Saturday, May 29, 2004
Kill the Monorail
Seattle's left-wing paper, the Weekly, urges the city to kill the monorail project, which it calls "the people's boondoggle." The paper originally supported the monorail idea because it was "not Sound Transit" (the agency that went way overbudget and is spending billions on Seattle light rail) and because it was supposed to have "safeguards for public investment."
Instead, the monorail has simply turned into another big "bureaucratic juggernaut, a kind of warmer, fuzzier version of Sound Transit." "It's time to cut our losses," concludes the editorial. "Let's prove that the monorail is really better than Sound Transit and stop it while we still can."
French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau reportly once said "If a man is not a socialist in his youth, he has no heart. If he is not a conservative by the time he is 30 he has no head." Now that our urban areas have sorted themselves out into central cities full of young people and suburbs full of families, it may be that cities will repeatedly fall prey to "good government" solutions such as the People's Monorail. We can only hope the suburbs will not be bamboozled by similarly fuzzy thinking.
Instead, the monorail has simply turned into another big "bureaucratic juggernaut, a kind of warmer, fuzzier version of Sound Transit." "It's time to cut our losses," concludes the editorial. "Let's prove that the monorail is really better than Sound Transit and stop it while we still can."
French Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau reportly once said "If a man is not a socialist in his youth, he has no heart. If he is not a conservative by the time he is 30 he has no head." Now that our urban areas have sorted themselves out into central cities full of young people and suburbs full of families, it may be that cities will repeatedly fall prey to "good government" solutions such as the People's Monorail. We can only hope the suburbs will not be bamboozled by similarly fuzzy thinking.
Starbucks Gets No Respect - Should It?
Willamette Week, Portland's left-wing paper, looks at criticisms levels at Starbucks, such as that it has put other coffee shops out of business or treats its workers badly, and finds it "not guilty" of most of those charges. Still, it concludes that Starbucks is "homogenizing America," which contradicts its previous conclusion that Starbucks has actually promoted a variety of other coffee businesses by educating public tastes.
French Build the Highest Bridge in the World
While U.S. transport is getting bogged down by grandiose but ultimately useless rail plans, the French are building the tallest bridge in the world. It is 1.5 miles long, 900 feet high (to the road; another 300 feet to the tower tops), and is costing $378 million to build. If some U.S. city proposed to spend $378 million in tax dollars for a 1.5-mile rail line, we would certainly complain, but this bridge is being built entirely with private money, and the builder will get to collect tolls on it for 75 years.
Built in southern France on the route from Paris to Barcelona, it will save truckers and travelers a lot of time and congestion. Naturally, some people think it will "mar" the French countryside (scroll down for a few negative comments), but the French (some respondents suggest) don't seem to mind. The bridge will open in early 2005, so Wendell and I will have to plan a visit to the area next year.
Built in southern France on the route from Paris to Barcelona, it will save truckers and travelers a lot of time and congestion. Naturally, some people think it will "mar" the French countryside (scroll down for a few negative comments), but the French (some respondents suggest) don't seem to mind. The bridge will open in early 2005, so Wendell and I will have to plan a visit to the area next year.
Northstar Commuter Rail Almost Dead
With support from a Republican governor, many believed that funding for a new commuter-rail line in Minneapolis, called the Northstar line, was a sure thing. But after a long battle, the Minnesota House of Representatives cut it from their funding bill and the Senate couldn't muster enough votes to include it either. Proponents warn that, unless the governor calls a special session and the legislature funds it, the region will lose the federal funds to build it. But they are just trying to spur pork-hungry legislators to action.
The reality is that opponents will have to continue to work hard to kill this bad project for years to come. Minneapolis is about to open its first light-rail line and it will no doubt be accompanied by the usual ballyhoo about what a great success it is because it carries three riders a day or something. The reality is that it is opening two months late, partly due to flaws in worksmanship and delays in railcar delivery, and partly because of a month-long transit strike, spurred by the transit agency's need to cut costs due to light-rail construction.
The reality is that opponents will have to continue to work hard to kill this bad project for years to come. Minneapolis is about to open its first light-rail line and it will no doubt be accompanied by the usual ballyhoo about what a great success it is because it carries three riders a day or something. The reality is that it is opening two months late, partly due to flaws in worksmanship and delays in railcar delivery, and partly because of a month-long transit strike, spurred by the transit agency's need to cut costs due to light-rail construction.
Another Hidden Cost of Rail Transit
Senator Barbara Boxer and Oakland U.S. Representative Barbara Lee propose to spend nearly $1 billion a year making rail transit systems safe from terrorists. Does anyone think buses will be a terrorist target?
