Transportation
The Pump Handle
Category archives for Transportation
Transportation, Food, and Electricity Systems Not Well Prepared for Peak Oil
Posted by Liz Borkowski on October 18, 2010 Earlier this month, I was able to attend the final day of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas (ASPO) USA conference, and it reminded me how far behind we are in preparing for a future in which oil is less readily available than it is now. Sharon Astyk, who’s an ASPO…
Happy Car-Free Day!
Posted by Liz Borkowski on September 22, 2010 September 22nd is World Car-Free Day, when people everywhere are encouraged to get out of their cars and try different modes of getting around. The Metro DC Car-Free Day is also encouraging people to try “Car-Lite” options like carpooling, or to eliminate the need for a trip to the office by working from home. They’re…
Light Rail and Obesity in one NC City
Posted by Liz Borkowski on September 1, 2010 As we try to figure out how to curb an unhealthy increase in obesity, one of the factors under consideration is the built environment. Those who in live in places where few destinations are within walking/biking distance, public transit is limited, and the environment is unfriendly to pedestrians and cyclists may find it harder to…
Riding the (Crowded) Rails
Posted by Liz Borkowski on August 11, 2010 When I visited Shanghai a few years ago, one of my favorite moments was riding the maglev train from the airport to a Metro station on the outskirts of the city. As I recall, its speed got up to around 250 mph – a counter in each car displayed the speed, and the numbers changed…
Another Way to Reduce “Drugged Driving”
Posted by Liz Borkowski on July 26, 2010 In the New York Times, Abby Goodnough and Katie Zezima highlight the problem of “drugged driving,” or driving while under the influence of a drug that impairs driving ability: The behavioral effects of prescription medication vary widely, depending not just on the drug but on the person taking it. Some, like anti-anxiety drugs, can dull…
Better Planning for Livability Requires Better Funding for Transit
Posted by Liz Borkowski on June 10, 2010 Senator Chris Dodd held a hearing yesterday to discuss his Livable Communities Act, which would provide grant funding for communities to plan and implement strategies to improve livability. In his statement, he explains: This legislation will provide resources for comprehensive planning. The design of our communities is often seen as primarily a local issue, but…