Irvin Dawid discovered Planetizen when a classmate in an urban planning lab at San Jose State University shared it with him in 2003. When he left San Jose State that year, he took with him an interest in Planetizen, if not the master's degree in urban & regional planning.
As a long-time environmental activist, he formed the Sustainable Land Use committee for his local Sierra Club chapter and served six years on the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Advisory Council from 2002-2008. He maintains his interest in air quality by representing Sierra Club California on the Clean Air Dialogue, a working group of the Calif. Environmental Dialog representing business, regulatory and public health/environmental interests.
Major interests include transportation funding, e.g., gas taxes, vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees, road tolls and energy subsidies that lead to unlevel playing fields for more sustainable choices.
He hails from Queens (Bayside) and Long Island (Great Neck); received an AAS in Fisheries & Wildlife Technology from SUNY Cobleskill and a B.S. from what is now Excelsior College.
After residing for three years on California’s North Coast, he’s lived on the San Francisco Peninsula since 1983, including 24 years in Palo Alto. Home is now near downtown Burlingame, a short bike-ride to the Caltrain station.
He’s been car-free since driving his 1972 Dodge Tradesman maxi-van, his means to exit Long Island in 1979, to the junkyard in 1988.
Major forms of transportation: A 1991 'citybike' and monthly Caltrain pass, zone 2-2. "It's no LIRR, but it may be the most bike friendly train in America."
Irvin can be reached at [email protected]
Allocate High Speed Rail Full $4 Billion, Argues NYT
In this editorial, the New York Times urges the Senate not to reduce the House's high speed rail budget allocation of $4 billion to $1.4 billion. Though President Obama is a prominent supporter of HSR, he supports delaying the transportation bill.
House Votes To Extend Clunkers Program
The Cash For Clunkers Program or CARS (Car Allowance Rebate System) received a major vote of confidence on July 31 when the House overwhelmingly voted to inject $2 billion into the enormously popular program.
Feds Take Action On Driving While Texting
Banning "DWT" - driving while texting, could soon become the next 'seat belt requirement' for states to avoid forfeiture of some of their federal highway funds if a Senate bill is to become law.
LA ExpressLanes (aka HOT Lanes) Toll Schedule Set
LA's Metropolitan Transportation Authority has set a toll 'schedule' for solo motorists on the new High Occupancy Toll, or 'ExpressLanes', as the MTA refers to them, on the 10 and 110 freeways. Opening date may be 2010.
LaHood To Congress: VMT-Reduction A 'Must' To Reduce Global Warming
Testifying to the Senate Environment & Public Works Committee on July 14, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood clearly states that fuel efficiency must be complemented with livable communities and transit to reduce transportation-related carbon emissions.