May 22, 2014

Green Line Cars
New Green Line Cars!
(Image courtesy of BostInno)
 

New Green Line Trains Could Hit the Tracks By 2017 Boston Magazine

On Wednesday, Massachusetts Department of Transportation board members unanimously agreed to accept a formal contract with CAF USA, Inc., a Delaware-based company with corporate offices in Washington, D.C., to furnish and deliver 24 new Green Line “Type 9” Light Rail vehicles. The contract, valued at $118.1 million, means that some of those updated Green Line trains will hit the tracks within the next three years.

 

Boston's New Urban Mechanics Considered Turning Fire Call Boxes into Wi-Fi Hotspots BostInno

One of the reasons so-called Bus-Rapid Transit projects have been so contentious in U.S. cities is that urban street space is a precious commodity. Unwilling to give BRT exclusive lanes along the median, many cities route the buses into curbside lanes with mixed traffic. There, BRT must share the curb with turning cars, double-parked trucks, and other traffic conflicts — forcing the buses initially sold to the public as "speedy" to a crawl.

 

Boston And Cambridge Are Leading Walk-To-Work Cities WBUR

Sure, it’s easier to want to commute by foot when the weather’s like this.

But, as it turns out, it’s relatively common for Boston and Cambridge year-round.

From 2008 to 2012, Boston had the highest rate of walking to work among big U.S. cities, and Cambridge had the highest rate of walking to work among medium-sized cities, details a report from the U.S. Census Bureau on nonmotorized commutes, out Thursday.

Boston’s walk-to-work rate was 15.1 percent over the five years surveyed. That’s 3 percentage points higher than the No. 2 big city, Washington, D.C.

 

That Plan to Turn a Steep Street Into a Giant Water Slide Was a Huge Success Atlantic Cities

Back in March, artist Luke Jerram announced his plan to turn a hilly street in the city of Bristol, England, into a 300-ft. waterslide.

Since then he managed to crowdfund the £5,621 (~$9300) needed to cover operation costs. And on Sunday, the urban slide—made of plastic sheeting, hay bales, water, and soap—came to life.

 

"Streets"

  • 37 Billion Mile Data Challenge Winners Announced MA Transpo Blog
  • This Day in Boston History: The Zakim Bridge Carries 200,000 Pedestrians BostInno
  • Boston and Cambridge joining with three other cities on Red Line in Life Sciences Corridor push Globe
  • Urban Visionaries CMU
  • Miguel Rosales Is Architect for Leverett Circle Foot Bridge Beacon Hill Times
  • Safe Streets. Smart Trips Video Contest Announced MA Transpo Blog
  • Later business hours fit to a T Herald
  • Boston's New Urban Mechanics Considered Turning Fire Call Boxes into Wi-Fi Hotspots BostInno
  • Study says older, smaller buildings are better for cities Globe
  • Active Placemaking and a Marshmallow Fluff Festival in Somerville, MA Sustainable Collective

Bicycling

  • Census: More Americans Biking to Work Boston.com
  • ‘Commuter Suit’ Aims to Make Biking to Work Less of a Wardrobe Hassle Boston.com
  • Bicyclist ‘Doored’ on Mass. Ave. in Arlington Arlington Patch
  • Davey: A season for bicycling Metro West Daily News
  • Some feel Worcester is best traveled on 2 wheels Telegram
  • Leominster man accused of injuring teen, tossing victim's bike into river denies charges The Republic
  • Bay State Bike Week: Old is New Again MA Transpo Blog
  • Bicycle Commuting Is an Easier Sell in Cambridge Boston Magazine
  • More Shared Priority Lanes Installed On Brighton Ave! Boston Biker
  • MassBike Partners with the City of Cambridge to Discuss City Bicycling with Immigrant Populations MassBike
  • Editorial: Charles River bike path underpasses present a major opportunity Globe

Parks

  • Get out and play Globe
  • This Is Why Boston Can't Have Nice Parklets Curbed
  • Southie's D St. to have big outdoor arts space Herald
  • Food Trucks Descend on Somerville Every Thursday Eater

Walking

  • Boston And Cambridge Are Leading Walk-To-Work Cities WBUR
  • City to Increase Funding for Street & Sidewalk Improvements Ward 5 Online
  • Boston Has the Highest Percentage of Workers Who Walk to Work BostInno
  • WalkBike Worcester tackles the hills Telegram

Transit

  • Is Houston more progressive than Boston in transportation? Walking Bostonian
  • Why does going to Amherst require a transfer? Amateur Planner
  • South Station: Surviving Rail's Dark Times MA Transpo Blog
  • This MBTA Anagram Game Will Keep You From Getting Any Work Done Boston Magazine
  • CapeFLYER summer train service becomes permanent WCVB
  • Allston/Brighton TAB: The Ride is a road to independence Wicked Local
  • Cambridge Startup Lures MBTA Research Head Prior to Launching Pop-Up Bus Service BostInno
  • More History Found in Government Center Station BostInno
  • Boston late-night biz pleased with extended MBTA service Metro
  • MBTA to Launch Lynn-to-Boston Ferry Service May 19 BostInno
  • Downtown Crossing T-station at a crossroads Herald
  • New Green Line Trains Could Hit the Tracks By 2017 Boston Magazine
  • Governor Patrick Announces Start of Lynn Ferry Service MA Transpo Blog
  • MBTA: Board Approves New Green Line Cars and Buses MA Transpo Blog
  • CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles, other bidders, to submit bids Thursday for MBTA Red and Orange line cars MassLive

