The New York Police Department has only recently started using the term “collision” instead of “accident.” The new terminology is part of an increased emphasis on investigating crashes that are not life-threatening. New York’s Traffic Commissioner has been praised for her emphasis on improving bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, however advocates are not as pleased with a crackdown on traffic infractions by bicyclists.
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Measuring the Street: New Metrics for 21st Century Streets (New York City DOT, 2012)
This report discusses key approaches to street design projects, and how results can be measured against goals for safety, serving all users and creating great public spaces while also maintaining the flow of traffic.
Cities feel left out of transportation discussion
At the first national conference of the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), city transportation and elected officials expressed dismay that cities may be on their own in moving forward with innovative plans and policies. Attendees were frsutrated that neither cities nor transportation overall got much attention during the recent campaign season.
Climate impacts on transportation a hot topic during a hot summer
Amid this summer’s wildfires, drought and heat wave, many news articles and scholarly reports have focused on the changing climate’s effects on transportation. Reports include New York City’s subway leaking, buckling roads in Wisconsin, permafrost melting in Alaska, and predicted sea level rises along the East Coast. According to a new report from TRB, DOTs may have to adapt to new climate patterns.
Faulty suburban parking assumptions not holding up at new East Harlem mall
A wild overestimation of parking demand at a mall in Manhattan has led to wasted space, reduced pedestrian accessibility, and undermining long term planning goals. Because no big box stores had been built in such a dense urban area, developers relied on data from similar developments in more suburban locations. Assuming 67 to 68 percent of shoppers would arrive by car, the mall built vastly more parking than was needed to accommodate customers.
Car use down, bicycle and bus use up dramatically since 2001 in London congestion-pricing area
Since London’s congestion pricing plan went into place, traffic patterns have changed significantly. New maps show bicycle and bus/coach use is up and private car and large truck traffic is down. Further analysis of economic trend data demonstrates no significant impacts on the London economy.
Peer-to-Peer Information Exchange on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Bus Priority Best Practices (FTA, 2011)
The purpose of this effort has been to foster a dialogue among peers at transportation and planning agencies about their experiences with promoting public transit and, in particular, the challenges they face related to bus …
Bike sharing: An on-demand mobility solution
During the National Bike Summit, and the following day at a special session sponsored by FTA and NACTO, local officials and advocates heard about bike sharing best practices, research, funding opportunities, and updates from existing programs.
Super commuters 2.0 — flying to work
Along with the steep rise in normal super commuting — people commuting to a metropolitan area’s central county from homes outside the metro area — the number of people commuting across the country by plane has grown dramatically as well, at least in Manhattan. And New York is unlikely to be the only city struggling to accommodate the travel needs of long distance commuters.
A transportation engineer rethinks congestion pricing
Congestion pricing in New York City should be easy; there are only bridges and tunnels to get into the most congested areas of the city, and many already have tolls. Access is limited, and transit is plentiful once commuters arrive in congested Manhattan. But political pressures from the outer boroughs and anti-tax sentiments defeated efforts to implement congestion pricing in 2008. Now a veteran transportation engineer has offered a new plan that could be more popular in the suburbs and still provide incentives to find alternatives to driving into the central business district.