Transportation

In an excerpt on Places from his new book, Smart Cities, urban forecaster Anthony Townsend considers the inevitable glitches.

October 14, 2013 - Places Journal

The NYPD's failure to produce usable traffic crash data, or agree to change their data gathering and reporting procedures, is just one example of the obstacles confronting implementation of the city's landmark open data law.

October 13, 2013 - WNYC: Transportation Nation

“MythBusters” has put another urban debate to bed. According to a recent episode of the Discovery Channel show, roundabouts really are more efficient than four-way stops.

October 12, 2013 - nextSTL.com

Micheline Maynard writes about an AASHTO study showing that the share of American families who don't own cars had been declining since 1960 but stopped in 2007 at 8.7%. By 2011, it had budged up to 9.3%. She suggests four reasons for the reversal.

October 12, 2013 - Forbes

One of Brooklyn's busiest streets has been branded a "Bike-Friendly Business District", with cyclists offered discounts at participating stores. But without plans for a dedicated bike lane, cycling advocates are skeptical of the pronouncements.

October 11, 2013 - The Brooklyn Paper

The financial data is clear: BRT costs much less to go further and serve far more riders. Case closed, or is it? The Denver Post editors look at HNTB's cost and ridership estimates for the Northwest Rail Line and offer a recommendation, sort of.

October 11, 2013 - The Denver Post

One of the leading candidates to replace Cincinnati's progressive mayor Mark Mallory is threatening to cancel the city's 3.6-mile streetcar line if elected. With contracts signed and work under way, canceling it could cost more than completing it.

October 10, 2013 - Cincinnati CityBeat

The recipe for a happy commute isn't just about length. Whether in a car or on mass transit, predictability and productivity are among the key attributes.

October 10, 2013 - The Wall Street Journal

Mayor Bloomberg's plan to mandate a standardized taxi for the streets of New York was given a potentially fatal blow this week by a State Supreme Court judge. With his successors unlikely to take up the legal battle, the plan appears doomed.

October 9, 2013 - The New York Times

Amid heavy political pressure, a plan to build a new expressway between Chicago's suburbs and Indiana backed by Gov. Pat Quinn and the Illinois Department of Transportation was dealt a significant defeat by Chicago's regional MPO this week.

October 9, 2013 - Daily Herald

Thanks to a Calif. law implemented in 2008 requiring ocean-going ships to switch from high-sulfur bunker fuel to cleaner fuels within 24 miles of the coast, Bay Area air quality significantly improved by reducing deadly particulate emissions.

October 9, 2013 - BAAQMD News Release

Debates rages on in response to the City Centre Access Strategy as it's revealed that the CBD could loose around 20% of its parking places and loading zones on two key streets to make way for the expanded cycle path scheme.

October 9, 2013 - Sydney Morning Herald

It may be hard to image fleets of cargo bikes replacing the large polluting trucks that tear up our city streets. But a European Union project estimates that the majority of freight in 322 cities studied could be moved by cargo bike.

October 8, 2013 - Treehugger

Unless these states come to an agreement with Amtrak by Oct. 16 to help subsidize regional rail service, required by the Passenger Rail Investment & Improvement Act of 2008, Amtrak will cease operating them. Agreements were reached with 16 states.

October 8, 2013 - Governing

After spending $820 million over fifteen years to rebuild 423 lane-miles along Interstate 80 from Auburn to the Nevada state border, Caltrans is finally done with the road project.

October 7, 2013 - Sacramento Bee

The NAACP is probably not the first advocacy group you think of when it comes to supporting walking and biking. But the civil rights organization encourages increasing physical activity in minority communities to help reduce childhood obesity.

October 7, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

The Port Authority of Allegheny County is moving forward with plans to remove buses and bus stops from Downtown Pittsburgh in an effort to decrease congestion on the streets and sidewalks. The plan is supported by the presumptive next mayor.

October 7, 2013 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

As cost estimates for California's high-speed rail system have risen, public support for the project has dropped. But desire for the project's predicted benefits remains strong.

October 6, 2013 - WNYC: Transportation Nation

Andy Singer is an alternative transportation advocate that uses cartoons, rather than written diatribes or combative slideshows, to argue against America's auto-oriented environments and policies.

October 5, 2013 - The Atlantic Cities

Three groups review the final bill (also known as Kings Arena bill) that reformed California's landmark, but controversial 1970 environmental law known as CEQA: CA Economic Summit, NRDC and Climate Plan. All credit the author, Sen. Darrell Steinberg.

October 5, 2013 - NRDC Switchboard