Today's Headlines - more at Metro

12/21/2010

Expo Line Goes To Court, Shared Rail Corridors, Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance, Motorists' Identity Crisis, State Transportation And Climate Change & More

Angels Flight To Celebrate 109th Anniversary With Penny Fares
Blog Downtown

Best Careers 2011: Urban Planner ("An expanding population has created the need for additional transportation systems, affordable housing, and schools in many parts of the country. The urban and regional planning field is expected to grow 19 percent, from 38,400 jobs in 2008 to 45,700 jobs by 2018, according to the Labor Department. Most of the new jobs will be with state and local governments.")
US News & World Report

Brown To Abolish State Inspector General's Office ("Chick, who first made her name as a councilwoman and city controller in Los Angeles, has put out a number of reports about subjects ranging from the state's high-speed rail system to local redevelopment authorities.")
California Watch

California's Pay As You Drive Insurance Program Could Reduce Driving
StreetsBlog SF

Car-Sharing: How It Works, Why It's Awesome
Riding In Riverside

A Comprehensive Development Plan For A Multimodal Noise And Emissions Model (296p. PDF)
Airport Cooperative Research Program

The Federal Interest In Non-Highway Transportation
Planetizen

Future Architects' Downtown Of The Future: USC "Mega Review" Takes Over City National Plaza
Los Angeles Downtown News

"Gravity Always Wins": How The U.S. Can Face The Crisis Of Unsafe Bridges
StreetsBlog DC

High Speed Rail For America? Not So Fast (interview : U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood)
NPR

Highway Bill Could Bring Back BABs
(Build America Bonds)
Reuters

Huge Projects Planned For Downtown Santa Monica (preparation for Expo Line's arrival)
Santa Monica Mirror

Human Transit: Toward Aggregated Information?
Trillium Solutions

LaHood: High Speed Rail Will Be Our Generation's Legacy
StreetsBlog DC

A Lot Of Noise Over The Expo Line: It's A Vocal Minority In Cheviot Hills And Rancho Park Who Oppose Construction Of The Light-Rail Line
Los Angeles Times

Matching Money Announced For Calif. High Speed Rail Construction
Transportation Nation

The Motorist's Identity Crisis ("When a Los Angeles bus rider asked presidential candidate George W. Bush about transit improvements in 2000, Bush responded, "My hope is that you will be able to find good enough work so you'll be able to afford a car." Bush was undoubtedly sincere. Like many Americans—probably most—he saw a bus (like a bicycle) as a nothing more than a pathetic substitute for a car...But if cyclists and transit users no longer seem to envy motorists, then motorists might be facing a crisis of confidence.")
Planetizen

New Report: U.S. States Failing At Reducing Transportation Emissions
The City Fix
Getting Back On Track: Aligning State Transportation Policy With Climate Change Goals
(66p. PDF : "The analysis here evaluates how well state-level transportation decisions are aligned with efforts to reduce GHG emissions by examining a selection of key transportation policies currently in place in the 50 states. The findings suggest that there is tremendous potential for states to make progress on reducing transportation-related carbon emissions.")
Smart Growth America ; Natural Resources Defense Council

On The Waterfront: Strong Port Volume Raises Hopes For '11
Long Beach Press-Telegram

RelayRides Lets You Share Your Car For Cash
Wired

Sharing Of Rail Corridors: Building Realistic Expectations And Partnerships & Upcoming TRB Research Projects On Shared-Use Passenger And Freight Rail Corridors (p. 13-16 of 16p. PDF)
U.S. Transportation Research Board Intercity Rail Passenger Systems Update

Social Media Boom And Bust
Governing

[Today's] Main Event: Neighbors For Smart Rail Gets Its Day In Court
("The group is arguing that the Final Environmental Impact Report certified by the Expo Construction Authority Board for Phase II of the Expo Line is faulty because, in their view, the documents didn’t properly consider the California Air Quality Act (CEQA) when deciding issues such as how to design the controversial grade crossings.")
StreetsBlog LA

Transit Faces Tough Road Ahead In U.S. Congress
("None of the Republican appointments represent major urban districts, which means urban transit proponents will have to negotiate creatively if they want to see their priorities implemented.")
Reason Foundation

Why All The Whinging About High-Speed Rail? ("High-speed rail has become part of America's never-ending culture war.")
The Economist