INSTITUTE FOR TRANSPORTATION & DEVELOPMENT POLICY
Bus Rapid Transit was first implemented in Curitiba, Brazil in 1974, and has become a global phenomenon in the twenty-first century. Major new BRT projects have opened since the turn of the century in Africa, Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Turkey, several cities in Europe, and dozens of cities in Latin America…Though it is still in its infancy in the United States, several good BRT systems have opened in the country over the last decade, and perhaps a dozen new projects are in the pipeline in cities from San Francisco to Chicago. In many ways, the spread of BRT in the twenty-first century mimics the worldwide spread of the streetcar a century earlier.
Archive for the ‘Sustainability’ Category
Recapturing Global Leadership in Bus Rapid Transit: A Survey of Select U.S. Cities
Wednesday, June 1st, 2011CSX Video: The Train
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011The truth is in the numbers. Of all surface transportation options, freight rail is the most environmentally friendly and fuel efficient. Learn more about how tomorrow moves with freight rail and the beauty of trains. -HowTomorrowMoves on YouTube
View this complete post...Getting a Fair Share for Safety from the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)
Wednesday, May 25th, 2011ADVOCACY ADVANCE
This report examines some of the states that have successfully dedicated federal safety funds to reduce bicycle and pedestrian fatalities and crashes. In a number of cases, advocates have taken a leading role in ensuring the transportation agency had prioritized road safety projects for non‐motorists. Hopefully, these experiences will help advocates and officials in other states access this untapped resource for badly needed bicycle and pedestrian safety projects.
Interactive Map: Visualizing The U.S. Electric Grid
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011“The U.S. electric grid is a complex network of independently owned and operated power plants and transmission lines. Aging infrastructure, combined with a rise in domestic electricity consumption, has forced experts to critically examine the status and health of the nation’s electrical systems.”
-National Public Radio
An interactive map from National Public Radio visualizes the U.S. electric grid through transmission lines, sources of power, power plants. The map also displays the location and capacity of planned, potential and existing solar and wind power.
View this complete post...Infrastructure 2011: A Strategic Priority
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011URBAN LAND INSTITUTE
In 2011, “the U.S. effectively shrugs off infrastructure” in the face of escalating government deficits and cash-strapped taxpayers. Despite a welcome wave of political rhetoric about its importance to the country’s economic future and related worries about falling behind global challengers, a proactive U.S. infrastructure agenda remains buried underneath a long list of other budget imperatives—health care, Social Security, defense, public safety, and education, as well as the need to service the swelling government debt. No matter how desirable, ongoing investment in systems to keep the country competitive and functioning easily can get cast aside in the rush to plug budget leaks.
The Offshore Wind Power Opportunity
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011PIKE RESEARCH
This Pike Research report provides an in-depth analysis of global opportunities in the offshore wind power market, as well as an examination of key challenges facing the industry.
Guest on The Infra Blog: Nicholas Santero, Research Scientist, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011Nicholas Santero is a research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research uses life-cycle assessment (LCA) to improve the sustainability of engineered systems. At MIT, Dr. Santero is part of a team that is working to reduce the carbon footprint of buildings and pavements using cost-effective approaches. He has a Ph.D. and M.S. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a B.S. from the University of California, Davis, all in Civil and Environmental Engineering. He is a licensed professional engineer in California.
View this complete post...More Extreme Weather and the U.S. Energy Infrastructure
Thursday, April 28th, 2011NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION
Oil and gas infrastructure in the Gulf region is at risk as hurricanes intensify; Coal transport across the Midwest and Northeast will face more flooding disruptions; Electricity generation in the Southwest will be limited by water shortages; Future investments must transform the U.S. energy infrastructure to be resilient in the face of more extreme weather and climate
Building for the 21st Century: American support for sustainable communities
Monday, April 25th, 2011SMART GROWTH AMERICA
A recent poll by Smart Growth America has found that in the midst of a struggling U.S. economy, support for smart growth strategies remains high among Americans on both sides of the aisle…Americans living in all types of areas – in rural, suburban and urban areas alike – want more sustainable communities.
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