Cars/Parking

  • UberXL Launches in Boston Today Boston.com
  • Dudley Sq. facing parking nightmare Herald
  • Bad bridges crisis hangs over Massachusetts Herald
  • Uber's New Feature Caters to Large Groups Without Costing a Fortune BostInno
  • Driving While Pregnant Is Riskier Than You Might Think NPR

Transportation Finance/Government

  • Mayor Marty Walsh Is Meeting With Rome's Mayor to Talk About Transportation Boston Magazine
  • Office of Cambridge City Councillor Dennis Carlone Dennis Carlone
  • DOT Sec. Davey -- T ridership drop in ’13 was anomaly CommonWealth Magazine
  • The MBTA Owns a Ton of Tax-Exempt Boston Properties BostInno

Development projects

Land Use/Planning

  • Will the Green Line Extension make Somerville real estate go crazy? Globe
  • Mayor Walsh weighs in on controversial Cleveland Circle, South Boston projects Biz Journal
  • Cambridge City Council calls upon residents to be masters of Master Plan Wicked Local
  • Central Sq. Project Ready to Go out to Bid Eastie Times
  • DCR willing to consider bus yard move JP Gazette
  • WIT students create Stonybrook master plan JP Gazette
  • Hyde Sq., Centre St. design plans coming JP Gazette

Out-of-state

  • CA
    • Why bus rapid transit has stalled in Bay Area SF Gate
    • Road to rebirth? S.F.'s post-freeway Octavia may be a model SF Gate
    • MyFigueroa Achieves Consensus, Auto Group Withdraws Appeal LA StreetsBlog
    • Mayor Lee spineless Sunday meter reversal bad for business bad for SF SF StreetsBlog
  • GA
  • NY
    • How Being Hit by a Vehicle Changed Times Colleagues’ Lives NY Times
    • De Blasio Looks Toward Sweden for Road Safety NY Times
    • Study Finds Deteriorating Service on New York City Subway System Planetizen
    • McGuinness Boulevard Is NYC¹s Third 25 MPH Arterial Slow Zone StreetsBlog
  • TX
    • Houston's Plan to Get an Amazing New Bus System for No New Money Atlantic Cities
    • A Trail Helps Open Up a Dallas Neighborhood to New Development NY Times
  • OR
    • Nike launches on-campus bike share system Bike Portland
    • State's $1.9 million gift says it: flashing beacons are the safety tool of the moment Bike Portland
  • PA
  • TN
    • Federal Reform to Railroad Regs Could Mean Chattanooga Choo- Choo Rolls Again Next City
  • WA
    • Dueling Proposals to Save Bus Service in Seattle Planetizen
    • Preserving Seattle's 'Ramps to Nowhere' as a Monument to Activists Planetizen
    • Big Cuts in Store for Seattle Transit After Voters Reject Ballot Measure StreetsBlog
  • NH
    • New Hampshire Increases Gas Tax to Fund Highway, Road, and Bridge Projects Planetizen
  • OH
    • Lakewood, Ohio: The Suburb Where Everyone Can Walk to School StreetFilms

National trends

  • The Rise of Bicycling in Smaller and Midsize U.S. Cities Atlantic Cities
  • Why cyclists should be able to roll through stop signs and ride through red lights VOX
  • Does New Mass Transit Always Have to Mean Rapidly Rising Rents? Atlantic Cities
  • USDOT Sec. Foxx unveils 'Grow America Act', says biking is part of solution Bike Portland
  • The Last Commuter Rail Bar Cars in the U.S. Are About to Go Off-Line Atlantic Cities
  • How Tolls Could Help Prevent a U.S. Transportation Crisis Atlantic Cities
  • The Importance of Running True BRT Through Downtown Atlantic Cities
  • What Does 'Livable' Mean to Older Americans? Atlantic Cities
  • Open Letter to Secretary of Transportation - OpportuniTy Delayed is OpportuniTy Denied ACE-EJ
  • Don't Salmon, Don't Shoal: Learning The Lingo Of Safe Cycling NPR
  • Culture wars on the roads The Age
  • A Critical Evaluation of the USDOT Conditions and Performance Report Planetizen
  • Transit Irony: The More You Rely on It, the More They Cut Planetizen
  • Street trees, and streets without trees Community Builders
  • Rethinking Streets: New Report Illustrates Complete Streets Projects Planetizen
  • How To Justify Converting Parking Lanes into Bike Lanes Planetizen
  • Study: Walking Increases Creativity Planetizen
  • How (and Where) NIMBY Zoning Regulations Stagnate the National Economy Planetizen
  • Charles Montgomery Talks Happy City With Mark Gorton StreetFilms
  • Stop forcing people to wear bike helmets VOX
  • Sanderson: Want green cities? Lose the cars CNN
  • Using Insights and Incentives to End Rush Hour City Lab
  • Key policies to reinvigorate our nation¹s transportation program T4America
  • The wild discrepancy between bike/ped trips and bike/ped funding Treehugger

International news

  • Vietnamese Motorbikes and the Amazing Things They Carry Slate
  • London black taxis plan congestion chaos to block Uber BBC
  • That Plan to Turn a Steep Street Into a Giant Water Slide Was a Huge Success Atlantic Cities
  • Even in 1932, Copenhagen Was a Cyclist's Paradise Atlantic Cities
  • Bicycle Culture by Design: The New Question for 21st Century Cities Copenhaganize