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Flight Delays in U.S. Airports: The Dirty Truth [Graph]

Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010

flight-delays-graph

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Air travel in the U.S. is pretty abysmal when it comes to on-time flight schedules — this we know (and if you haven’t yet experienced the joy of commercial flight delays, just wait until the summer vacation season deepens). We also know that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel — in a word, NextGen, which promises to make major headway in streamlining flight schedules, and thereby eliminating many of the delays that plague major airports.

Of course, implementing NextGen in all U.S. airports will require a level of funding that causes many to balk. The quesion is, what’s the alternative if we don’t pay for it? Well, here’s our answer. And it’s not pretty.

DiggSubmit

Graph by Martha Kang McGill

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Posted in U.S. Infrastructure, public transit | 10 Comments »

Chuck Schumer Comes Out For the (Much Needed) Public Transportation Preservation Act

Friday, June 11th, 2010

In both the literal and figurative sense, cars aren’t getting us where we need to be. Fickle gas prices, and an even more fickle economy, are leaving many Americans struggling to pay for their automobiles. And then there’s the whole matter of the environmental dead end of oil dependence that’s lurking in the background (and swimming in the Gulf).

The longterm answer to this problem is still up for debate — it may involve alternative fuel services, or a movement into cities, or any combination of technologies and cultural shifts. But right now, in 2010, the answer for many people is public transportation. Americans took nearly 10.7 billion trips on public transit in 2008 — a 4% increase over 2007 and the highest level since 1956. Public transportation use has increased 38% since 1995, an increase that’s nearly triple the growth rate of the U.S. population.

And yet at the same time, it’s getting hammered. In urban centers all over the country, public transportation systems are being forced to lay off workers, cut services, and increase fares. For a complete map of service cuts around the country, click here.

Luckily, policymakers are stepping in to do something about it. Today, New York Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer gave a press conference to garner support for the Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010. Schumer, who is co-sponsoring the bill along with seven other senators, is urging the quick passage of the act, which would create a $2 billion emergency fund to save public transit jobs, routes, current fares, and more. The money would be available to states through September 30, 2011.

The bill is already gaining praise, with the American Public Transportation Association coming out in strong favor of it and local blogs urging support. Whether or not you’re a consumer of public transportation, it’s hard to argue that this wouldn’t be money well spent.

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Posted in public transit | 8 Comments »

D.C.’s New Streetcar: Commercial Property Owners Will Foot Part of the Bill

Thursday, May 20th, 2010

modern-streetcarRemember that whole idea of real estate developers paying for mass transit because it inherently increases the value of their property? Well, a miniature version of it  is happening as we speak. The Washington Post reported that around a quarter of the cost of Washington D.C.’s new streetcar plan — which would run along 37 miles of the city and cost $1.5 billion — will be borne by commercial property owners along the H Street-to-Benning Road Northeast line.

The line, which would require six streetcars and would be the first in the system to be built, would receive an additional $60 to $70 million in public funds to get it completed. A lot is hinging on its performance — money for the remaining 37 miles won’t be requested until/unless that first line is a success.

This won’t be the first time in recent history that D.C. mass transit has been funded by private landowners: They paid about 1/4 of the pricetag for the New York Avenue Metrorail station. And there’s good evidence to suggest that the initial investment is worth property owners’ while: A study by the Brookings Institution, Robert Charles Lesser & Co., and the advocacy group Reconnecting America found that the streetcar would increase the value of the revenue-producing commercial properties along the H Street route by $1.1 billion over 20 years.

The idea certainly makes sense from a policy standpoint — those who stand to profit substantially in the future should chip in for (or maybe even foot entirely) the initial costs. But given the human propensity for preferring an immediate, and lesser benefit over a delayed, and greater one, it may be hard to get landowners (or commercial developers) behind the idea on a wider scale.

Still, we can hope. So how is the announcement sitting among the D.C. landowners along the route? According to the Post:

Although fewer than half of the more than 40 commercial property owners invited to the presentation arrived, some developers say they see the value despite the expected costs.

Let’s hope they keep sight of that increased future value when the more immediate bill arrives.

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Posted in public transit | 2 Comments »

What Does ‘Livability’ Mean to the U.S. Government?

