Over various blog posts through the last few years, I've shared some of the key steps and stages leading to the eventual unanimous Council approval of Vancouver's EcoDensity Initiative. Since then the EcoDensity Charter and new policies have been changing the way we think about density, green building and site design, and our ecological footprint in and outside of city hall. We've also been moving forward on various EcoDensity actions approved in principle by Council back in 2008.
Infrastructure
Making Property Owners Pay for Sidewalks
Los Angeles sidewalks are in an advanced state of disrepair, with little to no funds available. A new proposal in front of the city council puts the burden on new property buyers.
LAist
Illinois Approves $31 Billion Construction Plan
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed into law a bill that will bring about $31 billion worth of road, transit and school construction projects.
Chicago Tribune
Western States Trying to Get on the High Speed Rail Bandwagon
Officials in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas are pooling efforts to try to secure federal funding for a high speed rail link between their urban areas.
The Houston Chronicle
Keeping an Eye on License Plates
The posh San Francisco Bay Area town of Tiburon is planning to install cameras that record the license plate numbers of all cars coming into town. Police will use the system to apprehend criminals or investigate crimes.
San Francisco Chronicle
The Battle Over the Microgrid
The "smart" grid powered by renewable energy sources is likely to be fundamentally different from the current electricity system in more ways than one. Some say it won't be as large-scale as it is now. That's not what utility companies want to hear.
Fast Company
Nuclear Power on the High Seas
A Russian manufacturer has announced plans to build a nuclear energy plant on a floating platform near the Bering Sea.
The New York Times
Why Broadband and Telecommuting Are Transportation Issues
Telecommuting should be considered an aspect of transportation, according to this piece from New Geography.
New Geography
Is Concrete the New Asphalt?
As oil prices rise, so does the cost of asphalt. Concrete, historically more expensive, is now becoming a viable cost competitor. Because of its lighter shade, its also been shown to contribute less to climate change.
The Infrastructurist
Free Gas To Stimulate Main Street
Wed, 07/08/2009 - 18:12
Everybody knows that most, if not all, of downtown businesses' customers arrive by car. So it's intuitive to try to come up with a way to encourage drivers - who normally wouldn't venture downtown - to hop into their rides and cruise on down to Main Street to shop for wares. If we could do this, just think of all the new business we'd be stimulating! In continuing with this logic, it's also a given that it's impossible for would-be customers to actually get to downtown without the essential attaché to driving, gasoline. So, isn't it therefore intuitive to suggest that if cities were to give away a little bit of gas to each customer – you know, to kind-of thank them for their generosity - then customers would find an overwhelming incentiv
Putting Stimulus Dollars to Work
Economic improvement projects funded by the stimulus are moving full steam ahead -- in France.
The New York Times
Highway Teardowns Benefitting Traffic Flow and City Life
The Infrastructurist offers four case studies of cities that have removed highways. The result: less congestion.
The Infrastructurist
Roundabouts 20% More Effective At Moving Traffic
Roundabouts, usually considered a quirky European development, can reduce delays at intersections by 20%, according to studies by Kansas State University.
Project For Public Spaces
Las Vegas Included in California's Rail Plans
Las Vegas will now be included in plans for California's high speed rail network, according to the Department of Transportation.
Progressive Railroading
Thousands of Miles of Mississippi Delta Lost to Sea Level Rise by 2100
By 2100, vast stretches of the Mississippi Delta will be lost to sea level rise, according to a recent study. More than 5,000 square miles could be lost, including much of New Orleans, researchers say.
The Christian Science Monitor
Greening America's Roadways
Our nation's roads must be greener, says David Wenzel of HNTB. A green road is one that is designed, built and maintained in a manner that protects and enhances the environment, lessens the impact on its surroundings, and encourages mass transit.
Tiny Submarines Run Real Cable
An Italian company is using an RC model submarine to run fiber optic cable through sewer systems.
Boing Boing
A Walk On The High Line
Managing Editor Tim Halbur reviews The High Line, the much-lauded new linear park in Manhattan.
