Missing Something?

Something is missing from all this talk of Climate. We keep talking about it but how can we educate the rest of the country that just building electric cars is not going to solve their problems. Grist has a post up on the Grand Climate Plan. See what's on the list.

1. Carbon pricing
2. Efficiency standards
3. Carbon-free electricity
4. Smart electrical grid
5. Electric cars

The author, Adam Stein notes there are gaps. Most glaring to me, nothing about land use or transit. Nothing about walking or cycling. These are some of the best ways you can personally reduce your carbon footprint. I personally drive only once a week now to visit my Grandmother. When I lived in Austin I drove three or four times a week even though I lived next to the Number 1 bus, the most frequent in the city. Land use matters. But what happens when everyone gets electric cars. Are the freeways all going to suddenly free up?

But how come no one talks about it? Is it really because its not that sexy as Rachel Maddow thinks it is?



Or is it something more? What is the deep seeded want not to take transit or build denser? Part of it I know is our entrenched non market based land use system. It's not like your ultimate mobility is compromised by driving less and walking/biking more with optimal land use. Why are the livable community groups so separated from the enviros on this? I can't quite make it out.

Just a Highway Department

I've been seeing some calls for stim funding to go to the States to distribute but this is an extremely bad idea for transportation spending. As STB reminds us, most of our state DOTs are basically highway departments. Some MPOs are not much better but at least in the major jurisdictions they have more incentive to push transit, biking, and walking projects. How can we make sure that the money gets into the right hands? That should be a question we're asking. I'm positive that State level is not the answer. And certain Governors should know better.

OT: BCS - Better Check the Scoreboard

I could type a lot of stuff here. But as a Texas fan and alum, it's disappointing to see two teams you've already beaten play in the Big 12 Championship, one of which you had the same record as and beat, the other which has a worse record than three teams in the other division. It's also annoying to watch football games of teams you don't like and have to root for one because of football politics. For all those who think the BCS is a good idea, you're not in it for the right reasons and if the only reason you can make is money, you need to put your greed in check.

This is one reason I liked running track than playing other sports. The stopwatch doesn't lie.

And to keep this a little transit related, you'll be able to take Light Rail to the Texas - OU game next year in Dallas.

Framing Livable Communities: Density Terms

I guess we need to start a new series on Framing Livable Communities. Because of the intense press against density and transit, there are some things that need to be communicated differently. Today's instance is density and the need for the media to describe it as "packing people in". I might feel differently if we were setting up sardine tins like exists on the 30 and 38 buses, but density doesn't always mean Hong Kong just like suburbia doesn't always mean 1 unit per acre.

Not that this article from Raleigh Durham is a particularly bad one, but the headline "Raleigh Plan Picks Areas to Pack Growth" leads people to believe you're trying to force them to do something rather than giving alternatives to the single choice we currently have. We also know that focusing growth should be the true conservative point, due to the fact that actually saves money for cities and the people who live in them. Though it has been said that "density creates democrats". My hope is that when we make investments in our infrastructure including transit, that we make the decisions that save money for everyone and that includes smarter, denser growth. Growth that doesn't "pack us in".

Colleges Are Good Destinations

If you want ridership and transit trips increased, connect to colleges and Universities. Because of their centrality and concentration of students and jobs, it's a win win for both the city in which the University resides and the University itself. Urban campuses can save money by building space for students instead of the car and bringing students to a central place by transit can very seriously reduce all day trips that increase congestion. College campuses have people coming and going at all times of the day and are not a simple commute pattern, making congestion in the area worse.

Naming Places Not Known

It's interesting what happens when you have a specific stop on a light rail line and name it. Partly, it seems to give a sense of place to that district and perhaps a permanent moniker. In Phoenix, some are excited that a district will now be recognized.

"Each stop has a different personality and we need to acknowledge and celebrate it," said Simplot. He said is pleased to see light rail give the Melrose District the recognition it deserves.

"When people go through here, they will know they are in Melrose," he said.

Lots of Stim

Treehugger runs over three different transit based new deal programs. The Apollo Alliance seems to have the most aggressive:

Transit plays a prominent role in the Alliance's 10-year, $500 billion plan to create 5 million new jobs. Among their proposals: bringing government investment in mass transit at least up to par with investments in highways, increasing the government's share of funding for transit and infrastructure projects and prioritizing repair and maintenance of infrastructure over new highways.

Oh the Horror!!!

Atrios writes:

I don't know Phoenix at all so don't have any opinion whether the light rail system there makes any sense (I mean, over and above my general feeling that they should be built everywhere), but I loved this from a hater:

I can't wait for all the complaints we'll hear once the temperature is 110 degrees . . . and the riders find no shade (has anyone looked at those useless wings provided for shade?) while waiting and, worst of all, will have to walk blocks to get where they want to go.

You might have to walk blocks!

Oh the horror!!!

H/T SF Bike Blog

Thanksgiving Links

An article on California's new land use law.

Essentially the law, which will take years to implement, uses incentives and requirements to encourage local governments and builders to concentrate growth in urban areas or close to public transportation hubs, in an effort to reduce Californians' use of cars and lower their greenhouse gas emissions.

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I find it hard to believe that the light rail line on the Central Corridor will cause as much noise as these folks are claiming. It's not like they didn't have tons of cars and buses going by before.
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Eugene has acquired federal funding for the next part of its BRT line.

The federal government on Wednesday formally announced its $32.5 million contribution to the project, which adds a second leg to the Lane Transit District’s EmX system. The U.S. Department of Transportation previously had agreed to provide the money, but it’s still reassuring to get the formal award, said Andy Vobora, spokesman for LTD, which is developing and will operate the new transit line.

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There weren't a lot of interesting articles today, but hopefully everyone will have a Happy Holiday. Posting will be light the next few days.

Doling Out Stations

After the main station locations are decided along a commuter rail line, I've been thinking that perhaps there could be a few more auctioned off to the highest bidder. In Utah, a station location hasn't been decided but a development agreement is in place in Draper along the South End of the commuter rail line making things a bit interesting. If the developer offered to build the station and maybe that section of track, I say UTA would get a pretty good deal.