September 4, 2009
In the news this week, the Boston Globe discusses the importance of mode shift and readily available road closure information with a multitude of bridge and roadway construction projects happening simultaneously. The Globe editorializes that the state should ensure enforcement of nighttime work hours and staggering road closures along parallel routes to help relieve traffic jams.
The Phoenix compares the reporting of cyclist crashes in Boston, where only a small subset is reported to the RMV, to that of Cambridge, where bicycle-related crashes are meticulously recorded and reported; the top crash locations in both cities are also discussed. A letter in response to the Globe's previous article about the Mass Ave reconstruction project in Arlington is featured, that hopes to set the record straight about how much support there actually is for the new design.
Slate discusses how traffics tickets can actually be a good thing, for both increasing safety and catching other crimes. Many articles popped up this week about the development of high-speed rail in America, including the beginning of a series of stories by NPR. NPR also takes a look at the new almost-complete bike station at Union Station in Washington DC. Also, the idea of banning texting while driving is gaining traction, and according to the WSJ, now has wide support across all generations.
Copenhagenize illustrates how most motorways into and out of Copenhagen have bicycle paths alongside them. The City Fix shows us new trolleybuses that are being tested in Bologna, Italy that are self-guided by dashed stripes on the roadway, allowing them to get right up against the platforms with ease.
"Streets"
- Bids out on Dot. Ave revamp (Dorchester Reporter)
- Letter: Much wider support for Mass. Ave. plan in Arlington (Boston Globe)
- Opposition Growing to Cross Street "Woonerf" Plan (NorthEndWaterfront.com)
- On Mission Hill, years of flaws fixed in hours (Boston Globe)
- Starts & Stops: Bridging the interests of commuters, construction; Trains run hot and cold; Replacing faulty train ties (Boston Globe)
- Graffiti NABBers seeks volunteers for upcoming Fall Cleaning (Back Bay Sun)
- BU Bridge reconstruction begins (Cambridge Chronicle)
Walking
- Pedestrian (How We Drive)
Bicycling
- Dealing With Pedestrians: A Helpful Guide (Boston Biker)
- New Bike Parking at 730 Comm. Ave and Behind CAS (BU Bikes)
- Who's To Blame? (Boston Biker)
- When a bicyclist falls in the city, does it make a noise? (The Phoenix)
- I Want To Ride My ($1,400, Dutch-Style) Bicycle (Slate)
Transit
- Somerville may change zoning to oppose Yard 8 plan (Somerville News)
- 89 Bus Route: Declaring Victory (Somerville Voices)
Cars/Parking
- Alas! A quick, quiet and unperturbed Parking Commission meeting (Somerville News)
- Clunker deals net $65m in Bay State (Boston Globe)
- In this summer of roadwork, more needs to be done to relieve jams (Boston Globe)
- For elderly drivers, it's never too late to return to classroom (Boston Globe)
Transportation financing/Government
- Menino Outlines Boston Stimulus Benefits In New Progress Report (Banker and Tradesman)
- Transportation Reform 101: The Secretary (Boston Herald)
- Senator Dukakis? What Kennedy's Loss Could Mean for Transport Policy (Streetsblog DC)
- Mass Pike suit nearing dead end (Boston Herald)
Parks
- A weedy lot blossoms (Boston Globe)
- Somerville Parks & Recreation Spaces, Part II: Access, Safety & Equity Considerations (Somerville Voices)
- Bleak corner of Common seen as dining spot (Boston Globe)
- Chelmsford celebrates opening of rail trail (Chelmsford Independent)
Development projects
- Charlesview relocation --
- Commentary: Rev. Johnson column: Won't you be our Charlesview neighbor? (Allston-Brighton TAB)
- Neighborhood group protests Charlesview plans (Allston-Brighton TAB, Harvard Crimson)
- Land swap in Allston tests residents' patience (Boston Globe, Allston-Brighton TAB)
- Waterfront project is scaled back (Boston Globe)
- Neighbors seek say in $120M Back Bay project (Boston Herald, Universal Hub)
- Downtown developer bucks trend; still plans condos in new tower (Universal Hub)
- First phase of Columbus Center cleanup set for September completion (South End News)
Out-of-state
- As Bike Lanes Proliferate, So Do Disputes (New York Times)
- In Times Square? Pull up a chair (Los Angeles Times)
- Dangerous Trees or Dangerous Drivers? (How We Drive, How We Drive)
- Forest Hills Gardens: A walkable, transit-oriented, architecturally rich planned community, built 100 years ago (Slate)
- New hourly rate jams city parking meters (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- Analysis: Jindal pounded on train project (USA Today)
- First look at Portland's inaugural cycle track (BikePortland, Portland Transport)
- Austin Proceeds with Light Rail Project Even as Commuter Line Stalls (Transport Politic)
- IBPI and the Bike Boulevard Guidebook (WashCycle)
- D.C. Bike Shelter Gives Commuters A Ticket To Ride (NPR)
National trends
- Banning Texting-While-Driving --
- Change That Isn't Persuasion - Texting and Driving (Psychology Today)
- Safety Group to Call for Ban on Texting While Driving (New York Times)
- Use of Thumbs Confounds Use of Sense (New York Times)
- Consumers Favor Texting-While-Driving Ban (Wall Street Journal)
- High Speed Rail in America --
- Toward a Positive Argument for High-Speed Rail (Streetsblog DC)
- The Need for High-Speed Rail-Funding Grant Agreements (Transport Politic)
- What Are The Best Strategies For Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Transportation (National Journal)
- Too Drunk to Drive? A Sober Chauffeur Is a Scooter Ride Away (New York Times)
- APB to the Web: Find My Bike! (Wall Street Journal)
- Legibility vs. efficiency (Planetizen)
- Fighting Ourselves Over Funding for Intracity Versus Intercity Transportation (Transport Politic)
- Obama defies safety advocates, shuns bike helmet, looks great, ignites debate (LA Times)
- In Praise of Traffic Tickets (Slate)
- VIDEO: Keep on Trucking? (PBS: Blueprint America)
- Making Better Laws (Bicycling)
- Driving and the Built Environment: The Effects of Compact Development on Motorized Travel, Energy Use, and CO2 Emissions (TRB)
- U.S. DOT to Stop Rewarding Transit Projects That Use Private Contracts (Streetsblog DC)
International news
- Commentary: Save the planet -- ban cycle helmets [humor] (Adrian Short)
- Petrol taxes: Tank divisions (Economist)
- Copenhagen Bicycle Superhighways (Copenhagenize.com)
- U.K.'s Network Rail Moves Forward with Route Choice for High-Speed 2 (Transport Politic)
- Montreal Moves Forward with Tramway, in Line with Hopes for Improved Livability (Transport Politic)
- Canadian Politician Charged in Death (New York Times)
- An Italian Road That May Be Too Scenic (New York Times)
- Paris mayoral feud blocks street (BBC News)
- Smooth Operator: Guided Trolleybuses Debut in Bologna, Italy (The City Fix)