GOOD Magazine has published an interactive graphic comparing our country’s largest mass transit systems (here). The abbreviated study looks at Chicago, San Francisco, New York City, Boston and Washington, DC. It’s an interesting visual study of what ‘works’ and reminds us that if you build it, maintain it and keep it convenience, the masses will [...]
Posts under ‘Transit’
Transit Discussions, Part 1
This week, the US DOT released the FY11 Budget, a $79 Billion package best summarized by three key agency priorities: improving transportation safety, investing for the future, and promoting livable communities (this last point is significant, we’ll come back to it in a minute). $10.8 billion (7.3%) of the budget is dedicated to transit projects [...]
My Love-Hate Relationship with the Metromover
Last night, after several bottles of wine the conversation turned to the Metromover. At the table were several colleagues from my office. We all have at the minimum college degrees, so I think it’s fair to assume that we are of at least average intelligence. Dario, a Londoner, explained to me that the first time [...]
Tallahassee Responds to ‘Dangerous by Design’
Shortly after the Dangerous by Design report came out, I filled out a letter at the Rails to Trails website to be sent to the Florida Legislature on the subject. I just got a form-letter reply from Speaker Larry Cretul that I’d like to share.
Thank you for your e-mail regarding the safety of pedestrians and [...]
Transit Summit This Week
As advocates of transit and alternative transportation within the Miami region, we have a duty to our future region to stay vigilant and continue to push for greater funding for alternative transportation methods and improving our current roadways and infrastructure. Secondly, we must make sure that we act responsibly and respond when [...]
Dublin: Teaching an Old City New Tricks
A month ago or so I had the opportunity to visit Dublin an old city that in recent years has reinvented itself as a modern, cosmopolitan metropolis. While I didn’t have the opportunity explore the country by rail (somewhat thankfully considering that a bridge collapsed the week after my visit) I was able to experience [...]
The Games Traffic Engineers Play
Okay, this one was sent to me from Dave Hull, via the Association for Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals’ listserv. The University of Minnesota’s Intelligent Transportation Systems Institute has released a “Gridlock Buster” traffic game, which helps students understand the “fundamentals” of controlling gridlock. Says the Institute of its new product:
“Gridlock Buster” is a traffic control [...]
High Gas Prices = Safer, Healthier, More Urban America
New research from Professor Charles Courtemanche of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro demonstrates that even a 1$ rise in gas prices can have a very positive effect on America’s health. Unsurprisingly, Courtemanche determines that as pump prices rise, more Americans walk, take transit, bicycle, eat out less, and in general think about moving [...]
Pic O’ The Day
Bicycling along NE 61st Street this morning, I came across a rare site.
Florida Makes Its High-Speed Rail Bid
The State of Florida is moving forward with high-speed rail plans, this time with the full support of the governor. In its bid, the state is asking for $2.53 billion, just over a quarter of what the feds have set aside for such initiatives. While we, and others, have reported some skepticism on Florida’s ability [...]
A Great, Green Neighborhood
Great Green Places: Columbia Heights from National Building Museum on Vimeo.
A Real American Streetcar
The blogs are aflutter with Ray LaHood’s visit to Portland, Oregon yesterday. Among other things, he was stopping in to help celebrate the completion of an American made streetcar. The car made by the Oregon Iron Works is the first to be produced in this country in the last sixty years. We can all hope [...]
SFECC Overtown Workshop: Tomorrow!
Apologies for the late notice, but the following information was just sent to me.
There will be a South Florida East Coast Corridor study workshop tomorrow in Overtown at the Culmer Neighborhood Center (1600 NW 3rd Avenue). The workshop will take place from 9:30am-1:00 and be held in the multi-purpose room. This is one of many [...]
Florida In Running for High Speed, Not Likely To Receive Funding
Alfonso Chardy of the Miami Herald writes that Florida transportation officials are “reviewing interim guidelines issued by the Federal Railroad Administration with a view to applying for a share of $8 billion in federal stimulus money for high speed rail.” However according to Florida Today, the Sunshine State is not a likely candidate. Instead, California [...]
Dump The Pump
Tomorrow is national Dump The Pump day, an annual event started by the American Public Transportation Association to encourage people to try transit, walking, or bicycling to their daily destinations. As Miami-Dade Transit Director Harpal Kapoor says in this Miami Herald article on the subject, with gas prices rising again (49 days straight) now might [...]