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

livable-communityRecently, the U.S. DOT released its Strategic Plan for 2010 through 2015 to the public. The Executive Summary describes the plan as the following:

President Barack Obama supports a transformative U.S. transportation policy that improves public health and safety, fosters livable communities, ensures that transportation assets are maintained in a state of good repair, supports the Nation’s long-term economic competiveness, and works to achieve environmental sustainability.

Which is an excellent sentiment, and certainly a good goal. But there’s one blaring question: What exactly does “livable communities” mean?

Always ready to shed light on vague transportation language, Secretary Ray LaHood came forward to clarify the term as follows: “Livability,” he said, “means being able to take your kids to school, go to work, see a doctor, drop by the grocery or post office, go out to dinner and a movie, and play with your kids in a park, all without having to get in your car.”

So what we’re talking about here is car-less (or “extreme car-light”) living in dense urban neighborhoods. Which, given the gradual movement towards urban environments, isn’t a pipe dream. But it does present a pretty drastic change to millions of Americans who have come to associate “freedom” and a high quality of life with suburban communities, cul-de-sacs, and above all, cars. As for how the administration plans to achieve this urban-based vision of “livability,” the Plan states the DOT will:

• Establish an office within the Office of the Secretary to promote coordination of livability and sustainability in Federal infrastructure policy;
• Give communities the tools and technical assistance they need so that they can develop the capacity to assess their transportation systems, plan for needed improvements, and integrate transportation and other community needs;
• Work through the Partnership for Sustainable Communities to develop broad, universal performance measures that can be used to track livability across the Nation as well as performance measures that capture local circumstances; and
• Advocate for more robust State and local planning efforts, create incentives for investments that demonstrate the greatest enhancement of community livability based on performance measures, and focus transportation spending in a way that supports and capitalizes on other infrastructure investment, both public and private.

All of which seems like a fancy way of saying, “We need more public transportation, but we’re not entirely sure how to build it.”

The sentiment is certainly valuable, but the government’s major failing is that it presumes a power it doesn’t have. As Ken Orski put it in his Innovation Newsbrief: (more…)

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Posted in U.S. Infrastructure, public transit | 10 Comments »

Will Real Estate Developers Build Our Mass Transit?

Monday, May 17th, 2010

streetcar2Over at the Atlantic, they’re running a series called “The Future of the City.” It includes some lighthearted testimonials on U.S. metropolitan staples like Chicago,  Portland, and Minneapolis, but there are also worthwhile features on topics like the urban neighborhoods’ partial immunity from the Great Recession.

In his piece “Here Comes the Neighborhood,” real estate developer Christopher Leinberger (who also wrote the lauded 2008 piece “The Next Slums?“) brings up a point that’s infrequently mentioned, but definitely important in the discussion of the long slow death of suburbs and the urban renaissance: “Two-thirds of all households today consist of singles, childless couples, or empty-nesters, and that proportion will rise over the next 20 years. All of these groups tend to prefer walkable urban housing.” He also offers an interesting solution to the “who will fund much-needed public transit?” debate that’s plaguing growing urban areas:

This problem has a solution, one that could be borrowed from U.S. history, and that might help our economy get up more quickly off its knees: What if developers and property owners build the transportation infrastructure themselves?

In the early 20th century, every town of more than 5,000 people was served by streetcars, even though real household income was one-third what it is today. By 1920, metropolitan Los Angeles had the longest street-railway network in the world. Atlanta’s rail system was accessible to nearly all residents. Until 1950, our grandparents and great-grandparents did not need a car to get around, since they could rely upon various forms of rail transit. A hundred years ago, the average household spent only 5 percent of its income on transportation.

How did the country afford that extensive rail system? Real-estate developers, sometimes aided by electric utilities, not only built the systems but paid rent to the cities for the rights-of-way.

Looking back at history, it’s somewhat remarkable how drastically attitudes about private funding of public transit have shifted. According to Leinberger: (more…)

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Posted in U.S. Infrastructure, public transit | 12 Comments »

The Five Things Standing Between Houston and Effective Mass Transit

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

houston-metrorailThis guest post is by Kristie Lewis, who writes on the topics of construction management degrees. She welcomes your comments at Kristie.Lewis81@gmail.com.

Houston is the fourth most populous metropolitan area in the U.S., and its population numbers have been steadily rising as the Texan urban economy fares better than its counterparts during the recession. Given its size, one might think that the city would have a public transportation system that would rival any in the nation. But the sad reality is that Houston’s public transportation is, in a word, abysmal. As a longtime Houston denizen and a daily user of its MetroRAIL service, I have identified the following five problems that form the crux of Houston’s mass transit crisis.

