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Monthly archive for January, 2010
The Week in High Speed Rail (And a Big Week It Was)
Friday, January 29th, 2010
• Governer Schwarzenegger held a press conference today with U.S. Deputy Secretary of Transportation John Porcari, Congressman Jim Costa and other government officials to applaud the $2.25 billion awarded to the state. Quote highlights: “I don’t go to France to Read more ›
High Speed Rail in Florida: A Closer Look
Friday, January 29th, 2010
There’s some mutterings about the over $1 billion Florida received in HSR stimulus money yesterday. After all, we’re trying to hurl the U.S. into the new century and galvanize the country’s transportation system — so what about the West and Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Hackers and Streetcars Edition
Friday, January 29th, 2010
• Foreign governments are the suspected invaders of critical infrastructure systems across the country, like power plants and sewage systems, according to a study by McAfee and the Center for Strategic and International Studies. (ABC) • The American Society of Read more ›
High Speed Rail Conference to Discuss Financing in February
Friday, January 29th, 2010
Now that the $8 billion in federal money has jumpstarted high speed rail in the U.S., there’s still a gaping issue to discuss: Where will the rest of the money come from? After all, California’s plan alone will take an Read more ›
The Evening Dig: A Day of HSR and the “Infrastructure of Tomorrow”
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
• At last night’s State of the Union Address, President Obama pledged to “put Americans to work today building the infrastructure of tomorrow. From the first railroads to the Interstate Highway System, our nation has always been built to compete. Read more ›
And the High Speed Rail Cash Goes To…
Thursday, January 28th, 2010
The announcement has been made, the results are in, and the biggest winner is…California, which will receive $2.25 billion to build a line from Los Angeles to San Francisco with trains running up to 220 miles per hour. The Chicago-St. Read more ›
The Evening Dig: Transformers (and iPad) Explode in New York City
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
• Yes, the iPad launched today, burning up the Internet. But on the streets of Brooklyn, far more was on fire. Last night a woman in Brooklyn witnessed an exploding manhole, and captured it in a series of short videos. Read more ›
High Speed Rail Funds to Be Announced Tomorrow — So Who’s Getting the Cash?
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
It’s a busy week for President Obama — just one day after his State of the Union address, he and the vice president will high-tail it to a town hall meeting in Tampa to announce federal grants for high speed Read more ›
The Morning Dig: “United Front” Edition
Wednesday, January 27th, 2010
• A “united front” is forming behind the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill, as Sec. LaHood and Rep. Oberstar have overcome their differences and collectively disdain the “cost-effectiveness index” that used to govern transportation policy. (Finance & Commerce) • With indefatigable Read more ›
The Evening Dig: Rap Battles For Economic Recovery Edition
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
• EconStories has released a new video “Fear the Boom and Bust,” illustrating the ideological differences between Depression-era macroeconomist John Maynard Keynes and the free-market advocate Friedrich von Hayek. (EconStories) • Thursday’s the big day! Expect announcements of the lucky Read more ›
What’s the Right Plan for Job Creation? Well, Here’s One Option
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
The unemployment rate continues its relentless climb. The country is polarized. The State of the Union is tomorrow. And what’s on everyone’s mind? Job creation. So what’s the right course of action to create jobs? The National Association of Manufacturers Read more ›
The Morning Dig: A Billion for Some Infrastructure Edition
Tuesday, January 26th, 2010
• Haiti is asking for $3 billion from the international community; $1 billion will go to the port, the airfield, the grid, roads, and the water system. Wind power is a viable option, but is too unreliable to power the Read more ›
The Evening Dig: You Can’t Spend Away Traffic Edition
Monday, January 25th, 2010
• A billion in spending, and still bumper-to-bumper? An analysis by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram of state and federal records found that Texas spent $997 million on transportation projects that had little to nothing to do with improving traffic in Read more ›
Gas Tax Ignorance Revisited: Are Vehicle Mileage Fees the Answer?
Monday, January 25th, 2010
Many people have been surprised to learn that the majority of Americans have no clue that the federal gas tax has not been raised a single cent since 1993. But the news didn’t come as a surprise to everyone: Trey Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Stuy Town Bust Edition
Monday, January 25th, 2010
• The biggest real estate deal in American history has come to a bitter end, as the owners of Stuyvesant Town and Peter Cooper Village in New York–which contain a total of 11, 227 apartments–will be forced to surrender the Read more ›
The Week in High Speed Rail
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
• Here’s a visual tour of the proposed California high-speed rail line, complete with snazzy soundtrack. (CAHSR) • Scandal in Florida! A letter sent Thursday to DOT Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos put the state on notice that Amtrak is terminating the Read more ›
A Look Inside the World’s Tallest Building
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
The Burj Dubai (renamed the Burj Khalifa right before its opening) is open to the public at last, and for all its role as a symbol of fallen excess and fiscal irresponsibility (not to mention a possible symbol of the Read more ›
Your Friday Guest Editor
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
Here at Infrastructurist we strive to bring you the latest news, opinion and commentary on transportation and infrastructure, both local and international. As such, we recruit top editors, writers, and guest posters. Where does it all happen? Here at our Read more ›
The Morning Dig: The Undoing of Erroll Southers Edition
Friday, January 22nd, 2010
• Erroll Southers, whose nomination for TSA chief was flushed away by a Republican opponent of collective bargaining, says he “became a political football, in a game that had nothing to do with increasing our security posture.” (Foreign Policy) • Read more ›
The Evening Dig: 75 Worst Commutes Edition
Thursday, January 21st, 2010
• Nationwide data from 1.5 million GPS units helped create this listing of the 75 worst American commutes. The Hollywood Freeway and the Cross Bronx Expressway are no brainers in the top ten, but there are definitely some surprises in Read more ›
