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US DOT Lahood's statement
Worth the read - from US DOT Secretary Lahood's blog (!):
To set this approach in motion, we have formulated key recommendations for state DOTs and communities:
Read more >
- Treat walking and bicycling as equals with other transportation modes.
- Ensure convenient access for people of all ages and abilities.
- Go beyond minimum design standards.
- Collect data on walking and biking trips.
- Set a mode share target for walking and bicycling.
- Protect sidewalks and shared-use paths the same way roadways are protected (for example, snow removal)
- Improve nonmotorized facilities during maintenance projects.
US DOT asks State DOTs to embrace bicycling & walking
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has announced a new federal policy that puts bicycling and pedestrian projects and planning on an equal footing with highways and transit in the use of federal funding. Read more >
New bike advocacy group: Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition
From the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition's website:
Our goal is to make Minneapolis better for bicycling. We are 100% volunteer driven, and we are always looking for new volunteers.
In 2010, we are focusing on four areas of advocacy:
- Improve the Minneapolis Bike Plan
- Advocate for better downtown biking
- Increase bike parking in Uptown and Longfellow
- Bring a Ciclovia to Minneapolis in 2010
Get involved! If you're interested in any of these topics or other ways to make Minneapolis better for bicycling, email us at info@mplsbike.org
Transportation facts: Minnesota
A snapshot of transportation-related facts for Minnesota, from Transportation for America > Read more >
On James Rojas and community engagement methods
On James Rojas, an LA transportation planner with an interesting approach to community planning ... Read more >
Bicycle Boulevards - an introduction by Mia Birk and Streetfilms
Nice new video via Streetfilms
GDP Growth and China's Empty City
Recently some members of the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals had a list-serve discussion about the common practice of using Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth as an indicator of a community's success. Using GDP as a measure is a very narrow lense through wich to look in evaluating quality of life and a group of peoples' level of happiness.
From a land use and transportation perspective, using GDP alone as a success indicator may encourage auto-oriented planning and design because automobilism leads to a lot of economic activity through car crashes, repairs, hostpital bills, insurance claims, lawyer fees, etcetera. What would it mean to the GDP if we had fewer trips taken by car, fewer crashes, fewer injuries, fewer fatalities, etcetera?
This video news report takes a look at China, where an entire new city was recently built as part of the effort to keep national GDP growing at a rate of 8% annually. This city currently stands empty and at least for the moment makes a very good case for broadening our econonomic measures beyond the narrow GDP measure.
What the Twin Cities needs to pass
I read this over on Streetblogs and how imagine how great it would be to have this law in the Twin Cities. I for one would love to have indoor or at least secure covered parking be mandated by law even if it goes against my libertarian roots.
Enjoy
An engineering eye on European transportation
Fascinating observations, by a Minnesota professional traffic engineer, of transportation system and city characteristics of several countries in Central Europe (including Germany, France, and the Czech Republic). Includes discussion of roadway lane widths, rail network, and urban form.
Excerpted from the newsletter of the North Central Section of the US Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE).
(Please click on a comment to go to the full post to which it refers)