1. Attitude
Before any problem actually manifests itself, it has seeds in ideas. A major, almost ideological obstacle to improving Houston’s public transportation is the enduring notion in this town (and the country at large) that one absolutely needs a car to be anybody, or to do anything. Is it true? Partially. And a lot of its truth stems from the layout of the city itself, as Houston is the only urban area in America with no formal zoning laws. However, George Washington University law student Michael Lewyn interestingly contests this notion, explaining that Houston’s auto-dependence can be blamed on other factors as well. I believe that auto dependence in Houston has only become a self-fulfilling prophecy because of preconceived notions held about the city.

2. Politics
Since its founding, the MetroRAIL service has endured a steady barrage of political trials and tribulations. First there were financial accusations against the PAC that supported its construction. Then fingers were pointed at the Houston Chronicle for its supposedly biased media coverage, after an internal memorandum leaked suggesting the paper had political intentions behind rallying support for the rail. Now that the construction of several new lines is in the works, the most recent political scandal involves MetroRAIL itself being accused of shredding documents that would disqualify the new lines from receiving federal funding.

3. Budgeting
Closely associated with the political issues that surround Houston’s light rail system is its budgeting. In fact, budgeting is what nearly the entire political argument is about in the first place. The Houston’s Clear Thinkers blog gives a rundown of the most recent financial disasters, while the Chronicle has reported that Mayor Annise Parker chastised the Metro agency for its fiscal irresponsibility and for breaching the public’s trust.

4. Law Enforcement
One thing I’ve noticed as a frequent rail rider is the inefficiency in the law enforcement system. Unlike many subways and rail systems across the country, the Houston MetroRAIL is patronized by an honor system: You purchase your ticket from the kiosk at the stop, you board the rail, and then you show your ticket or pass whenever an officer happens to be checking. (more…)

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Posted in public transit | 34 Comments »

The $775 Million for Bus Repair: The DOT Responds

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010

Yesterday we wrote about the DOT’s plan to give $775 million in federal funds to the nation’s transit providers to upgrade their bus systems. DOT Press Secretary Olivia Alair has written the following response:

I wanted to clarify a few things about the $775 million that FTA has announced will be given to aid transit districts around the country.

The $775 million announced yesterday is from FTA’s Bus & Bus Facilities program, and by law it must be used for buses and bus facilities, not operations. But FTA’s $4.7 billion annual Urbanized Area Formula program and other programs can be used for operations in areas under 200,000 population. I believe that the Transportation Equity Network has lobbied for a change in the Urbanized Area Formula program so that larger transit districts can use the funds for operations –- but they’ve mixed up the programs. In your post, they are criticizing the Bus & Bus Facilities program — which is all about state of good repair — while advocating for a change in the Urbanized Area Formula program.

Also, I want to note that the DOT is already working to give transit agencies more flexibility in the economic downturn.

The President signed a modification to the Recovery Act last June allowing transit agencies in areas with populations over 200,000 to use 10% of Recovery Act funds for operations. The intent of that modification was specifically to address the immediate operating crisis while not making the long-term recapitalization crisis any worse.

The Secretary also addressed this issue on his blog, and is committed to working with Congress on allowing for more flexibility:

America’s transit agencies are hurting. That’s the simple fact. Significant service cuts and thousands of layoffs have been proposed.

And, although addressing these issues will always be a primarily local and state responsibility, the federal government should try to help.

Accordingly, I will work with members of the House and Senate this year to see if we can allow transit agencies more flexibility to use a portion of their federal funds to cover operating costs during these tough economic times.

Now, this cannot be a blank check. There must be limits.

And clearly, we’re talking about temporary assistance, not the normal course of business.

But for right now, we should do what we can to keep our trains and buses operating, to keep people working, and to keep people getting to the jobs they need so badly.

We need to support this industry so it can help families meet their daily needs all across the country.

