Transportation Policy
Basics
Obama’s National Transportation Plan Includes Bicycling & Walking
Democratic front runner Barack Obama just released a campaign "Fact Sheet" entitled, "Strengthening America's Transportation Infrastructure" (download it). While Hillary Clinton has put forward some outstanding and heavily transit-oriented plans of her own, Obama appears to be the first major party presidential candidate to outline a national transportation platform that explicitly seeks to "create policies that incentivize greater bicycle and pedestrian usage of sidewalks and roads" (if anyone knows differently, let us know in the comments section). Whatever the case, it's a significant step up from the 2004 campaign featuring George W. Bush's mountain bike fitness regimen and John Kerry, spandex-clad on an $8,000 Serotta.
February 27, 2008
Is Big Environment Ready to Say America Is Hooked on Cars?
The NRDC's "Beyond Oil" campaign. Are national environmental groups ready to shift their strategy?
February 25, 2008
To Lubricate Street Life, Lower the Unlimited Fare
Yesterday around 10 a.m. I got on the number 3 subway line at Bergen Street in Brooklyn, where I easily found a seat. As usual, I noticed that there was space on the baby-blue benches all the way up to 96th Street, where I switched trains to go to Columbia University at 116th Street. Only the last few stops on the 1 train were crowded.
February 15, 2008
“My Other Car Is a Bright Green City”
As attention turns to the next federal transportation bill, and livable streets fans scan the platforms of presidential candidates for glimpses of what to expect from Washington over the next four years, Alex Steffen, editor and CEO of the blog WorldChanging, has posted an essay-in-progress called "My Other Car is a Bright Green City." Steffen says that reining in fuel standards and auto emissions, for instance, is not nearly as important to present and future generations as developing communities that behave more like cities, which are, by environmental measures, much cleaner than commute-intensive suburbs and exurbs. Here are some excerpts.
February 13, 2008
What Is “Mode-Neutral” Funding?
Different modes could be funded from the same pot, with allocations based on performance measures.
February 13, 2008
Who is the Livable Streets Candidate?
It's Super Duper Tuesday, primary election day here in New York. If you're still mulling your options and trying to figure out who the best candidate on Livable Streets issues is, Damien Newton of Street Heat L.A. and the editor of soon-to-be-launched Streetsblog Los Angeles, dug up the positions of the Democrats and Republicans for us. Grist and the Los Angeles Times have also done some nice candidate round-ups.
February 5, 2008
Would Dems’ Pledge for “Change” Bring Transportation Reform?
This is part two of a two-part series on where candidates for
president stand on transportation issues, authored by Streetsblog Los
Angeles correspondent Damien Newton. Damien currently runs the blog Street Heat,
which is soon to become Streetsblog L.A., our first foray into foreign
territory. Damien was New Jersey coordinator for the Tri-State
Transportation Campaign before relocating to California last year.
Yesterday he examined the platforms and records of the Republican
presidential candidates; today, the Democrats.
January 30, 2008
Resolved: More Driving for Teachers, Less for Everyone Else
Another DOE employee not abusing a parking placard, courtesy Uncivil Servants
January 18, 2008
Kheel Plan: Double the Congestion Charge & Make Transit Free
"If you were to design the ultimate system, you would have mass transit be free and charge an enormous amount for cars."
December 18, 2007
This Holiday Season London’s Streets Are “Absolutely Jammed”
London retailers enjoyed a £100 million spending spree as Oxford, Bond and Regents Streets were closed to motor vehicle traffic for a day
December 10, 2007