Transportation

Can the nation's largest state department of transportation, long oriented to building highways and fighting congestion, be brought into the modern, multi-modal era? The State Smart Transportation Initiative's report for Caltrans may do just that.

February 1, 2014 - The Sacramento Bee

David Wildstein, the former Port Authority official who resigned over the George Washington Bridge-Gate lane closures and has refused to answer investigators' questions, indicated in his lawyer's letter that N.J. Gov. Christie knew of the closures.

February 1, 2014 - The New York Times

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is considering switching its single-trip transfer system to a more flexible time-based system allowing short return trips to be made without paying twice. Low-income and marginalized riders stand to benefit most.

January 31, 2014 - Now Magazine

In this European country, the Nissan Leaf is the third best seller and Tesla's Model S luxury car is number one. The major reason is not its environmental ethos, which is strong, but because of the perks that EVs receive. What county is it?

January 31, 2014 - The Guardian

Walk Score has published its analysis of the quality of public transit in 50 of the biggest cities in the United States. The rankings may surprise you.

January 31, 2014 - Fast Company Co.Exist

You can point the finger at unprepared politicians or mistaken meteorologists for paralyzing Atlanta this week. But to find the real culprits, you'll have to look at the region's history of land use and transportation decisions, argues Rebecca Burns.

January 30, 2014 - Politico Magazine

The Charlotte City Council approved $12 million in engineering work for a proposed 2.5-mile streetcar extension. The city hopes the investment will help it win federal funds for the $126 million project.

January 30, 2014 - Charlotte Observer

In the aftermath of recent pedestrian fatalities, a lot of attention has been placed on lowering speed limits across New York City to improve safety. But the city's former traffic commissioner argues that other approaches would be more effective.

January 30, 2014 - New York Daily News

In prior State of the Unions, President Obama has put forth bold plans for building high-speed rail, tackling climate change and transitioning to alternative energy sources. Facing an obstinate Congress, he outlined a more modest agenda last night.

January 29, 2014 - Los Angeles Times

If we really want more people to use transit, and we think it's a worthwhile goal to subsidize people's commutes, why go through all the trouble of tax deductions and employer control? Why not just subsidize transit passes directly?

January 29, 2014 - Shane Phillips

The new law is for any bike rider who has ever paused to wonder if drivers on the road even understand the meaning of the traditional right turn hand signal.

January 29, 2014 - Associated Press via Detroit Free Press

Hoping to bypass the Sacramento Superior Court's twin rulings in November that crippled the Calif. High Speed Rail Authority's ability to tap $10 billion in state bond funds, Gov. Brown has petitioned the state Supreme Court to overturn the rulings.

January 29, 2014 - The Sacramento Bee

For the first time in over 50 years, streetcars are on their way back to the nation’s capital, where long-term, the city will build 37 miles of tracks. D.C. planners are citing Portland as the model for an expected rush of development investment.

January 29, 2014 - The Washington Post

Is there a relationship between carless households and density of college graduates? Derek Thompson of The Atlantic connected the dots using Michael Sivak's latest 'peak car' study and saw a relationship between the two variables.

January 29, 2014 - The Atlantic

In a move to increase speed, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) is looking to cut some stops from its streetcar and bus routes, rousing debate over whether less is really more - particularly in consideration of elderly and disabled riders.

January 28, 2014 - The Toronto Star

The National Transportation Safety Board called on federal regulators on Jan. 23 to approve several measures in light of a rash of oil train derailments and crude oil explosions as did their Canadian counterparts, the Transportation Safety Board.

January 28, 2014 - The Wall Street Journal

A new survey of the American people from the Pew Research Center ranks the priorities of the public on matters like the deficit, healthcare, and crime. Bringing up the rear of public concern: infrastructure and global warming.

January 27, 2014 - Pew Research Center

How far should cops go to ticket jaywalkers, particularly when dealing with non-English speaking senior citizens? An 84-year-old upper-West Side resident was targeted by New York's finest, and ended up arrested, bloodied and hospitalized.

January 27, 2014 - New York Post

People have been driving about 1% less per year for the last 9 years. What can public-private partnerships for transportation alternatives do to stoke this fire?

January 26, 2014 - PlaceShakers

Last year, the U.S. increased oil consumption by two percent, surpassing the increase in China for the first time in more than a decade according to a new IEA report. How does this increase square with peak car, peak VMT, and peak oil consumption?

January 25, 2014 - Marketplace