Government / Politics
As the economy continues to struggle, many expect governments to increasingly look at privatizing roads and other infrastructure.
Reuters
Officials in Honolulu recently approved a measure that will allow voters to decide whether to build a long-planned $4 billion rail system.
Honolulu Star-Bulletin
Security is a major concern during large public events like the Olympics. The Chinese government is making preparations for a safe event, but could they go too far?
Buildings Magazine
<p>The prospect of a looming MTA deficit and rising transit fares is prompting a second look at congestion pricing in Manhattan, a project defeated by the state Assembly in April, notwithstanding a federal grant for $360 million.</p>
The New York Times
Blog post
As gas prices keep rising, the public demand for buses and trains keeps growing. Yet in some cities, government is actually cutting back transit service, because rising gas prices make transit vehicles more expensive to operate.(1) But as a matter of substantive policy, service reductions are not only less desirable than service increases, but also less desirable than fare increases. As a bus rider, I’d rather pay $1.50 and know that my service is safe from fiscal crises than pay $1 and worry that my service might be reduced or canceled next month. Moreover, if fairness means spreading pain equally throughout the population, it is fairer to have everyone pay a little more than to have some neighborhoods be left without service.
<p>This commentary from <em>Reason</em> looks at the prospect of a national infrastructure bank and argues that much more needs to be done.</p>
Reason
<p>San Francisco has passed some of the strictest green building requirements in the nation, for new construction and renovations.</p>
The San Francisco Chronicle
<p>Citizens in Weston, Massachusetts, one of America's toniest suburbs, continue to block a local college's effort to build senior housing, raise its endowment and provide scholarships for low-income students.</p>
The Boston Globe
<p>For China, the Olympics represent a struggle between letting people in and controlling what they see and do. This is a problem, writes Andrew Yang, that implicates the Olympics-related architecture in a bad way.</p>
The Architect's Newspaper
<p>In this op-ed, a builders association representative argues that proposals for inclusionary zoning laws in Minnesota that require a certain percentage of affordable housing do not achieve the goals they aim for.</p>
The Pioneer Press
<p>Architect Robert Adam likens modern architecture to modern democracy, where decisions made on high supposedly represent the will of the people.</p>
Building
<p>San Francisco's latest attempt to mandate employers to provide benefits to their workers is to provide economic incentives to use public transit or vanpools. However, unlike prior mandates, e.g. health care, the business sector appears OK with it.</p>
The San Francisco Chronicle
<p>This just in from The Onion.</p>
The Onion
<p>Keep gas and diesel taxes stable and add new road tolls and private investment, and the road funding deficit will be solved, according to the new Bush transportation plan released July 30.</p>
The Wall Street Journal
<p>Author Bill Bishop discusses the "big sort" that's resulting in increasingly homogeneous voting patterns in the segment on Comedy Central's <em>Daily Show</em>.</p>
The Daily Show
<p>In a last-minute effort to beautify the city before the start of the 2008 Summer Olympics, officials in Beijing have put up walls and screens to hide unsightly neighborhoods from the eyes of visitors. Those behind the walls are not happy.</p>
The New York Times
<p>The Bay Area's transportation agency, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, approved a comprehensive plan for regional High Occupancy Toll lanes, mostly from conversions of existing and already-planned carpool lanes, totaling almost 800 miles.</p>
The San Francisco Chronicle
<p>Last year, Sierra Madre voters passed Measure V, which placed strict limits on the size of downtown developments, effectively killing a specific plan that was in process. Now, the city council is fighting over releasing the plan's unfinished EIR.</p>
Pasadena Star-News
<p>President George W. Bush signed into law a package of housing legislation intended to ease the burden on thousands of borrowers who face losing their homes. The legislation will also bail out major mortgage financiers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.</p>
The New York Times
<p>As the worst recycler amongst the 30 largest American cities, Houston has a lot of trash on its hands. But many obstacles stand in the way of the city closing the loop.</p>
The New York Times
