• South Korea’s President wants to remake the country’s four largest rivers, both for environmental reasons and to encourage development.  He’s known as the “Bulldozer”; critics say it’s a “political boondoggle.” (NYTimes)

• Denser urban developments have the potential to greatly reduce carbon production, but in order to make them attractive, cities will have to provide people with better public spaces. (CityParksBlog)

• Just because you have public transit doesn’t mean people will use it. In L.A., a huge marketing push for its Metro system has increased ridership (and decreased highway traffic) by making buses and trains seem cool. (TheCityFix)

• The budget crisis facing New York’s MTA and a recent arbitration ruling will force the Agency to shutter its W and Z lines and put an end to free transit for students. The chairman of the Rider’s Council calls it a “complete failure of government.” (NYTimes)

• Another boondoggle! This time, in Seattle: next month, mayor-elect McGinn takes office. He is anti-tunnel; the state is anxious to replace the Alaskan Way Viaduct with a subterranean highway. (WSJ)

• Using stimulus funds for bike trails, says Ray LaHood, isn’t waste — it’s progress. Here’s a response from The Secretary to a statement by Senator Coburn deriding bike/ped projects as failing to benefit “the American people as a whole.” (FastLane)

Image via Zakkalicious / Mikael on Flickr

Tags: Bicycle highways, public transit