Transportation

Town Bans Bikes Over Safety Concerns

Black Hawk, Colorado, population 100, has seen increased traffic since building a casino in 1991. Officials say their narrow, Gold Rush-era streets are not up to accommodating both bikes and vehicles, so bikes are verboten.

June 21, 2010 - The Guardian U.K.

Tapping the Crowd to Solve America's Transportation Problem

Slate is soliciting ideas from its readers to improve the nation's transportation system.

June 21, 2010 - Slate

Double-Parking, Churches, and Cyclist Safety

Double-parking can be hazardous to cyclists. But police in San Francisco aren't enforcing the law when double-parking happens during church services. Some argue that the rule of law must be followed.

June 20, 2010 - The New York Times

Cairo Opens Design Competition for Its New Pedestrian Center

Cairo is revising its downtown area into a "pedestrian friendly plaza." Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif will expand the successful 'daytime pedestrian zones,' and has launched an international design competition to produce a master plan.

June 18, 2010 - ASLA The Dirt

Too Many Traffic Lights

Architect Arrol Gellner says that traffic engineers use traffic lights far too often when a simple stop sign works better and is much less expensive.

June 18, 2010 - Daily Journal of Commerce

Underground Berkeley Bike Station Surfaces

...and expands almost nine-fold to be the nation's second largest. While not as proximate to the BART gates as the existing ten-year-old, 400 sq. ft station, it will be only be half a block away.

June 18, 2010 - Contra Costa Times

The Sorry State Of Indian Rail

The sorry state of India's government-owned railways, both rail and freight, are hampering India's progress. Unlike China's authoritarian approach, politics in the world's largest democracy appears to be a major obstacle to modernization.

June 18, 2010 - The New York Times - Global Business

The Most Agressive Mayoral Transit Advocacy in America

Jarret Walker writes on Mayor Villaraigosa's 30/10 plan and why Los Angeles is a "smart long term bet" as a sustainable city.

June 17, 2010 - Human Transit

India's Transportation Infrastructure Not Keeping Up

Aging and under-maintained rail and transportation infrastructure in India could severely stifle the country's development, according to some critics.

June 17, 2010 - The New York Times

Vancouver Debuts Two-Way Bicycle Lane

The new bike lane is fully separated from car traffic and runs downtown on Dunsmuir Street, and is being tested for the next six months for viability.

June 16, 2010 - Price Tags blog

Auckland's Privatized Transit a Warning for Toronto

As part of their "free advice" to Toronto's next mayor, that city's business lobby group the Board of Trade is recommending that the city privatize its public transit services. Bad idea, says Jim Stanford.

June 16, 2010 - The Globe and Mail

Does 'Grand Theft Auto' Make People Bad Drivers?

A new study says that videogames like Grand Theft Auto that encourage reckless driving may make it more likely that one would drive recklessly in the real world.

June 16, 2010 - The Christian Science Monitor

New Bike Lanes Hope To Eliminate 'Dooring' Factor

Actually, dooring (motorist or passenger exiting car opens door on passing cyclist) might still occur, but the driver would have to watch for passing cars, not cyclists, as the bike lane would be placed between the parked cars, buffer and the curb.

June 15, 2010 - San Francisco Examiner

L.A.'s Bold Transit Moves

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's plan to cram 30 years of transit projects into one decade is gathering steam in Washington -- and other cities are watching closely.

June 15, 2010 - Next American City

TOD Commands A Premium In Denver

Apartment seekers are willing to pay more for places next to transit, says a market analysis by Grubb & Ellis. Proximity to transit was the #1 factor in their decision.

June 15, 2010 - The Denver Post

High-Speed Rail Will Mean 150,000 New Jobs

A new report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors says that the added connectivity from high-speed rail will create 150,000 new jobs and $19 billion in new businesses by 2035.

June 14, 2010 - The New York Times

Transit Aid: The Operating Vs. Capital Dilemma

Transit advocates are used to battling the 'road lobby', but this article reports on a clash between small and mid-sized transit agencies (who want more flexibility) against the larger ones, as well as the main transit lobbying organization, APTA.

June 14, 2010 - The Washington Post

50mph Speed Limit Would Cut CO2 By 30%, Says New Study

Reducing the speed limit to 50 mph, say researchers, would create the tipping point where taking transit or modes other than driving will become more attractive and therefore save CO2 emissions.

June 13, 2010 - Wired

Transit Oriented Development in Los Angeles a Tricky Issue

A debate is simmering in Los Angeles between transit planners, developers, urban planners, and community activists about the future of transit-oriented development.

June 13, 2010 - Los Angeles Streetsblog

Landscaping Opportunity at The New Bay Bridge

John King is encouraged by the nascent plans for a "fantastical" new landscape at the eastern end of the Bay Bridge. The Bay Area has a chance to create something as "lasting and bold" as the high line in New York or Chicago's millennium park.

June 13, 2010 - San Francisco Chronicle

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