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Posted in public transit | 2 Comments »

Government to Spend $775 Million to Upgrade Nonexistent Buses

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

abandoned-busRay LaHood has announced that the government is handing over $775 million in federal funds to the nation’s transit providers to upgrade their bus systems. “The FTA is addressing the challenge of bringing our nation’s transit systems into a state of good repair head-on,” the transportation secretary said. Eligible expenses for the funds include: 1) purchase and repair of buses and vans, 2) modernization of buses, bus facilities and revenue service facilities, 3) bus-related equipment, and 4) components of transit asset management plans. Deadline for applications is June 18, 2010, and the grants are expected to be announced in late summer 2010.

Of course, there’s just one small problem: It’s hard to repair buses that are no longer running due to slashes in mass transit budgets. As Transportation Equity Network Executive Director Laura Barrett noted in a statement,

We’re thrilled that the Obama administration has heard and acted on the message of TEN and its allies: our country is in the middle of a catastrophic transit crisis, with 84% of US transit agencies raising fares, cutting service, or both—at a moment when economically vulnerable Americans need transit options more than ever….

Still, these funds only cover maintenance and improvements to bus systems, not the day-to-day operations that are facing massive cuts. These cuts are robbing the most vulnerable Americans of access to jobs, education, health care, and opportunity. The only way to truly keep America moving is to give transit agencies the freedom to use federal funds for day-to-day operations as well.

Seriously, they aren’t kidding: Public transit is approaching disaster levels, with historically high ridership (partly caused by the economic crisis leading commuters to drive less) combined with the worst funding crisis in decades.  These cuts are so widespread, they affect just about every type of community — rural, suburban, and urban alike — and naturally, the groups most harmed tend to be disproportionately made up of groups who need public transit the most — students, the less affluent, inner city residents, and seniors. For a detailed map of just how many cities are already seeing cuts, click here.

As Barrett points out, all hope is not lost: Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown has introduced a bill that would let officials in urban areas decide how to use federal transit funds, based on what the need really is. Now all the government has to do is pass it.

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Posted in public transit | 10 Comments »

Court Battle in WA: Do ‘Highway Purposes’ Include Rail Lines?

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

floating-bridgeOver at the New Republic, David Jackson asks:

If a state gas tax is dedicated to “highway purposes,” can you build light rail on Interstate lanes presumably funded with said tax?

We’ll find out in Washington state, where a prominent developer is suing the state over the question.

The litigants include the Puget Sound regional transportation agency, which wants to build a light rail system on the HOV express lanes of Interstate 90’s floating bridge over Lake Washington. The goal is to create a way for Seattle’s many commuters to get to the Eastside, the suburban home of such job-heavy companies as Microsoft and T-Mobile. Jackson describes the details of the case as follows:

Under an amendment to the Washington State Constitution, state gas taxes can only be used for highways (and the extensive state ferry system).

The developer, Kemper Freeman, argues in his lawsuit that would prohibit the conversion of the I-90 HOV lanes to transit use.

Opponents counter with the fact that no highway capacity is to be eliminated, that federal monies paid for the vast majority of the original project, and that under the agreement to build the lanes they are considered “high capacity” transportation improvements which would include light rail.

The state supreme court will hear the case this fall, and the decision will have ramifications for more than just Washington’s future transportation policy. Basically it’s a question of whether the U.S. will continue in a pattern of highway-specific funding from transportation taxes, or will shift to include mass transit as an equal party in need of cash. There’s really not much legal precedent here for what the definition of “highway” is — rather, the court needs to base its decision on the policy implications of restricting every penny of gas taxes collected to the construction and maintenance etc. of new roads. Will passenger rail, and all of its energy-saving, traffic-reducing, efficiency-enabling goals be prioritized on the state court level? Or will we simply keep on building more roads and hoping everything works out ok?

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Posted in public transit | 15 Comments »

Glenn Beck Takes on Passenger Rail, and No One Wins

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

Following a long tradition of sane and coherent arguments, Glenn Beck yesterday chose to take on trains. Somehow trains are likened to Nazis, and the free market, and more Nazis. Apparently, in Europe trains were built to carry royalty but are now one of two things: fascist or communist. Hitler used trains to transport Jews to concentration camps! And Stalin used trains to take people to gulags! That, and Nazis. And Democrats. Or something. Watch the clip — we’ll send a free Infrastructurist T-shirt to anyone who can give a more coherent explanation of what he’s talking about.

