UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE
INSTITUTE OF TRANSPORTATION STUDIES
Just as the Interstate Highway System transformed the way Americans live and where they work, high-speed rail has the same transformative potential. In the arena of transportation, it is a disruptive technology, with the power – as LaHood noted – to reshape entire regions and communities in a more sustainable manner. Southern California will be ground zero for this transformation: of the seven corridor segments identified in the California High Speed Rail Authority business plan, Los Angeles to Anaheim is currently the most advanced in the planning and environmental review process, and could see limited service commence as early as 2017.
Infra Views
What do the experts think? This is where the nation’s public policy organizations, trade associations and think tanks weigh in with analysis on Infra issues.
THINKING AHEAD: High-Speed Rail in Southern California
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010Weaving Together Vibrant Communities through Transit-Oriented Development
Tuesday, August 31st, 2010RECONNECTING AMERICA
Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a community development model focused on nurturing healthy people and places and better connecting them to one another through a robust, “multimodal” transportation network. At its core, TOD is about connecting, or reconnecting, the fabric of our communities— imagine a quilt, if you will—where neighborhoods and places of varying shapes, colors, sizes and textures are integrated into a vibrant and cohesive region. Implementing equitable TOD involves rethinking the current paradigm, where a person’s zip code can determine important outcomes such as educational attainment or employment opportunities.
IN HARM’S WAY: Lack Of Federal Coal Ash Regulations Endangers Americans And Their Environment
Monday, August 30th, 2010ENVIRONMENTAL INTEGRITY PROJECT
An investigation led by expert hydrogeologists has identified 39 more coal combustion waste (CCW) disposal sites in 21 states that have contaminated groundwater or surface water with toxic metals and other pollutants. Their analysis is based on monitoring data and other information available in state agency files and builds on a report released in February of 2010, which documented similar damage at 31 coal combustion waste dumpsites in 14 states. When added to the 67 damage cases that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has already acknowledged, the total number of sites polluted by coal ash or scrubber sludge comes to at least 137 in 34 states. This total represents nearly a three-fold increase in the number of damage cases identified in EPA’s 2000 Regulatory Determination on the Wastes from the Combustion of Fossil Fuels.
Evaluation of Lane Reduction “Road Diet” Measures on Crashes
Thursday, August 26th, 2010HIGHWAY SAFETY INFORMATION SYSTEM
A road diet involves narrowing or eliminating travel lanes on a roadway to make more room for pedestrians and bicyclists…road diets may reduce vehicle speeds and vehicle interactions, which could potentially reduce the number and severity of vehicle-to-vehicle crashes. Road diets can also help pedestrians by creating fewer lanes of traffic to cross and by reducing vehicle speeds.
In Atlanta’s TIGER Bid, Innovative “Beltline” Takes Backseat to Streetcar
Tuesday, August 24th, 2010STREETSBLOG
For years, the city of Atlanta has been developing ambitious plans to connect its radial transit lines with a circular “beltline.” As envisioned, the $2.8 billion project would include 22 miles of light rail and recreational amenities, circling the central city, taking advantage of existing freight lines. For now, however, those plans are getting less attention from city leaders than a 2.6-mile streetcar line that would serve as an east-west connector for downtown.
Chicago’s Plans for a High-Speed Airport Link Revived Thanks to Investor Interest
Monday, August 23rd, 2010Chicago, perhaps like no other city in the United States, has set itself apart as a center of trade, and recently that has been expressed in the growth of its two airports, O’Hare and Midway. With the resurgence of passenger rail promoted by the Obama Administration, it may be able to reassert its dominance in that field; it will sit at the confluence of three upgraded intercity rail lines already at least partially funded: One to St. Louis, another to Detroit, and a third to Milwaukee and Madison.
View this complete Infra Views post...FUTURE MOBILITY IN CONNECTICUT: Meeting the State’s Need for Safe and Efficient Mobility
Thursday, August 19th, 2010THE ROAD INFORMATION PROGRAM
Connecticut’s extensive system of roads, highways, bridges and public transit provides the state’s residents, visitors and businesses with a high level of mobility. As the backbone that supports the Constitution State, Connecticut’s surface transportation system provides for travel to work and school, visits with family and friends, and trips to tourist and recreation attractions while simultaneously providing businesses with reliable access for customers, suppliers and employees. Connecticut must improve its system of roads, highways, bridges and public transit to foster economic growth, keep business in the state, and ensure the safe, reliable mobility needed to improve quality of life in Connecticut.
Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010AMERICAN PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ASSOCIATION
VICTORIA TRANSPORT POLICY INSTITUTE
This research indicates that public transit improvements and more transit oriented development can provide large but often overlooked health benefits. People who live or work in communities with high quality public transportation tend to drive significantly less and rely more on alternative modes (walking, cycling and public transit) than they would in more automobile-oriented areas. This reduces traffic crashes and pollution emissions, increases physical fitness and mental health, and provides access to medical care and healthy food.
Solar Waste Recycling: Can the industry stay green?
Monday, August 16th, 2010CROSSCURRENTS
Solar energy is the most widely available resource we have. Every hour, enough solar energy strikes Earth to meet human energy needs for more than a year, according to NASA. Now the solar industry is poised for huge growth in the United States, thanks to policy changes, incentives, technological improvements and economies of scale. Solar photovoltaics have recently become less expensive than nuclear energy on a per-kilowatt-hour basis, according to a new report from Duke University. Also, solar is widely expected to reach cost parity with fossil fuels in most markets by 2013.
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