Transportation

20mph Zones Saving Lives in London

Over the last decade, London has established more than four hundred 20 mph zones across the city. The 10mph decrease has had a significant effect on the number of fatalities.

March 23, 2010 - Streetsblog

Overdue Debut of Austin Light Rail Line

Austin's Capital MetroRail Red Line opens today after two years of delay and budget overruns. Intended as a showcase line, Yonah Freemark claims the line will see very few riders.

March 22, 2010 - the transport politic

Does Greater Efficiency Encourage Greater Waste?

Jevon's Paradox is the idea that the more efficient a resource becomes, the more it is consumed. With new future fuels in the works, those promoting sustainability and conservation find themselves at odds with innovation.

March 22, 2010 - Fast Company

Regional Taxes For Transportation?

The NYT looks at a provision in a state assembly bill to restore transit funding to beleaguered CA transit agencies by allowing voters in regions to approve gas fees. Not only was the provision dropped by the Senate - the governor vetoed the bill.

March 22, 2010 - The New York Times - U.S.

Funding for Las Vegas Maglev Instead Going to Highway Construction

A $45 million federal earmark to help fund a maglev train between Los Angeles and Las Vegas is instead going to widening a freeway connection to the airport.

March 22, 2010 - Las Vegas Sun

A Middle Eastern Oasis for Sustainable Transportation

Like the U.S. in the mid-20th Century, much of the growth in Abu Dhabi over the last 35 years has catered primarily to the automobile. But new plans are re-wiring the city to make Abu Dhabi's streets more hospitable to pedestrians.

March 22, 2010 - Gary Toth

Finding Ways to Create "Emerald Necklaces" in Built-Out Cities

A string of connected parks laced through cities has been a vision of city planners since the days of Olmsted. Ben Welle of the Center for City Park Excellence has some ideas how that that vision can be implemented today.

March 19, 2010 - City Parks Blog

Waterfront Rail Plans Advance in Philadelphia

Plans to construct a waterfront rail line in Philadelphia are moving forward, with the recent approval of a $6.5 million contract to perform environmental reviews.

March 19, 2010 - The Philadelphia Inquirer

'Dooring' Claims Bronx Cyclist

It's yet another anecdotal reason for cyclists to bike well clear of the 'door zone' - and engineers and planners to ensure that cyclists have room to do so. Megan Charlop's bicycle ricocheted off a car door directly into the path of a city bus.

March 19, 2010 - Daily News

The Car Reconsidered

When most people use their cars in urban settings, what sort of vehicle is optimal? MIT's Media Lab asks the question, in their quest to invent the next generation of personal mobility.

March 18, 2010 - Metropolis Magazine

High Speed Rail Sprawl

Some planners are warning that high speed rail could spur exurban growth and sprawl.

March 18, 2010 - Wired

Freeways Responsible For Emptying Out Cities

A recent study shows that for every significant freeway that gets built in a major city, population declines by about 18%. Nathaniel Baum-Snow, author of the study, talks with Planetizen.

March 18, 2010 - Tim Halbur

Houston's Light Rail Funding Woes

Too much, too fast, is the analysis from The Transport Politic. Based on a voter-approved, Nov, 2003 plan funded by a one-cent sales tax, the transit plus HOV/HOT conversion plan has run into funding problems. This article focuses on LRT expansion.

March 18, 2010 - the transport politic

New Argument for Public Transit: Better for Texting?

In a recent piece in Wired, Clive Thompson suggests that the solution to the problem of texting while driving is not to stop texting, but to stop driving. The popularity of texting is a good reason to support public transit.

March 17, 2010 - Wired Magazine

Spain's High Speed Rail Uses Luxury to Lure

Spain's high speed rail system is consistently beating out airlines for inter-city travel. But it's not through low prices.

March 17, 2010 - The New York Times

Why do People Choose to Ride Transit?

Do certain kinds of people - students, elderly, environmentalists - choose to ride transit because of who they are? Or does the proper infrastructure make the difference?

March 17, 2010 - Psystenance

L.A. Transit: Up a Hill and Out to the Sea

The historic Angel's Flight funicular reopened yesterday, as Mayor Villaraigosa announces his vision to transform Los Angeles' transit system in 10 years.

March 16, 2010 - True/Slant

'Sea-Change' Coming To Transportation Planning

That's what Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood wrote in his blog after attending the League of Bicyclist's 10th Anniversary Summit, March 9-11 in D.C. And he means it - as reflected in the DOT's Policy Statement on bike and ped accommodations.

March 16, 2010 - League of American Bicyclists

TIGER Grants May Take Transit Off Endangered List

Less money for highways, more for transit and "complete streets" - New Urban News takes a look at where the $1.5 billion TIGER grants are going.

March 16, 2010 - New Urban News

High Speed Rail from London to Scotland Planned

Take a virtual (5-minute) trip on the 250 mph proposed train from London to Glasgow. All political parties agree on the need for what Secretary of State, Andrew Adonis, terms '21st century transport revolution', but the routing is less certain.

March 16, 2010 - BBC News

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

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