Posted on Thursday July 30th by The Infrastructurist | 89
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- A big story about white roofs as a way to save energy and potentially delay climate change–a drum we’ve been beating here for months–lands on page A1 of the NY Times. “Roof makers are racing to develop” reflective products and cash in an expected boom as suburban homes lighten up. (NYT)
- A bill introduced in the Senate yesterday would take away 25% of highway funding for any state that doesn’t outlaw texting while driving. This is in the wake of a study showing that texting drivers are 23 times more likely to have an accident. wtf lol. (WaPo)
- Utah officials are pitching a fit because transit might get 22% of funding instead of 18% in the next transportation bill–even though there will be a whole lot more road money this time anyway. Oh, and Utah is also building 70 miles of new rail projects. Shut up, Utah. (SLC Tribune)
- A company is indicted on charges of falsifying the strength test results for concrete used in various high-profile public works project in the NYC area. However, rest easy because the defendants’ lawyer insists all concrete was “safe” and “wonderful.” (Newsday)
- People in 1909 were smart! Or maybe really stupid! They thought they were running out of fossil fuels and that the answer was to build lots of windmills and run our society on wind power. Ha, imagine. (FT Energy Source)
- After years of planning with a top architecture firm, US Customs recently put up a 21-foot tall yellow sign at a remote border crossing. It read simply “United States.” Just weeks later DHS is tearing it down because they’re weird and crazy and are afraid it will attract Ontario terrorists (a.k.a. “Ontarrorists”) (NYT - Pic via)
- In other doomed signage news: A highway sign in Wisconsin misspells every word except “exit.” If you ever happen to be driving along “Buisness” route 51, give it a look. (Wausau Daily Herald)
July 30th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Wow. That NYT article about the border crossing is actually pretty deep. The writer is my new favorite NYT employee.
July 30th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
Yeah, Ouroussoff is their architecture writer. He’s pretty great. Agree that piece about the sign was elegantly done.
JR
July 30th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
From the Utah article: “I’m also in favor of transit,” said Commissioner Meghan Holbrook, who represents Salt Lake County, “but in reality we have to be very much in favor of roads.”
WTF?!? I guess the highway lobby has a gun to your head? Call the FBI!
July 30th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
I used to live just south of where that sign is in Wisconsin… I think the job outlook for somebody just got worse…!