Over at Mediaite, Glynnis MacNicol made as good an effort as any we’ve seen:

Glenn Beck attempted to tackle the financial crisis today and instead got…derailed with strange (mixed) free market metaphors that revolved around train tracks. Example (except this isn’t a metaphor): Hitler used the trains to send people to Auschwitz, Stalin used the trains to send people to the Gulag, our trains (metaphorically) resulted in the light bulb. Translation: America used its power for good, the worst regimes of the 20th century used their power for bad. Back to the train tracks (metaphorically speaking): the thing that linked the Nazis and Stalin was….the Socialism train track.

We’re glad that trains are getting so much play in the world of far-right media, which has traditionally underplayed the importance of mass transit and stood against U.S. high-speed rail. But we’re not sure metaphors like this are the best way to get trains into the forefront of media commentary.

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Posted in Trains, public transit | 33 Comments »

The Morning Dig: HSR Gets Pushed in the Sunshine State

Friday, March 5th, 2010

• Check out the slides from U.S. PIRG Transportation Advocate John Krieger’s presentation at the High Speed Rail 2010 conference in Orlando yesterday. Other guests include Governor Charlie Crist and representatives from Spain and Japan. (USHSR)

• Time has an amazing slideshow of urban destruction (through natural disasters or war) and subsequent rebuilding, including cities from Lisbon to Antigua to San Francisco. (Time)

• Another day, another “American Infrastructure Is Going to Hell” rant. (Atlantic Online)

• American waterworks could benefit from a potential jobs bill. The Sustainable Water Infrastructure Investment Act will use incentives to start water projects and encourage hiring. (MarketWatch)

• Telsa is rolling out a partnership with Tag Heuer in Geneva — though EV-charging infrastructure is still needed to make the cars run like a Swiss watch. (Allcarelectric)

• In often overlooked agricultural news, a thriving organic farm is being recognized for expansion and innovation.  Can such a model be a possible alternative to the industrial farm complex? (Agrinews)

• Members of the Taliban have been uprooted from the tribal region of Bajaur. Journalists can now inspect the war infrastructure that has been left behind. (BBC)

• A Brooklyn meeting about potential (read: inevitable) service cuts in the MTA got out of hand. The meeting turned rowdy, eventually leading to four arrests. (1010wins)

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Posted in The Daily Dig, public transit | 1 Comment »

What Does TIGER Look Like? A Graphic Depiction

Friday, February 26th, 2010

tiger1

Over at Fast Company, they’ve posted the above graphic by Rob Vargas. It depicts some of the projects that nabbed pieces of the $777 million (out of a total of $1.5 billion allotted) the government has handed out in TIGER grants, which will fund 22 state-sponsored projects and likely create thousands of jobs.

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Posted in U.S. Infrastructure, public transit | 2 Comments »

IBM’s Pulse 2010: The Time Is Now to Stop Infrastructure Waste

Friday, February 26th, 2010


Infrastructurist attended this year’s IBM Pulse 2010 conference, held this week at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The emphasis was on the company’s new energy initiatives — specifically, their Smart Building Solution, a combo of IMB’s business analytics and enterprise software and Johnson Controls’s energy technology that allows office and residential buildings to monitor their energy and water use and achieve greater efficiency. Right now, powering, heating, and cooling all our existing buildings generates around 40% of all CO2 emissions — even more than automobiles. And as anyone who’s ever worked in a Manhattan highrise knows, efficiency is not always the goal — ever been the only one left in the office, yet all the lights and AC are still on full blast?

Enter IBM’s new initiative — essentially a menu of metering devices and other services that customers can choose from to monitor energy use and offer suggestions for savings. For example, the facility managers of a huge highrise could opt for a dashboard that helps them proactively deal with problems, like identifying a boiler that’s just starting to run inefficiently but hasn’t failed yet. According to Al Zollar, the general manager of Tivoli software for IBM, Big Blue itself has been using the new system for its 98 million square feet of building space, and saved enough to pay the company’s entire energy bill for a year.

Of course no pro-energy conference in Vegas would be complete without a keynote speech from Al Gore. The self-proclaimed “recovered politician” gave a relaxed and jovial talk, focusing on the importance of efficiency and national security, and steering noticeably clear of global warming.

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Posted in U.S. Infrastructure, public transit | 2 Comments »

How Do Americans Get to Work? Transit Patterns in Major Cities

Thursday, February 18th, 2010

commuting_to_work-diagram

Every year, millions of Americans spend more than 100 hours commuting to and from work — more time than the full duration of a two-week vacation. So how are all these people, the bulk of them in urban areas, getting to the office? Artist Martha Kang McGill illustrates the commuting habits of eight major U.S. cities, illustrating just who is driving, walking, biking, or taking mass transit. All stats are based on the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey.

