The American Dream Communicator
News & commentary about urban policy in America’s cities.
>> Happy New Year! <<
Save the Date
June 10-12, 2010 – the 8th Annual Preserving the American Dream Conference, Orlando, Florida
Mobility & Transportation
Job Losses Cut Into U.S. Driving – Wall Street Journal
Transit ridership suffering nationwide with nearly 4 percent drop – Washington Examiner
More toll roads could pave the way in the future – WTOP.com, Virginia
Can roads be built without eminent domain? – Ayn Rand Center
One very costly train – Ottawa Citizen
Rail plan would be unneeded – Advertiser-Tribune, Ohio
Light rail budget could climb again – WAVY.com, Norfolk, Virginia
Light rail delays are bad news for some Norfolk businesses – WVEC.com, Virginia
Support for light rail ‘softening’ in Virginia Beach – HamptonRoads.com, Virginia
Adult transit fares jump – CBC News, Calgary
LA commuter train hits, kills pedestrian on tracks – Silicon Valley Mercury News
Car hits light-rail train near Mall of America – Pioneer Press, Minnesota
MTA rider finds roaches in her coaches – Baltimore Sun
Copper Thieves Shut Down Portion of Light Rail System – News10.net, California
Traffic-calming spots not calming for city’s drivers – Longmont Times-Call, Colorado
Housing & Land Use
The Decade of the South: The New State Population Estimates – Wendell Cox, New Geography
Growth Management: The #1 Planning Disaster – The Antiplanner
With growth management, the only thing constant is change – Daily Record, Florida
The Good News in Florida’s Bad Times – Richard Reep, New Geography
Mayors Seek Role in Climate Regulation – New York Times
More housing drew growth to the fringes – JCOnline.com, Indiana
Quest to designate Portland’s growth areas sets counties against each other – Oregon Live
In sign of rebound, D.C. population set to surpass 600,000 – Washington Post
Maryland home assessments to fall an average 19.7% – Baltimore Sun
Many struggle even as home prices fall – Inside Northern Virginia
How California Went From Top of the Class to the Bottom – New Geography
Buyers priced out of the UK housing market – Daily Telegraph, UK
Tax-financing bill may not help downtown development – Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
Freedom & Grassroots/Three Cheers!
Don’t Give Up On The U.S. – Joel Kotkin, Forbes.com
Challenging New Urbanism – EcoWorld
Say no to Smart Growth in state – HTR News, Wisconisn
Cities want to stop state raids on local taxes – San Mateo Daily Journal, California
Adventures in Public Transportation – Not A New Yorker Blog
The Year’s Most Underreported Stories – PubliCola, Seattle
Traffic Calming: The Cement Feather-Bed – Greater Vancouver Mobility Blog
Your subdivision is killing you – Tertium Quids, Virginia
Public transportation won’t deliver the goods – Chris Moran, News Chief, Florida
Not So Sustainable
Why Metro deserves its federal boost – Eleanor Holmes Norton, Washington Post
Public-Transit Passengers Face Rough Ride – Wall Street Journal
Schwarzenegger’s plan to raid transit funds angers rider advocates – L.A. Times
Night Workers Lament Bus Cuts – New York Times
Too True To Be Good
Dog rules delay affordable housing lottery – LocalNews8.com, Wyoming
How do you pick up a girl on a bus? – GirlsAskGuys.com
High Speed Rail
There are alternatives to HSR – Robert Frye, Tallahassee Democrat
High-speed rail link to rip up finest countryside – TimesOnline, UK
Bullet Train Fanatasies? – ETA Watchdog Reports
Bullet train to fantasyland – Orange County Register
Plans evolve for high-speed rail from Minnesota to Illinois – Chicago Tribune
High-speed light rail to Chicago? Not exactly tangible – The Examiner
China Unveils the World’s Fastest Super High-Speed Train – Wall Street Pit
High-Speed Rail Pricing Models – Systemic Failure
Across the Tracks
Emissions vs. conservation or high-speed rail vs. air travel – GreenFudge.org
Planning how your children will live, work and play – Hawaii Business
Three Elements of Portland’s Success – 21st Century Urban Solutions
Are Sustainable Suburbs Possible – Urbanism and the New Economy
Killer Subdivisions – iStockAnalyst.com
The End of the American Exurbs and the Death of Sprawl? – New Urban City
Ten Common Sense Rules For TOD – Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space
“No road we built in Texas paid for itself” – Texas Urban Blog
What mobility really means – Michael Lewyn, Planetizen
Creating Car-Reduced and Car-Free Pedestrian Habitats – Greg Ramsey, Planetizen
Cities can push for climate change – Emirates Business
New Urbanism: the Most Important Green Trend for 2010 – Our World Blog
Year in Review
Top Stories of 2009 – New Geography
The year’s top smart growth stories – GreenandSave.com News
Smart Growth Achievement Winners – Whittaker Report
Quote of the Year Nominees*
“The new urbanist agenda of infill will destroy every beautiful semi rural suburb in America, and leave only government entities and huge corporations in charge of open space.” EcoWorld blogger, on the effect of crowding on the aesthetics of urban space.
“A classic co-dependency is now plain to the naked eye. The federal government needs Metro, but Metro also needs the federal government.” D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, on seeking $1.5 billion in federal subsidies for capital outlay.
“It’s ridiculous – and for what? Because really, the transit system here sucks.” Disgruntled rider Sam Delorenzo, on Calgary transit’s rate increase.
* Comments? Please send your feedback to me at ed@americandreamcoalition.org.
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