• Gallup-Healthways’ Well-Being Index, which ranks metro areas according to poll responses about physical and emotional health, work environment, and life evaluation, packs a few surprises. Florida has three cities in the bottom ten! (Gallup)

• Amidst talk of a transportation crisis, Texans don’t seem that scared. As compared to education or to health care for the poor, Texans say they’d much rather cut highway funds to trim their state budget deficit. (Dallas Morning News)

• Detroit’s Mayor Dave Bing said at a conference on the city’s future that “Without a doubt, we’ve got to downsize the city,” and market its strengths, such as casinos and the Detroit River. (Detroit News)

• There is renewed hope for Kansas City’s streetcar and commuter rail lines. Its projects look much more competitive through the new federal lens, which takes into account livability and job creation as issues related to transportation. (Kansas City)

• A company that produces “prospecting tools” for alternative energy released one map detailing where solar can best be harvested in the hemisphere and another of global wind energy potential. (GOOD - pic via 3TIER)

• UK Transportation Secretary Lord Adonis rejected the plan to connect Heathrow directly to the country’s planned HSR lines. Conservatives are not having it; check out this graphic to see the difference in plans. (Times Online)

• And “[i]t would be tragic,” writes Bob Herbert, if “the absolutely essential modernizing of the American infrastructure” did not take place — particularly when so many of our bridges are approaching crisis levels. (NYTimes)