Annals of Motordom – 4

An occasional update on items from Motordom – the world of auto dominance.

GENERAL MOTORS STILL AT IT

… presenting visions of the future of at World’s Fairs.

Here’s how they imagined the future at the 1939 Fair in New York.

And here’s their vision in 2010 at Shanghai.

According to Michael Geller:

At the SAIC- General Motors pavilion, visitors will discover the EN-V or Electric Networked Vehicle of the future.  It is designed to alleviate concerns surrounding traffic congestion, parking availability, air quality and affordability. It is also very cute.

Cute,  yes.   But ‘alleviating congestion’?  Looks like they putting out the same ol’ hornswoggle.

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GREAT GRIDS

Greater Greater Washington‘s Daniel Nairn has created a poster comparing the various grids of American cities.  His poster includes typical blocks from cities like Kalamazoo and Salt Lake City – and of course Portland, home to the famous (and tiny) 200-foot-square grid.   Though often praised, no other city seems to have duplicated it.  Same with Manhattan, of course – home to the long and skinny blocks not found anywhere else in America.

For more on the grid – both vehicular and transit – you’ll want to check out Jarrett Walker’s illustrated analysis – and then, after that, his particular praise for Vancouver’s “almost perfect grid.”

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