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Monthly archive for December, 2010
Ten Most Popular Infrastructurist Posts of 2010
Thursday, December 30th, 2010
Our week of year-end lists, which included the Top 10 stories of the year and the Top 10 infrastructure fails of the year, comes to an end with the most popular posts of 2010. The list was assembled with a Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Is U.S. Mass Transit Secure? (Answer: No)
Thursday, December 30th, 2010
• An in-depth article investigates the security vulnerabilities of America’s mass-transit systems. (USA Today) • An article examines how police in New York City are securing Times Square for New Year’s Eve. (AP) • Mayor Michael Bloomberg drew more fire Read more ›
Top 10 Infrastructure Fails of 2010 [Gallery]
Wednesday, December 29th, 2010
The list of this year’s worst infrastructure fails ranges from the humorous (an airport shuts down over … honey) to the tragic (ah, Haiti; ah, Gulf) to the downright bizarre (they spent how many days in a traffic jam?). A Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Rebounding from ‘Thundersnow,’ Day II
Wednesday, December 29th, 2010
• Airports and transit agencies in New York City are trying to get their service levels back to normal, but it’s taking longer than previously expected. (AP) (NYT) • Mayor Michael Bloomberg has come under criticism for what some say Read more ›
Top 10 Infrastructure Stories of 2010: Part 2 [Gallery]
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010
Yesterday we brought you Part 1 of the year’s Top 10 Infrastructure stories. Today we complete the list with the five biggest stories and story lines of 2010 (and some honorable mentions, for good measure). Click on the image or Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Northeast Tries to Recover After Huge Blizzard
Tuesday, December 28th, 2010
• The Northeast is beginning to dig out of the heavy snow with airports struggling to clear backlogs of passengers, electrical companies working overtime to restore power and cities trying to clear streets. (AP) (NYT) (NYT) • Because of the Read more ›
Top 10 Infrastructure Stories of 2010: Part 1 [Gallery]
Monday, December 27th, 2010
Forget ball drops and noise makers — nothing says “New Year’s” like a good year-end list. We’ve got plenty of them this week: Today and tomorrow we’ll rank the top ten most important stories and story lines in American infrastructure Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Massive Snowstorm Cripples U.S. Northeast
Monday, December 27th, 2010
• A powerful winter storm and heavy snow has severely affected the Northeast today and led to many travel delays and transportation problems. Many flights, train, bus, subway and car trips have been hit. (AP) (NYT) (CNN.com) • A dispute Read more ›
All I Want for Christmas Is a Cool Infra Graphic
Friday, December 24th, 2010
Because all Infrastructurist readers are on the Nice list, ye shall receive: That’s a map of the world redrawn so that a country’s population is matched with its area (full version, here). The rules, according to Big Think: Take the Read more ›
Localities Back Streetcar Lines, Even if Feds Won’t
Thursday, December 23rd, 2010
Federal money for public transit will likely be hard to come by with Republicans now in control of the House. But Yonah Freemark feels optimistic about the future of streetcars. Why? Well, several big cities, including Atlanta, Detroit, St. Louis, Read more ›
Rush Hour Read: Solving the City
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
Jonah Lehrer profiles Geoffrey West, a physicist intent on inventing a new “urban science,” in the New York Times Magazine: As he [West] points out, this is an intellectual problem with immense practical implications. Urban population growth is the great Read more ›
NYC Cabs to Get Makeover in 2011; Cabbies to Follow?
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
New York will celebrate the New Year with a new taxi. In early 2011 the city will announce the winner of its Taxi of Tomorrow competition — an international contest to redesign the yellow cabs that honk along, swerve through, Read more ›
The Morning Dig: How Is D.C.’s Bikeshare Program Doing?
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
• The bikeshare program in D.C. has proven very popular among residents in the last few months. (WashPost) • An article examines how air travelers are coping with increased security measures at airports. (AP) • Fuel cells, including the Bloom Read more ›
The 5 Best and Worst Auto Commutes in America
Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
What’s it worth to live in Eugene, Oregon, as opposed to Dallas, Texas? About $244 a month and 42 extra hours a year. At least that’s the case for people in those cities who commute to work by car. The Read more ›
The Morning Dig: The Dire Straits of State Budgets
Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
• A fascinating 60 Minutes video report (above) examines the terrible situation of state government budgets, which has led to severe cuts in infrastructure. • Europe’s travel system is still under heavy strain today as airports and train stations try Read more ›
Nightmare on Amtrak: 10-Hour Breakdown Chronicled on Twitter
Monday, December 20th, 2010
Once upon a time, traveling from Washington to Philadelphia in 10 hours would have been called an accomplishment. But unless you’re going by bicycle — or unless by Washington you mean Washington state, not the District of Columbia — the Read more ›
The Morning Dig: How the Fed’s Housing Policy May Change
Monday, December 20th, 2010
• While the federal government has long subsidized homeownership, many say it is now time to rethink the policy that distorts markets and costs billions in lost tax revenue. (WSJ) (LAT) • The New York City Council debated bike lanes Read more ›
Is America’s Aging Infrastructure a Recipe for Disaster?
Friday, December 17th, 2010
That’s an image from the Wall Street Journal showing the incredibly old offshore infrastructure operating in the Gulf of Mexico. (The redder the dot, the older the structure.) Of more than 3,000 oil and gas production platforms being used off Read more ›
The Morning Dig: Is China Playing Fair on Wind Turbine Production?
Friday, December 17th, 2010
• A newspaper investigation has found that China is setting its own very-strict rules on building wind turbines. (NYT) • Related: China’s big expansion into wind has U.S. industry rather concerned who view it as a threat to “workers and Read more ›
The Truth About HOT Lanes
Thursday, December 16th, 2010
Fifteen years ago this month, the country’s first HOT lane opened up on Route 91 in Orange Country, California. Short for “high-occupancy toll lanes,” HOT lanes allow solitary drivers to pay for the perks of the HOV carpool lane. The Read more ›
