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Monthly archive for May, 2010
The Morning Dig: How the Oil Spill is Hurting President Obama
Monday, May 31st, 2010
• Noted liberal columnist Frank Rich argues that the Gulf oil spill could be President Obama’s Katrina. (NYT) • Felix Salmon writes a fascinating piece on Charles Komanoff, who has been working hard to “unsnarl Manhattan traffic”. (Wired) • The Read more ›
Why We Should Raise the Gas Tax: The Pundits Discuss
Friday, May 28th, 2010
Watch the latest business video at video.foxbusiness.com Here’s Infrastructurist editor Melissa Lafsky on Fox Business explaining to Brian Sullivan exactly why it would save drivers money to simply raise the gas tax rather than keep driving on unrepaired, pothole-ridden, transmission-killing Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Bridges Floating in the Breeze
Thursday, May 27th, 2010
• In the Russian town of Volgograd, a four-mile-long bridge was tossed around like a wet noodle by strong winds and a massive storm. (Treehugger) • Just how bad are the drivers in the U.S.? Pretty friggin’ bad — one Read more ›
Is the Low Gas Tax Costing You More Money on Car Repairs?
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
We keep gas taxes low in this country – heck, the federal gas tax hasn’t been raised a cent since 1993 (which, when you consider inflation, means that it’s worth practically nothing — which is why the federal Highway Trust Read more ›
Bike Infrastructure From Around the World
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
In honor of National Bike Month, Streetsblog has assembled an impressive gallery of user-generated photos depicting the creativity and functionality of bicycle infrastructure, in cities from Aarhus, Denmark to Buenos Aires to Washington D.C. (pictured) to Denver. The photos drive Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Oil Inspectors on Meth?
Wednesday, May 26th, 2010
• Reports are emerging of gross mismanagement at the agency in charge of overseeing the United States’ oil reserves. At least one company being inspected was allowed to fill in its own audit reports, while one inspector admitted to using Read more ›
What Does $600 Million Get You? In PA, a D- Roads and Transit System
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
So much for the notion that the stimulus cash doled out for road improvement would be a boon for the state of our infrastructure: The American Society of Civil Engineers is saying that Pennsylvania’s roads are worse now than they Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Bike Sharing Sweeps the Nation’s Capital
Tuesday, May 25th, 2010
• D.C. is massively expanding its bike-sharing program (Streetsblog) • The Museum of London has launched StreetMuseum, an iPhone app that uses Google Maps to guide users to various sites in London that correspond to various works of art. (CreativeReview) Read more ›
What Caused the BP Rig to Explode? The Engineers Explain
Monday, May 24th, 2010
A month after the initial incident, we are still trying to understand, not to mention stop, the environmental disaster that resulted from the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon, the submersible drilling rig that may lead to the utter devastation of Read more ›
Amusing — and Inappropriate — Street Signs (Potentially NSFW)
Monday, May 24th, 2010
Earlier this month, we wrote about an extensive gallery of, well, slightly fractured street signs from around the world, Now the Huffington Post has assembled a gallery of international signs that venture — once again, unintentionally — into distinctly bawdy Read more ›
The Morning Dig: First National Policy on Truck Efficiency Signed
Monday, May 24th, 2010
• Last week, President Obama signed the first-ever national policy regarding increasing fuel efficiency for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. (EEN) • Ray Lahood delivered the graduation speech to the class of 2010 at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. His talk Read more ›
The Week in High Speed Rail: States Want Cash
Friday, May 21st, 2010
• Georgia officials have decided to ask the feds for money (er, more money) to realize the vision of DOT chairman of the intermodal division Dana Lemon: A high speed loop from Atlanta to Athens to Augusta to Savannah (pictured Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Biking Ethics and Women in Transportation
Friday, May 21st, 2010
• Randy Cohen, writer of the New York Times Magazine‘s “Ethicist” column, takes a bike jaunt around New York City and talks bike ethics. (StreetFilms) • More from the Atlantic‘s Future of the City series: A Q&A with Andres Duany, Read more ›
D.C.’s New Streetcar: Commercial Property Owners Will Foot Part of the Bill
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
Remember that whole idea of real estate developers paying for mass transit because it inherently increases the value of their property? Well, a miniature version of it is happening as we speak. The Washington Post reported that around a quarter Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Biking Biking Biking!
Thursday, May 20th, 2010
• An overview of San Francisco’s innovative Pavement to Parks program that permits businesses to convert parking spaces into outdoor public spaces and cafes. • Don’t forget, tomorrow is National Bike to Work Day! And in preparation, here’s a list Read more ›
What Does ‘Livability’ Mean to the U.S. Government?
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
Recently, the U.S. DOT released its Strategic Plan for 2010 through 2015 to the public. The Executive Summary describes the plan as the following: President Barack Obama supports a transformative U.S. transportation policy that improves public health and safety, fosters Read more ›
New York Sidewalks: Now Divided for Tourists and Commuters?
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
Here’s a photo of the newest, er, sidewalk division at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 22nd Street in Manhattan. While the marks are a good joke by an unknown street artist — one that native New Yorkers will no Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Speedy Paving and Tar Balls
Wednesday, May 19th, 2010
• Here’s a great video of ultra-fast track concrete paving, simulated here in a parking lot by the American Concrete Paving Association, Maryland Ready Mix Concrete Association and the State Highway Administration. (ConcreteForMaryland) • The good news: The tar balls Read more ›
Will America’s Aging Inhabitants End Their Lives in Backyard Mini-Shelters?
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
The Washington Post has a story about Kenneth Dupin, a Methodist minister in the D.C. area who has dreamed up a solution to the problem of America’s increasingly aging population. As the baby boomer generation reaches its golden years, our Read more ›
How Much Does LEED Certification Cost?
Tuesday, May 18th, 2010
With all the recent hubbub about LEED — which has taken a well-publicized beating from Frank Gehry, among others — it’s worth taking a closer look at exactly how much it costs to erect a LEED-certified building. Are the costs Read more ›
