MIDWEST HIGH SPEED RAIL ASSOCIATION
The goal of the study is to provide a candid and impartial assessment of a wide range of investments that will need to be made in railroads, commuter rail and transit to support a HSR hub in downtown Chicago and to help envision the types of land use and development potential that a well-designed, integrated high-speed system could produce for Chicago and its surrounding communities.
View this complete post...
If you’ve ever ventured out into one of Chicago’s famous six-corner intersections, you know the streets don’t always feel safe. The facts bear this out. In 2009 there were over 4,500 crashes between Chicago drivers and pedestrians or cyclists, 35 of which were fatal. This is according to the Illinois Department of Transportation, which tracks traffic statistics.
View this complete post...
CYCLINGMOBILITY
To the uninitiated, Chicago seems like an unlikely place for cyclists, and with good reason. It’s big: with almost 3 million residents, it’s the third largest city in the United States. It’s intimidating: Chicago’s nearly 596 square kilometers of land area are latticed with congested streets and highways. And its weather is far from cyclist-friendly: the city’s bipolar climate fluctuates between teeth-chattering, snow-spattering winters and sweat-drizzling, sidewalk-sizzling summers. But even so, this metropolis reached a bicycle commuter mode share of 1.15% in 2009 – an increase of 129% since 2000.
View this complete post...
CHADDICK INSTITUTE FOR METROPOLITAN DEVELOPMENT, DEPAUL UNIVERSITY
Intercity bus service in the United States remained robust through 2010 as a result of rising travel demand, escalating fuel prices, and investments in new routes. These and other factors propelled motor coach travel to its highest level in years and made the intercity bus the country’s fastest growing mode of transportation for the third year in the row.“Curbside operators,” including BoltBus, DC2NY Bus, and Megabus, which eschew traditional stations in favor of curbside pickup and provide customers access to Wifi and other previously unavailable amenities, enjoyed particular success. Express services linking major cities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states grew at a particularly rapid rate.
View this complete post...
The Illinois Department of Transportation has reached a cooperative agreement with Union Pacific and Amtrak that will permit the release of a $1.1 billion federal high-speed rail grant to the state of Illinois to fund passenger rail improvements between Chicago and St. Louis. The agreement was proclaimed by state and federal officials as “historic” and hailed as “one giant step closer to achieving high-speed passenger service between Chicago and St. Louis.” But stripped of its rhetoric, the announcement only reveals how inadequate and cost-ineffective the Administration’s “high–speed” program is turning out to be.
View this complete post...
LEAGUE OF AMERICAN BICYCLISTS
Bicycling advocates can help shape Climate Action Plans to include pro‐bicycling policies. Using case studies and examples from existing plans, this report examines: 1. how pro‐bicycling policies have been written into the Climate Action Plans of states, cities, and universities, 2. examples of plans that include bicycling, 3. how bicycling advocates can best support these efforts, and 4. how to ensure that governments follow through on the promises made in their plans.
View this complete post...
Chicago, 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 post...
ILLINOIS TOLLWAY
METROPOLITAN PLANNING COUNCIL
Across the country, people are tired of wasting time and money, sitting behind the wheel with no real alternatives to driving. Recognizing the severity of the problem, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is funding projects to study the potential of new and innovative strategies to alleviate traffic congestion, improve the environment, and provide better mobility.
Congestion pricing is one of those strategies.
View this complete post...
     |
Follow InfrastructureUSA
Video, stills and tales. Share images of the Infra in your community that demands attention. Post your ideas about national Infra issues. Go ahead. Show Us Your Infra! Upload and instantly share your message.
Is the administration moving fast enough on Infra issues? Are Americans prepared to pay more taxes for repairs? Should job creation be the guiding determination? Vote now!
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. Tell them what you think. Ask questions. Share a different view.
The Infra Blog offers cutting edge perspective on a broad spectrum of Infra topics. Frequent updates and provocative posts highlight hot button topics -- essential ingredients of a national Infra dialogue.
RSS Feed
© InfrastructureUSA | Terms of Use | Site developed by Andigo New Media
InfrastructureUSA is a project of the non-profit Open Space Institute, Inc. as part of its Citizen Action Program.