Transportation

Traffic safety is an emerging issue in China, and officials are treating drunk driving, the cause of more than 50% of traffic fatalities, severely - so much so that a new business is flourishing: chauffeur service.

July 25, 2011 - Bloomberg Businessweek via SF Chronicle

The nation's fifth-largest rail system Bay Area Rapid Transit will collaborate with BMW DesignworksUSA to update its aging fleet.

July 25, 2011 - AutoBlog

In Vancouver, B.C., a stretch of elevated freeway was closed during the 2010 Winter Olympics for safety reasons. Turned out it wasn't missed, and locals are advocating to have it removed.

July 24, 2011 - New Urban News

A new report published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace proposes, among other things, a 5%-per-barrel tax on petro and the creation of the National Infrastructure Bank to cope with transportation budget cuts.

July 24, 2011 - America 2050

Student designer Alexander Vittouris won a design award for his bicycle made out of bamboo. What's so special about that? Vittouris shaped the frame as it grew so it needed no assembly.

July 23, 2011 - Grist

Zoning codes that mandate a certain number of parking spaces for businesses that serve on-site alcoholic beverages are inconsistent with law enforcement's campaign against drunk driving, says Eric de Place.

July 22, 2011 - Sightline Daily

Using a federal grant, New York City is studying the effects of a highway teardown not just on transportation but on housing, jobs, park access and quality of life.

July 22, 2011 - Streetsblog

Major study by the Partnership for Prevention identifies numerous ways to reduce air pollution, increase physical fitness and reduce traffic risk.

July 22, 2011 - Transportation and Health: Policy Interventions for Safer

The head of the New York MTA, Jay Walder, is leaving to take charge of a private transportation company in Hong Kong.

July 22, 2011 - The New York Times

Dan Leavitt, California High-Speed Rail Authority’s deputy director, says Calif. can either be at the whim of 'market-driven sprawl,' or high-speed rail can revolutionize the state. Yet, arguments for getting people to ride rail are contentious.

July 21, 2011 - The New York Times

Consultants hired by the City of Toronto are recommending dramatic cuts to public transit, including contracting out some routes and eliminating a late-night bus service popular with shift workers.

July 21, 2011 - The Globe and Mail

Bicycle use has increased in many parts of New Orleans, thanks to new bike lanes.

July 21, 2011 - Metropolis

Bicycling is growing in popularity in the U.S., but it still isn't considered a serious form of transportation as it is in Europe, according to this piece from Yale Environment 360.

July 21, 2011 - Yale Environment 360

Los Angeles Designer Julie Kim thinks the city is missing out on an opportunity at public transit hubs to create an environment that promotes interaction. So, Kim spruces up a bus stop with a coffee table and flowers and video records the results.

July 20, 2011 - GOOD Magazine

Cities plan to cut off individual parking garages is a gamble, says Josie Garthwaite in National Geographic -- yet making it impossible to park is one of the few yet most effective tools that reduces driving.

July 20, 2011 - National Geographic

This NYT editorial endorses the effort of a Long Island town supervisor to transform the Ronkonkoma LIRR station, one of the busiest stations on the nation's busiest commuter line from a sea of parking into a vibrant TOD with a convention center.

July 20, 2011 - The New York Times - Editorial

Using remote sensing, GPS technology and other high-tech strategies, city traffic planners aim to clear Midtown's infamous traffic problems - from Queens. The $1.6 million investment will tackle a problem costing the city about $13 billion a year.

July 20, 2011 - New York Post

A proposed 20-mile bridge would span the Red Sea to connect Egypt and Saudi Arabia -- connecting Arab states and reducing reliance on land passage through Israel.

July 20, 2011 - Der Spiegel

"Carmageddon" was a bust, yet for mass transit advocates it was an opportunity to build momentum toward a trend of more car-less days, the Los Angeles Times reports.

July 19, 2011 - Los Angeles Times

In an effort to improve the visitor experience and boost business, operators of a busy transit hub in Boston are bringing in performers and various activities to entertain people waiting and convince others to linger longer.

July 19, 2011 - The Boston Globe