Opportunity to talk to the NE #Portland state rep directly about the importance of bikes and #transportation. Lew Frederick is on the joint transportation committee and will play a big part in coming up with the next state transportation funding. He has these meetups once a month but this is the first after the state transportation forum. 9am at the Broadway Grill. #pdxBikes#ORleg#ClimateAction#VisionZero
Shit. Thought I saw a positive story about refurbishing and reopening a major train station...and it turns out it's just a puff piece about a rich Ford family guy buying it and turning into a "tech hub" for Ford's campus. #Trains#FuckCars#Transportation
This was an interesting email to receive today. It reminded me of some things we discussed back on The Oil Drum about this very thing (the online archive still available: http://theoildrum.com/special/archives ) - how paving over all the old city & county gravel roads had introduced a pile of fixed costs (not just paving, but regular re-grading, snow plowing, etc) that towns would eventually have to shed.
In other words, at some point in the not too distant future, they will start turning roads back into gravel roads, slowly but surely, starting at the very outside edges and creeping inward until only a certain core of local paved roads remains.
Private automobiles are not the future of anything, and it is a gross mis-allocation of funds to waste money on expanding roads.
The communities that were crushed and divided by highways can be repaired, though they will never have the same vibrancy as before, nor will the original displaced inhabitants benefit in any way.
But it's a start.
"...Decades ago, people decided to create the freeways. Now, we must decide if we will continue this path or reverse the damage to repair our communities..."
Finished the first draft of my play in iambic pentameter! Because I have the freedom to do weird shit now! Anyway, given that I've been bike commuting in Boston since 2008, I was thinking I could put together some bike commuting tips for folks considering it. Do you think anyone would want such a thing? #bike#bikecommute#transportation#boston
Cidades demasiado dependentes de carros deviam ser vistas como sinal de subdesenvolvimento. A ideia de querer obrigar as pessoas a endividarem-se à fartazana para comprar latas rolantes mastodônticas para serem deixadas à noite em cima dos passeios das cidades não tem ponta por onde se lhe pegue!
That’s because a campaign to make Paris greener, primarily by reducing its dependence on cars, has transformed it into a shining example of what many environmental activists, city planners and transit advocates say ought to be the future of cities worldwide.
Paris has closed more than 100 streets to motor vehicles, tripled parking fees for SUVs, removed roughly 50,000 parking spots, and constructed more than 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) of bike lanes since Mayor Anne Hidalgo took office in 2014.
Those changes have contributed to a 40% decline in air pollution, according to city officials.
“How did we achieve this?” Hidalgo said in a statement in March. “By assuming a major and radical rupture: the end of car-dependence.”
On May 1, HHS released a final rule that updated Section 504, something disability advocates have been demanding for decades. This rule clarifies and strengthens civil rights protections against the constant healthcare discrimination disabled people experience. And on April 26 the Department issued a final rule regarding Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in covered health programs and activities. These final regulations are vital for improving the medical care and access to services people with disabilities receive, and this webinar will help highlight why.
Mainichi: "Texas shinkansen may not operate until early 2030s, Amtrak says... Most recently slated for completion in 2026, the project is receiving technical support from Japanese shinkansen operator Central Japan Railway Co. If it goes ahead, the railway will connect Dallas and Houston, two major Texas cities approximately 380 kilometers apart, in about 90 minutes, but planning has been repeatedly delayed due to financing concerns, among other reasons. " https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20240530/p2g/00m/0bu/049000c#transportation#trains#texas
*first time I've heard of this. Although rail between major cities is a great idea, I am curious on adoption in a state that is rather fossil fuel obsessed. Steep competition from Southwest Airlines, too.
100% US tariff on Chinese EVs makes it a $26K car.
The $13,000 model is Corolla-sized. Corollas sell in the US, but we're a land of SUVs, pickup trucks and CUVs, not compacts (largely because "light truck" CAFE loopholes exist).
It hasn't undergone NHTSA evaluation, which would likely force significant engineering changes and cost increases.
BYD has zero retail sales/ service footprint in the US. That will take BILLIONS to build out.
@davemark - Every company on Earth markets idealized versions of their products, which often pale under real-world scrutiny. BYD (and even Apple) is no exception.
As with Apple, I see a lot of the mainstream press (especially) regurgitating BYD's marketing spin with no critical analysis.
BYD is touting decent EV range combined with remarkable fuel range to acheive that 1300 mile range. But they haven't indicated how they tested. Is that city driving? highway? a combo? Top speed? (1/2)