September 12 – 18, 2009
News & commentary about urban policy in America’s cities.
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** This Communicator sponsored by Happy Smart Growth **
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Mobility & Transportation
Smart growth must not ignore car drivers – Joel Kotkin, Politico
Getting What You Paid For – Paying For What You Get – Randal O’Toole, Cato Institute
Demand more from Capital Metro – Jim Skaggs, Austin American-Statesman
New study shows Bay Area drivers upset at congestion – San Francisco Examiner
Fairfax supervisors back HOT lanes on I-95 – Washington Examiner
Zipcar expands around UCLA and USC – Los Angeles Times
Passenger rail in Southwest Florida: Don’t go there – Brent Batten, Naples News
LaHood Gets Regional on Transportation Spending – The New Republic
Light ridership greets the Green Line’s first rush hour – Oregon Live
Charlotte Council vetoes mayor, spends $4.5 million on streetcar design – Examiner
Denver to rework forecast of costs, faces $2.3 billion gap – Denver Post
Light rail facing fiscal challenges – Arizona Republic
Light-rail contractor sues Metro for $19 million – Arizona Republic
City cool to light-rail plan funds – Al.com, Alabama
California Public Transportation Accidents on the Rise – 24-7 Press Release
Muni jams plague light rail system, one hospitalized – San Francisco Examiner
Motorist injured after car, RTS bus collide – Gainesville Sun, Florida
Bicyclist hit by trolley on Comm. Ave. – Universal Hub, Boston
Larcenies Fuel Rise in Transit-Related Crime – Washington Post
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Housing & Land Use
Energy ‘Sprawl’ and the Green Economy – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander, Wall Street Journal
Fight in Congress Looms on Tax Break for Home Buyers – New York Times
New Urbanist Renaissance Stalled in D.C. – Washington Post
Growth management law heads to court – South Florida Business Journal
Case before Governor and Cabinet could have implications on growth rules – St. Petersburg Times
Plans Don’t Square With Tysons Vision, Density Goals – Washington Post
TIFs: The budget surplus that dares not speak its acronym – Chicago Reader
Tricky TIF territory on debt payment – New Orleans City Business
City chooses eminent domain, goes after properties – Seal Beach Daily, California
Fort Dodge Council wants Larson land through eminent domain – The Messenger, Iowa
Metro says Portland area has room to grow inside current urban boundary – Oregon Live
Rent a big burden for half of Chicago renters – Chicago Sun-Times
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Freedom & Grassroots
Is smart growth stupid? – New Times SLO, California
If Don Quixote paid a visit to Sonoma County – Brad Bollinger, North Bay Business Journal
Competing visions of cities – BC Local News
Eminent domain holdout to be honored with plaque – The Day, Connecticut
Common-sense judgment on eminent domain – Daily Record, New Jersey
Wenonah residents voice concerns over light rail plans – Gloucester County Times, New Jersey
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High Speed Rail
Don’t jump aboard high-speed rail – Deseret News, Utah
Whittier-area cities concerned about impact of high-speed rail – Whittier Daily News, California
Two groups, two views on high-speed rail – San Mateo Daily Journal
Ohio High Speed Rail Would Run On $17 Million Deficit – NBC-4i, Columbus
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Across the Trenches
What is Smart Growth? – Appomattox Area News
Smart Growth: Good For Drivers – DMI Blog
Andrés Duany Speaks: ‘Urbanism Molts, it Evolves’ – Northwest Hub, Washington
Sustainability: The Great Divide – Richard Carson, Arch News Now
Accessibility-Based Planning – Todd Litman, Planetizen
Green transit advocates seek advantage – Politico
A Few Words on Transportation User Fees – DC Streets Blog
The next frontier: laneways – Calgary Herald
Environment prize goes to light rail – Arizona Republic
Inducing More Bicycling – Dom’s Plan B Blog
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The Lighter Side of Light Rail
Free light rail, free McDonald’s burger – Baltimore Sun
(If that doesn’t work, try “Free light rail, free pack of smokes” – ed.)
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Quote of the Year Nominees*
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“Meanwhile, many political leaders today are fixated on a quixotic and unproven quest for all-or-nothing ‘new urbanism’ in a county that has never thought of itself as urban.” Brad Bollinger, writing on the Santa Rosa City Council’s anti-business actions.
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“I’ve been a bike commuter for over 30 years — mostly in VERY hot Florida — and have never had a need for a shower.” Dom Nozzi, urban planner on preferring anti-automobile tactics over workplace incentives to shift commuting patterns.
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* Submit your nominees for Quote of the Year by emailing me at ed@americandreamcoalition.org. Check for past nominees on our website here.
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