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Posted in Automobiles, public transit | 46 Comments »

The Morning Dig: Total Recall (Sorry Toyota) and Detroit Renewal

Monday, February 8th, 2010

• Check out the new PBS special, “Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City” tonight at 8 pm ET, for a fascinating discussion of how to save Detroit by reviving its now almost-nonexistent public transportation system.

• Behold the Power of LaHood! The Transpo Secretary caused a firestorm when he issued a statement suggesting that consumers stop driving Toyota vehicles until they had been repaired altogether — a remark that also caused Toyota’s stock to plunge 5%. (Oz)

• La Hood has also come out against the increasing numbers of gadgets and gizmos that are popping up on new car dashboards. (Wired)

• Alas, football season is over. But transportation plans are already underway for the 2011 Super Bowl, according to the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee. And yes, commuter rail will play a heavy part. (DallasNews)

• So Las Vegas (And Nevada in general) missed out bigtime on high speed rail. What should they do now? (LVSun)

• And do densely urban cities necessarily equal more sustainable cities? Let’s hope so, for high-speed rail’s sake. (CUNYSustainable)

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Posted in The Daily Dig, public transit | 2 Comments »

What Does It Look Like 100 Feet Below Grand Central?

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

under-the-subway

What do you see if you go 100 feet directly below New York’s Grand Central Station? WNYC has put together an impressive gallery of pics offering a sneak peek inside the construction of the MTA’s new commuter rail terminal, which is scheduled for completion in 2016. When it’s finished, the system will connect four out of eight Long Island Railroad tunnels, sending them to a central hub in the West Wing of Grand Central Terminal.

Image Courtesy WNYC

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Posted in U.S. Infrastructure, public transit | 12 Comments »

The Evening Dig: Say Hello to My Little National Infrastructure Bank

Monday, February 1st, 2010

piggy-bank• It’s hee-ere! The White House’s proposed fiscal 2011 budget is seeking $4 billion for the creation of a National Infratructure Bank. Gov. Rendell must certainly approve. (NY Times)

• An ordinance in L.A. would require new homes, larger developments and some redevelopments to capture and reuse the runoff water generated in rainstorms, in an effort to improve water quality and recharge groundwater. (LA Times)

• In Brazil, infrastructure projects may require as much as $85 billion in financing over the next decade to meet the country’s expanding transportation and boosted energy production. (BusinessWeek)

• Are foreign governments hacking our infrastructure? A new study reports that more than half of the operators of power plants and other “critical infrastructure” say their computer networks have been hacked — and in many cases, the suspects are foreign governments. (Baltimore Sun)

• Where should the HSR money have been spent? The Washington Post opines — and sure enough, their vote is for the Northeast Corridor. (WaPo)

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Posted in The Daily Dig, public transit | No Comments »

The Morning Dig: The Pundits Take On HSR Edition

Monday, February 1st, 2010

• Here’s a clip of Petra Todorovich, the director of America 2050, defending U.S. high-speed rail plans against a contentious trio of talking heads. (Fox Business)

• And tune in this afternoon to hear Infrastructurist ed-in-chief Melissa Lafsky discuss high-speed rail and stimulus funding on Fox Business at 1:15 ET.

• President Obama will propose permanent Build America Bonds in the budget plan to be announced today. Treasure Secretary Geithner says they will continue to make credit available for infrastructure projects that, according to the Milken Institute, will create more than three million jobs in everything from air traffic control to offshore drilling. (Reuters, Occupational Health & Safety)

• A new study indicates that cell-phone bans for drivers may not result in a significant decrease in accidents. (WSJ)

• A “futurist” says that many suburbs are unsustainable, and that the debate of cities vs. suburbs “is the political conflict that will define the next decade.” (Grist)

• In spite of everything, Dubai will spend billions to expand its airport and build another one; the CEO of Dubai airports says that aviation generates up to a whopping 25% of the emirate’s economy. (Business Week)

• An “accidental transportation upheaval” is taking place, as electric bicycles are gaining popularity are around the world. “It’s miraculous,” says a 78 year-old New Yorker. “It takes the hills out of riding.” (NYTimes)

• And here’s another extraordinary historic proposal for a massive public works project in New York. This one would have connected Brooklyn to Staten Island with a 10,000 foot tunnel.

