Government / Politics

San Antonio Christmas

San Antonio Set to Become Fifth-Largest U.S. City

The city may grow by 200,000 in the next two years, surpassing Philadelphia and Phoenix, if city leaders agree to annex five surrounding unincorporated areas. The Wall Street Journal considers the effect of annexation on meeting inner city needs.

December 23, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

Busy Crossing Street

Big Cities Make Pedestrian Safety a Priority

New data released Dec. 19 by NHTSA shows increased safety for those traveling by car, but pedestrian fatalities are 15% higher than in 2009. Plans by San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago to increase ped safety are described by the WSJ.

December 22, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

Michigan Voters to Decide on Transportation Sales Tax

The Michigan legislature compromised on a plan to raise money for state transportation funding. Instead of increasing the fuel tax, voters will consider an increased sales tax that exempts the fuel tax.

December 22, 2014 - MLive

Washington Governor Proposes Cap-and-Trade to Fund Highways

After a failed attempt to increase the fuel tax, itself a form of carbon tax on gas and diesel sales, Gov. Jay Inslee seeks to use revenue from carbon permits purchased by stationary sources in a new cap-and-trade program to pay for transportation.

December 21, 2014 - The Seattle Times

Sunset Plaza

Part One: Should MoMA Tout Tactical Urbanism(s) as a Solution to Uneven Growth?

In part one of a two-part series, I introduce MoMA's latest Issues in Contemporary Architecture exhibit and offer a definition of Tactical Urbanism.

December 20, 2014 - Mike Lydon

Transportation Think Tank Recommends Ending Highway Trust Fund

The non-partisan Eno Center for Transportation has had it with futile attempts to raise the federal gas tax and the never-ending transfers (bailouts?) from the federal general fund to keep roads and transit funded. "Pay as you go" no longer works.

December 20, 2014 - Logistics Management

Searching for Middle Ground in the Urban-Rural Divide

Aaron Renn responds to a column in the Kansas City Star lamenting the political inequities of Kansas City's urban setting relative to nearby rural communities.

December 19, 2014 - Urbanophile

Arctic Lovers Can Thank Falling Oil Prices for this Gift

The high cost of drilling for oil in the Arctic, combined with the lowest oil prices in five years, have caused Chevron Corp. to drop their test well drilling program in Canada's Beaufort Sea.

December 19, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

New York Bans Fracking for Good

Gov. Andrew Cuomo finally made a decision—make it permanent in 2015. Fracking foes won an important battle as the Empire State has massive natural gas reserves in the Marcellus shale play. In the end, health issues trumped economics.

December 18, 2014 - Vox

It's A Wonderful Life

The Most Popular Planetizen Posts of 2014

We've been collecting data on the posts you made the most popular for the year 2014.

December 18, 2014 - James Brasuell

CEQA and High-Speed Rail Foes Dealt Setback by Federal Board

Faced with seven CEQA lawsuits from rail opponents threatening to delay the high-speed rail project, the California High-Speed Rail Authority sought preemption of the California environmental law. The Surface Transportation Board agreed.

December 17, 2014 - The Fresno Bee

Parisian Traffic, Air Pollution Reduction Plan Caught on Political Snag

Parisian clean air politics turn out to be something of a class issue, even for a socialist mayor. The plans are seen as penalizing low income Parisians while benefiting elitist city dwellers who dislike traffic, overshadowing public health benefits.

December 16, 2014 - The New York Times

International Climate Accord Reached in Lima

Known as the Lima Accord, after the capital of Peru where representatives from 200 nations met for two weeks, a deal was reached to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in preparation for talks to be held in Paris in December. But is it strong enough?

December 16, 2014 - The New York Times

Federal Spending Bill Passes—TIGER Trimmed But Still Alive

With most of its funding intact for 2014, and a proposed ban on funding for active transportation projects off the table, fans of TIGER grants can take a deep breath.

December 16, 2014 - Streetsblog USA

12 Cities Awarded 'Innovation Delivery Team' Grants from Bloomberg Philanthropies

After announcing a first round of grants in August, Bloomberg Philanthropies expanded its $45 million innovation teams program to 12 cities in the United States and two abroad.

December 15, 2014 - Bloomberg Philanthropies

After Keystone Delay, Enviros Challenge Other Pipelines

After successfully stalling the Keystone XL pipeline that would transport tar sands crude from Alberta to Gulf area refineries, environmental activists are targeting other proposed pipelines, although the result may be more crude-by-rail shipments.

December 15, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

California's Moderate Population Growth: The New Normal

New demographic data released Dec. 11 by the state Department of Finance shows the state grew by 335,000 people to 38.5 million, nearly one percent, despite a declining birth rate. While the most in six years, the growth rate has slowed overall.

December 13, 2014 - San Francisco Chronicle

The Georgia Transportation Funding Debate

Georgia's experience emerging from the recession as revenues increase after years of government belt tightening is common around the country. The question now: How to finance the improvements to the state's neglected transportation infrastructure?

December 13, 2014 - SaportaReport

Republican Governors, Encouraged by Low Gas Prices, to Raise Gas Taxes

While there may never be a good time to increase the federal gas tax, the same is not true when it comes to state gas taxes—perhaps because governors can't transfer billions of dollars from general funds to pay for roads. Lower gas prices helps.

December 12, 2014 - NPR

North Dakota to Reduce Volatility of Bakken Crude-By-Rail

Bakken crude is considered more volatile than other types of oil, which presents a safety problem when moved by rail. New regulations approved Tuesday require oil producers to separate flammable and volatile liquids prior to shipment by rail.

December 11, 2014 - The New York Times - Energy & Environment

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