In a recent blog I emphasized the value of using smart growth policies to increase household affordability and support regional economic development. In his blog, “Planning Foreclosures,” Samuel Staley reaches a very different conclusion.
Transportation Costs
New Study Ties Housing Affordability to Sustainability
Sarah Laskow reports on a new study by the Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) that seeks to rethink how affordable housing is defined to incorporate transportation costs.
Good
Why Transportation Projects Are Expensive
David Levinson poses some possible answers, such as inaccurate project scopes, insufficient economies of scale, and an increase in safety standards.
The Transportationist
HUD's Donovan on Transportation and Housing Costs
HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan talks with PBS about the department's new approach of integrating transportation and housing policy.
PBS
The Personal Cost of Transportation
A new website created by the Center for Neighborhood Technology calculates how much an average household in your neighborhood would spend on transportation, with results for cars and public transit.
Governing Magazine
You Can't Have Good TOD Without the T
Philip Langdon argues that if the U.S. is going to shift toward compact, less resource-consuming patterns of development, Americans will have to rely increasingly on mass transit - so it better work.
New Urban Network
Popular Cycling Cities See Pedal Prices Rise
A Freakonomics blogger has trouble finding an affordable bike in Portland, and looks into the reasons why.
The New York Times: Freakonomics Blog
Aging Canada to Strain Transit, Infrastructure
A new report warns that an aging Canadian population will drive up infrastructure costs in public transit, water management, and roads and sidewalks.
Canada.com
Driving Versus Public Transit Costs
Mon, 09/15/2008 - 13:58
I often hear debates over the costs of different modes of transportation, particularly between driving and public transit travel. Rising fuel prices have made public transit more attractive for some trips, boosting ridership, but critics point out that for most trips, transit fares are still comparable with fuel costs (for example, at $4 a gallon, fuel costs about $2 for a typical 10-mile trip, comparable to a bus fare in a typical city), and generally take longer. It is therefore legitimate to ask whether public transit really saves money.
Moscow Tops List of World's Most Expensive Cities
Moscow tops an annual ranking of the world's most expensive cities. The survey examines housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment for corporations and government agencies determining living costs for expats.
Forbes
A Billion Dollars in Injuries Makes Transit Pricey
Riders of the New York MTA hit the transit agency with $1.2 billion in injury and damaged property claims, seriously impacting the affordability of transit.
Reuters
Comprehensive Evaluation of Congestion Costs and Solutions
Thu, 09/27/2007 - 15:01
The newest Texas Transportation Institute Urban Mobility Report was recently released, stimulating discussion of congestion costs and potential solutions. Here are some things you should know when evaluating these issues.
