Posted on Monday May 18th by The Infrastructurist | 171
- While every other technology in our lives has exploded since in the past, oh, eight decades, passenger rail service in the US is now a couple of notches below where it was during the Harding administration, writes Tom Vanderbilt. For instance, the Chicago to Twin Cities trip took half as long. (Slate)
- An AP analysis finds that states are spending 50% more stimulus dollars per person in economically healthy counties than in distressed ones. The “shovel ready” requirement may be adding to poor counties’ misery. (AP)
- The airline industry expects 150,000 fewer people in the skies every day this summer versus last year. (USA Today)
- A bill passes committee in the Senate that would provide billions in funding for America’s water and wastewater infrastructure. (Senate EPW)
- The Waxman-Markey climate bill now under consideration by Congress will include a “Complete Streets” provision to encourage pedestrian, bike and transit friendly roads. (StreetsBlog)
- Just as Detroit is collapsing, China’s auto industry is about to become the biggest in the world. There’s also growing speculation the Chinese will try to buy up some choice scraps of the US carmakers–Hummer, for instance. (WaPo)
- A panel of transportation experts weigh in on the question of whether it’s realistic to think Americans can lead car-free lifestyles. Most think we can move incrementally in that direction. (NYT)
- From Alaska, a newspaper editorial urging that the next transportation bill should pay for transit operating costs and create “complete streets.” “It’s not the ‘highway bill’ anymore,” say the editors. (Anchorage Daily News)
- In this ranking of the world’s five best public transportation systems, NYC checks in at #2 and Chicago at #5. Who doesn’t love arbitrary rankings? (Environmental Graffiti)
Image: Medwin via Env. Graffiti