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Posted in The Daily Dig, public transit, stimulus money | 9 Comments »

The Evening Dig: Transformers (and iPad) Explode in New York City

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

• Yes, the iPad launched today, burning up the Internet. But on the streets of Brooklyn, far more was on fire. Last night a woman in Brooklyn witnessed an exploding manhole, and captured it in a series of short videos. The cause was later determined to be a spontaneously combusting transformer. (Gothamist)

• While the federal gas tax remains at its stymied level, states are hardly as confined. Now Michigan lawmakers are introducing a plan to raise the state gas tax by 2013. (DETNews)

• The World Resources Institute sums up “Next Steps After Copenhagen: Opportunities and Challenges in the Transport Sector,” which was part of the Transforming Transportation 2010 conference, held last week in D.C. (WRI)

• The defense rested today in the trial of former Transportation Secretary Bill Nighbert and influential contractor Leonard Lawson, who are accused of conspiring to rig some $130 million in highway bids. (WLKY)

• Is Peak Oil the mother of all risk management scenarios? (Oil Drum)

• And StreetsBlog San Francisco celebrates its first birthday with a stellar video. (StreetFilms)

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Posted in The Daily Dig, public transit | 1 Comment »

High Speed Rail Funds to Be Announced Tomorrow — So Who’s Getting the Cash?

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

us-map-hsr
It’s a busy week for President Obama — just one day after his State of the Union address, he and the vice president will high-tail it to a town hall meeting in Tampa to announce federal grants for high speed rail projects in 13 major corridors. The total pot is $8 billion, put aside specifically for high-speed trains and other passenger rail projects as part of the $787 billion stimulus bill. Besides the lucky 13 receiving grants, a White House official said several smaller awards will be made for improvements to existing rail lines. In total, 31 states will receive funds.

Unfortunately, it’ll cost a lot more than a few billion to complete any high speed rail project, let alone multiple ones across the country. And so states have been scrambling to nab as much of that precious federal money as possible — the Federal Railroad Administration said it received a total of 45 applications requesting $50 billion in aid. The trick has been prioritizing which states/regions deserve funding, and how much.

So who are the biggest contenders to walk out with big grants tomorrow? Here’s a quick list, ranked by likelihood of their nabbing funding:

1) FLORIDA

The location of the president’s speech can only be read as a surefire tip-off: The Tampa-Orlando-Miami line will get a federal check in the mail. You may recall that Ray Lahood even stepped in to give the state’s fund-winning effort a jolt in October, when he made a speech castigating state lawmakers for failing to secure money for a proposed Orlando-area link and an existing South Florida commuter rail system that was short of cash when the state’s 2010 budget passed.

2) CALIFORNIA

The state’s impressive proposal for an 800-mile-long rail line from Sacramento to San Diego will need money. Lots of money. Far more than $8 billion. The government will give it something — but whether the cash-strapped Golden State can get it together to complete the job is another matter entirely. Still, the public support for the project so far has certainly been encouraging.

3) ILLINOIS

There’s been plenty of anticipation and planning for the proposed Chicago-Milwaukee-St. Louis route, and the Midwest High Speed Rail Association has been hard at work submitting a thorough plan. And Joseph Szabo, Obama’s railroad czar, dropped a heavy hint the other day, praising the region’s “comprehensive plan for high-speed passenger rail service” during a conference in Chicago.

4) NEW YORK

It has the passengers, and it has the demand. The Northeast Corridor (which includes Boston and D.C.) is crying out for a HSR line. There’s the rest of New York, including Albany and other cities in the western and norther part of the state, which have been isolated for years — and some of them have been suffering through delayed service for decades. In some areas, New York State has been quietly begging for rail improvements for years — in part because it would facilitate New York City commutes, and let businesses move to cheaper parts of the state.

Most Likely to Get the Federal Shaft: TEXAS

Sorry, Lone Star State — the chances are good you’ll walk away without a cent. At a speech in Austin earlier this month, a top federal rail administrator charged with managing the distribution of the new grants said your application lacks “a central vision,” and  the kind of political support from the governor and the Legislature that would help it compete against other states gunning for HSR cash.

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