Urban Design Initiative, which would make Austin's main street a “more human centered, multimodal, complete street with a clear and attractive identity," according to an Oct. 9 announcement from the city.
The biggest change to Congress Avenue in the proposal would be to convert the blocks between Seventh and 11th streets into pedestrian plazas — blocking vehicles from traveling north and south starting at Seventh. The proposed pedestrian plazas would still allow vehicles traveling east and west to cross Congress Avenue between those two streets."

"Other changes between Congress Avenue and Cesar Chavez Street would include converting existing parking spaces to pedestrian uses and improving bike paths. It's possible some retailers on Congress Avenue could claim some of the newly created space.
According to a study previously commissioned by the city, 94 parking spaces on Congress Avenue would be eliminated by the initiative, which equates to a reduction of 0.27% of publicly available spaces in the area.
About $22 million in funding for the first phase of the project — which city officials said was inspired by the transformation of the Texas Capitol Mall — would come from a 2020 mobility bond initiative."

"The initial phase would include street reconstruction and two of four pedestrian plazas, according to the city's Transportation and Public Works website. They would be between Ninth and 11th Streets, and the project would include the addition of trees, street lights and expanded cafe zones. The blocks between Seventh and Ninth streets also would become pedestrian zones, but the streets wouldn't be reconstructed and trees wouldn't be added until additional funding is identified."
https://t.co/iAUQlp9YAK

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@KUTnathan The first image seems to show only two lanes of access roads. I believe the real amount is 8 lanes, 4 per direction next to each other. Seems like a pretty big omission

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

My niece’s High School in republican Georgetown(suburb of Austin) is threatening to fire the librarian if she doesn’t remove certain “woke” books from her shelves. She is making a stand for her students

Please sign the petition and share https://t.co/Y0vhDDyspd

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@ConorKenny @subdivisionguy Is insulation an issue with crawl spaces? I know in the old houses on 37th the floor is so cold in the winter but I assume modern construction probably does better than houses built 90 years ago.

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@juliogatx @CurtRog Guy was working a chop shop and I feel like that is what the cops need to focus on. People steal bikes because they can get quick cash no questions. Even just making them post on craigslist would be a barrier to them.

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@juliogatx @CurtRog Luckily his gf came out and started yelling at both him and me. She was heated enough the operator sent someone immediately. Cops came, talked to him and did nothing. Mostly gave me a hard time about if it was really my bike despite it being literally tethered to my phone

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@meawoppl Thanks for making this. Literally had this thought as I was falling asleep. Relevant xkcd

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

So turns out the CapMetro train can stop quite quickly

Thank god as the bus got stuck under the gate. Ironically this happened because they stop the buses before crossing the train tracks to be extra safe

No one was injured and they were able to get back on way

[Safe Streets Austin @safestreetsatx]

Now is a great time to start planning your next block party!

🔧Block party permit information: https://t.co/27kwzuoJTE
👋DM us if you'd like support on organizing your first block party

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@AgWxMan1 @EvilMopacATX My dude. Name a thing you like in Austin and I will show you how the Dems helped build it

We have two LBJ lakes for a reason

Texas being Red is an anomaly for us long term Texans. Just wish my grandfather was around for it to swing back blue

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@juliogatx Is that legal? I thought that tax rate increase had to be used on cap metro

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@JackCraver I just had the same thought with Mr “I have business interests in 8 council districts and Sixth Street is a war zone now”

That talking point is weird as 6th St is literally full of cops every night

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@vtando26p @the_transit_guy @CarsRuinedCity Also Cincinnati has some the most beautiful historic buildings in the country. It really was an amazingly dense and beautiful city that was completely destroyed by the freeway system and “slum clearance”

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

Two weekends ago I passed by human billboards telling pedestrians to wait for the signal to cross at 6th and San Jacinto

There was not a single block of San Jacinto’s bike lane that wasn’t blocked by illegally parked cars leading up to these billboards

Still blocked today

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@maybekatie00 Back Lot is always the right destination

[Robert Foster @soc4austin]

@AnitaTrill64 Happy birthday!!! What an amazing day of news. Shit is insane but so believable

[Jessie Singer @JessieSingerNYC]

Okay! This is going to take a while...