Under Dupont Circle

I have an idea. Why not use the tunnel for streetcars again?

Patriotic Beer Redux

I know I've posted this commercial before but it came through my reader again and I was about to skip it but decided maybe I'd have another listen. What I found, was that it had even more to do with the situation we're in today more than ever. Tough times call for tough men. Here's the transcript:

Ah. That's the way patriot. Let the OPECs keep their gasoline. We'll just tap into a far more efficient energy source. Man....power. If we all learn to pull our weight. Nobody, nobody will be able to siphon away, our high life.



HT Twin Cities Streets for People for the Reminder.

Sprawl Spreads in Switzerland

It's not just here. And it's not just auto dependent. But it's just as expensive.

"In 1935, city limits were clearly identifiable," wrote the Science Foundation. This is no longer the case, and many urban areas snake into valleys and along transit routes.

I also imagine a 20 year moratorium on growth would not go over so well here. Though I think here it's called a growth boundary.

Researchers are proposing benchmarks to limit urban sprawl. In August 2008, a coalition of environmental organisations submitted more than 110,000 signatures to the government in support of a 20-year moratorium on new growth.

Updated: It's All Your Fault

Apparently this crash is all the fault of 'Smart Growth'. So says, Wendell Cox.

Yet the bottom line remains: without smart growth’s land rationing policies, the severe escalation in home prices would never have reached such absurd levels. But the disaster in the highly regulated markets will be with us for years. The smart growth spike in housing prices turned what might have been a normal cyclical downturn into the most disastrous financial collapse since 1929.

Wow. Speechless.

Ryan and Matt respond.

Atlanta's Beltline Feeling the Credit Crunch

Unfortunately this seems like one of the side effects of the current situation we're inhabiting.

Beltline officials are ready to sell $120 million in bonds to kick-start their effort to build a 22-mile loop of transit, trails and parks. But the financial turmoil has weakened the bond market in recent weeks, making it more expensive to borrow money.

Other regions are feeling as well. The Frontrunner Commuter Rail Line in Utah will be delayed and the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority is having problems as well.

The New Type 4

Tri-Met is testing the new Siemens Type 4 LRV, also known as the S70 Avanto. Light Rail and I , written by a local Portland LRT driver, has the scoop.

Off Topic: A Book Called 'Post'

My buddy Eric Grubbs has written a book from the inside about some of my favorite bands called Post: An Anthology of American Post-Hardcore /Whatever-You-Call-It-Core: 1985-2005. I just ordered it so I can't tell you how great it is, but I can tell you he worked for many years and really hard interviewing the bands in the book and really cares about the subject.

Back in 2005 he came and stayed at my place in Austin in order to go to SXSW and talk to some folks in his book that covers some of the best Post Hardcore (Usually called Emocore or Emo) bands that existed back when I was in school. It even includes the precursor to my all time favorite Hey Mercedes, Braid. So if you want to learn more about Jimmy Eat World, At the Drive In, Promise Ring, Sunny Day Real Estate and others...I encourage you to check it out.

Streetcar Ridership Up

The new eastside loop will get a new color, and ridership is up to its highest ever. I still think if they had 6 minute headways morning peak to evening peak you could get a ton more riders. But that I believe is a budget issue.

Human Scale

via Reconnecting America

"McCain = More Traffic " in DC

That was a sign held up at a rally in Arlington for transit. Northern Virginia Republicans have been trying to press John McCain to support the Dulles Extension if he is elected. Unfortunately, the Amtrak/Metro vote was telling with McCain voting against basically calling it pork that other transit agencies didn't get. So now he's trying to be equitable to all transit? Hardly.

A statement from the McCain campaign, however, targeted the Metro funding as well as Amtrak. "Senator McCain strongly objects to earmarks in the bill such as a $1.5 billion earmark for the Washington . . . Metro system and questions if this money is warranted above the needs that may exist among other mass transit systems in our country," the statement says. "With the serious financial situation facing our nation, this [multibillion-dollar] commitment of taxpayers' dollars can [be] dedicated to addressing far more important national priorities."

I'm not sure what other national priorities he's talking about. But it seems to me transit is pretty important, but maybe that's just me.