February 13 – 19, 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
Must See TV: P.J. O’Rourke – “Where Was the Government with Studebaker?” ReasonTV.com
Mobility & Transportation
Committing to rail plans would cost too much – Randal O’Toole, Detroit Free-Press
Jonathan Yardley reviews “The Routes of Man” by Ted Conover – Washington Post
Cities Prepare for Life With the Electric Car – New York Times
Best And Worst Cities For Commuters – Forbes.com
Is Bigger Better? ‘Monster’ Trains vs Freight Trains – Popular Mechanics
The Urgency of Resurrecting Congestion Pricing in New York – DMI Report
Nashville Considers Light Rail, but the City’s Unfit for It – Transport Politic
U.S. Blocks $70 Million for Rail Line in Bay Area – New York Times
Stimulus Boosts Bus Transit – Capitol Confidential, Michigan
Bellevue Wants Light Rail Off Its Streets – KUOW.com, Washington
Cheaper gas, fewer jobs reduce Hawaii’s public transit ridership – Honolulu Advertiser
HRT chief asks for state investigation of light-rail project – Virginian Pilot
Muni’s outside costs assailed by officials – San Francisco Examiner
Light Rail final costs more than $100M over budget – WAVY.com, Virginia
TriMet’s Westside Express Service $44 million over budget – Portland Tribune
What really derails Metro – Washington Post
Light-rail construction will jam traffic – mnDaily.com, Minnesota
As light-rail process chugs along, it’s Sue City, Sue – Minneapolis Star-Tribune
3 injured when San Francisco light-rail cars collide – Associated Press
Scottsdale neighborhood balks at planned roundabout – Arizona Republic
Yike Bike – Urban Freedom – Discovery Channel
Housing & Land Use
The Heavy Price of Growth Management in Seattle – Wendell Cox, New Geography
Resisting Dickensian Gloom – Tony Recsei, Planetizen
Nation’s churches are continuing to struggle to survive – Randy Bright, Tulsa Beacon
Land Planning: Put Tech and Team on The Same Page – Rick Harrison, New Geography
High density development actually increases global warming? – Sierra Madre Tattler
Village Vices: The Contradiction of New Urbanism and Sustainability – Design Observer
10 Cities for Real Estate Steals – US News
Demographics, technology might combine to halt sprawl – Montreal Gazette
“Smart Growth” from a Dumb Agency – Cato @ Liberty
Sprawl and a city divided – Barry Noreen, Colorado Springs Gazette
Developer gives up on smart-growth Kingston project – Patriot Ledger, Massachusetts
Somerville wants “Transit Village” designation – MyCentralJersey.com
Stop the state’s seizure of redevelopment funds – Desert Sun, California
The ongoing case against privatization – ChicagoReader.com
City Hall sues to enforce affordable housing agreement – SMDP.com, California
Planning Board Gives OK To Eminent Domain Action – Hartford Courant, Connecticut
New Wrinkle in Eminent Domain? – Wyoming Energy News
Freedom & Grassroots
Rebuttal to Pomerance on sustainable development – Kathleen Calongne, Daily Camera, Colorado
Tucson Taxpayers Duped By $63 Million Light Rail Grant – Arizona Reporter
Not So Sustainable
Lost in Transit – New York Times
FTA Won’t Fund Connector, $70 Million to Go to Transit Ops – Streetsblog San Francisco
Tolls for I-80 still key to transit funding, PA Gov says – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Officials: NJ Transit riders may face up to 30% hike – DailyJournal.com, New Jersey
Planners may combine 2 light-rail routes to get federal funding – Nola.com
High Speed Rail
Rail Expert Reutter: White House Misfired on High-Speed Rail Stimulus – DC Streetsblog
Advocate ‘Doc’ Dockery: Bullet Train Safe, Efficient – TheLedger.com, Florida
Mixed signals? – US Infrastructure
High-Speed Rail Losers – U.S. News
High Speed Trains in US to be Slower Than Those in Europe, Asia – Voice of America
Wisconsin lawmakers approve money for high-speed rail – Business Week
High-speed rail economics bleak – Orange County Register
Growth Management Globally
America’s European Dream – Joel Kotkin, Forbes.com
Pushing the urban boundaries – New Zealand Herald
How to help people who live where the trains don’t go – Sydney Morning Herald
The Compelling Case For The Cable Car – Steven Dale, New Geography
Belgian Rail Crash Kills 20, Belga Says; High-Speed Link Halted – Business Week
Young families ‘can’t afford homes’ – Press Association, UK
Three-quarters of families can’t afford a house – Birmingham Post, UK
Across the Tracks
Eminent domain a benefit to taxpayers – The Columbian, Washington
The Urban Destruction Caused by Parking – DC Streetsblog
Alex Steffen’s ‘Seattle Model’ for Wealthy, Green, Cities – MK Creative
Mass transit for Motor City – CNN Money
It’s time to join the mass transit parade – Indianapolis Star
It’s time to go back to the drawing board with the Boise streetcar – Idaho Statesman
Beyond green buildings: Sustainable communities – GreenRightNow.com
Budget Ax Falls on Transit, Spares Roads – Jersey City Independent
The End of the Cul-de-Sac is Nigh – Treehugger
Vibrant Urbanism
Fights on public transit: Oakland bus fracas is latest flash point – Christian Science Monitor
Is public transportation scary for women? – Grist.com
Notable Quotables
“The era of big highways is over. It’s ending. Fuel prices are rising, people are driving less [and] using transit more.” Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, on the future as he sees it.
“I don’t think the era of the car is over. In fact, I drive a hybrid. I want more hybrid cars. I want more electric cars.” Ron Judd, advisor to the Alaskan Way Viaduct project, who sees a different future than Seattle’s mayor.
* 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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