February 6 – 12, 2010
The American Dream Communicator
News & commentary about urban policy in America’s cities.
Save the Date
June 10-12, 2010 – The 8th Annual Preserving the American Dream Conference, Orlando, Florida
Mobility & Transportation
Federal Highways and Urban Form – The Antiplanner
Metro Transit Ridership Is Dropping – WCCO.com, Minnesota
Light rail project the wrong ticket for Wisconsin – Royal Purple News, Wisconsin
The Hiawatha Light-Rail Disaster – East Austin Voice
Rail jobs estimate drops by thousands – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Wisconsin
HRT chief: Norfolk light-rail ‘soft costs’ way out of line – HamptonRoads.com, Virginia
Millions in tax dollars being spent on rail and bus studies – 10Connects.com, Tampa
Most transit service grinds to a halt – Baltimore Sun
Transit-Plan Prescription for Disappearing Detroit – New York Times
Riders’ anger continues over Muni service cuts – San Francisco Examiner
Commute from hell: Metro train derails – WTOP.com, Washington
Man killed while crossing train tracks – WSVN.com, Miami
9 injured after Metro bus collides with light rail train – KHOU.com, Houston
Bus driver suspended after light rail collision – ABC-13, Houston
Minnesota Public Radio Sues Over Noise From Passing Trains – AVVO.com
City Council OKs $613 million bike plan – Portland Business Journal
The End of the Road for Cul-de-sacs? – DC Streetsblog
Housing & Land Use
Atlanta: Ground Zero for the American Dream – Wendell Cox, New Geography
Top Obama Officials Promote ‘Smart Growth’ In Seattle – KUOW.org, Seattle
EPA and HUD Make Big Investments in Sustainable Development – OregonLive.com
Global vision for growth – Ottawa Citizen
No policy change is needed to prevent the housing bubble: There isn’t one – Vancouver Sun
Would you relocate to Texas? – Trulia.com
Counties sue Legislature over impact fee law – HighlandsToday.com, Florida
‘Blueprint America’: Putting the brakes on car-focused city’s decline – Washington Post
Jacksonville’s revival is possible amid changing circumstances – Jacksonville.com, Florida
Brevard Commission may extend impact-fee moratorium – FloridaToday.com
The sorry saga of the D.C. convention center hotel – Washington Post
Approving a Code That Creates the City We Need to Be – Smart City Memphis
House bill to redefine ‘blight’ – ReporterHerald.com, Colorado
Tax district shortfall may cost taxpayers – Wichita Eagle, Kansas
Apartments planned at ex-TIF project site – Columbia Daily Tribune, Missouri
TIF: a powerful tool being overused? – Le Mars Daily Sentinel, Iowa
Eminent domain option remains for Hilliard roundabout – Columbus Local News, Ohio
Freedom & Grassroots
Portland’s Vision of ‘Smart Growth’ Utopia seems to be fading – Jim Skaggs, COST Austin
Wise growth doesn’t have to mean more urbanization – Gail Ewing, Gazette.net, Maryland
FedEx to Move Traffic and Cut Emissions in Mexico City – New York Times
State Legislature could ‘just say no’ to high-speed rail – BizTimes.com, Wisconsin
Public gets chance to review Smart Growth – Kenosha News, Wisconsin
Will vote on light rail ballot language be delayed? – Creative Loafing, Tampa
Video: Randal O’Toole on Wichita’s WaterWalk – KansasWatchdog.org (6:40)
Audio: Tony Recsei on Housing Affordability – Counterpoint, Australia (8:49)
Not So Sustainable
Who’s dependent on cars? Try Mass Transit – Ed Braddy, New Geography
Feds deliver on loans and grants RTD needs for FasTracks – In Denver Times
Next Stop, Light Rail Cutbacks? – College Times, Arizona
Transit troubles in the Capital City – Midlands Connect, South Carolina
High Speed Rail
High-speed rail doesn’t fix any of our problems – Robert Poole, Reason Foundation
Obama’s Expensive Train Set – Donald Lambro, Human Events
Money woes could slow down high-speed rail – MSNBC.com
California HSR ridership data proven faulty, risks state and fed funding – San Francisco Examiner
California’s costly hoax: Borrowing money to build flawed train – Chuck DeVore, Big Government
Where does Texas’ bid for high-speed rail stand now? – Houston Chronicle
High-Speed Rail Grants Favor the Prepared – Huffington Post
High-speed rail: spend $50 billion? – Seattle Times
HSR Cash Lays Congressional Track for Billions More to Follow – New York Times
Just How ‘Invincible’ Is China’s HSR? It’s Hurting Air Travel – Infrastructurist.com
Down Under
Build more houses or pay the price, Treasurer Wayne Swan warns – Herald Sun, Australia
Council votes for higher density – Brisbane Times, Australia
Seaside selling after 80 years – Tweed Daily News, Australia
Across the Tracks
Federal Smart Growth – At Lincoln House
HUD promotes Obama’s pitch for sustainable communities – USA Today
Obama hates the suburbs – Publicola.net, Seattle
Slumburbia – Timothy Egan, New York Times
Study: Traffic patterns affect childhood obesity – American City & County
Developing Stories: The Promise of Planning – Austin Chronicle
What Does ‘Smart Growth’ Really Mean? Questions for Andres Duany – Popular Mechanics
Village Green: Some Fighting Words About Suburban Sprawl – Huffington Post
Hawaii Auto Problems – Hawaii Island Journal
Time to consider light rail – Charleston Post & Courier, South Carolina
Mass Transit vs. Traffic Congestion – PoliticalAffairs.net
High-speed rail would get Michigan’s economy back on track – AnnArbor.com
Why not rail? – Planetizen
Nothing’s New Urbanism
Needed: Advocates to champion community vision for TODs – CHS Blog, Seattle
Charrette brings vision of city to people – ConnectFitchburg, Wisconsin
1977 Charlotte plan – Back to the future? – Naked City
Austin considering light rail, streetcar line – Houston Chronicle
The Lighter Side of Public Transportation
Public Transportation: A Primer – Cracked.com
Atlanta’s Yellow Line Has Some Asians Seeing Red – Fox News
Oldies But Goodies
The PCC – Car Lust
Streetcar view on Market Street – 1905 San Francisco – Youtube.com
Walking: A simple focus for the Smart Growth movement – Grist.org
Notable Quotables
“This is absolutely astounding. It shows how poorly things had been managed.” Norfolk Councilman Randy Wright, on the excessive consulting, legal and administrative fees that have contributed to major cost overruns on the city’s light rail starter line.
“As time goes on, as fast trains become a way of life for America, there will be more and more federal help.” Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, showing confidence that someone else will always pay.
* Come across a good quote? Send it to me at ed@americandreamcoalition.org. Check for past quotations in our Communicators on our website here.
** Check out Interviews with the Experts for the latest commentary on trends taking place in cities all across America. **
*** This Communicator sponsored by Happy Smart Growth ***
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