New Jersey Smart-Growth Office Opposes Developments
New Jersey's new Office of Smart Growth is opposing development plans in six cities and towns and wants amendments to plans in two more cities. In Frankford, for example, the office opposes a plan that includes a large outlet mall. It supports instead plans for New Urbanist-style town centers.
Long time business are not compatible with Portland Pearl district and it's mix use policies.
Condo dwellers’ boon is industrial firms’ bust
Condo dwellers’ boon is industrial firms’ bust
One of Portland favorite examples of smart growth is having a problem with crime and retaining business.
Hawthorne looks down the road
Hawthorne looks down the road
Friday, May 28, 2004
Rental Car Tour of Brussels: Suburban and Suburbanizing
... one can travel for miles and hours in Brussels without seeing medieval cathedrals, museums, tourist attractions, large multi-family apartment blocks or metro stops. Sites such as these can surely be found inside the urbanized area as it was 50 or 100 years ago. But what can also be found is an attractive metropolitan area, in which people have chosen to conduct their lives surrounded by grass and free to travel throughout the area wherever they like in a reasonable period of time.
... one can travel for miles and hours in Brussels without seeing medieval cathedrals, museums, tourist attractions, large multi-family apartment blocks or metro stops. Sites such as these can surely be found inside the urbanized area as it was 50 or 100 years ago. But what can also be found is an attractive metropolitan area, in which people have chosen to conduct their lives surrounded by grass and free to travel throughout the area wherever they like in a reasonable period of time.
Thursday, May 27, 2004
Access Magazine, issue 24, from the University of California Transportation Center
The latest issue of the always-interesting Access magazine is now on line. It features articles about successful bus-rapid transit systems in Brazil, the growth of auto ownership and driving in development nations, and a defense of cul de sacs, among other things. The cul de sac article points out that, though New Urbanists hate cul de sacs, homes in cul de sacs sell for higher prices because they reduce traffic accidents and crime. This issue also lists the tables of contents of all past issues.
You have a choice of downloading the full version with graphics (4.2 MB) or the "light" version with reduced graphics (2.4 MB). You can also go to the Access web site to download any issue back to issue 12 and to the Research Paper site to download hundreds of reports written by University of California transportation experts.
The latest issue of the always-interesting Access magazine is now on line. It features articles about successful bus-rapid transit systems in Brazil, the growth of auto ownership and driving in development nations, and a defense of cul de sacs, among other things. The cul de sac article points out that, though New Urbanists hate cul de sacs, homes in cul de sacs sell for higher prices because they reduce traffic accidents and crime. This issue also lists the tables of contents of all past issues.
You have a choice of downloading the full version with graphics (4.2 MB) or the "light" version with reduced graphics (2.4 MB). You can also go to the Access web site to download any issue back to issue 12 and to the Research Paper site to download hundreds of reports written by University of California transportation experts.
Houston vs. Boston: Which Has the Worst Land-Use Planning?
The governor of Massachusetts bad mouthed Houston after the Superbowl, and Reason Foundation research fellow Owen Courreges responds that Houston has less congestion and a lower cost of living. Massachusett's high taxes and housing costs are driving people away and many of them are going to Houston, which is growing far faster than Boston.
The governor of Massachusetts bad mouthed Houston after the Superbowl, and Reason Foundation research fellow Owen Courreges responds that Houston has less congestion and a lower cost of living. Massachusett's high taxes and housing costs are driving people away and many of them are going to Houston, which is growing far faster than Boston.
Rental Car Tour: St. Louis
This document is now receiving attention on the Congress of New Urbanism mailing list. Usually I try not to make major revisions to these reports, but because it is likely that there will be many new downloads, decided to make some additional points that were to have been included in a subsequent report. (May 31)
Not since the Romans sacked Carthage has a city has lost more of its population than St. Louis …. But prospects could be improving for this urban area.
Rental Car Tour: South Bronx Resurrection
What had been a strong, middle-income residential area of the Bronx had become a virtual wasteland in barely 10 years. From Charlotte Street and Boston Road the view was like Berlin at Hitler’s demise. But there had been no war.
All that has changed now….
This document is now receiving attention on the Congress of New Urbanism mailing list. Usually I try not to make major revisions to these reports, but because it is likely that there will be many new downloads, decided to make some additional points that were to have been included in a subsequent report. (May 31)
Not since the Romans sacked Carthage has a city has lost more of its population than St. Louis …. But prospects could be improving for this urban area.
Rental Car Tour: South Bronx Resurrection
What had been a strong, middle-income residential area of the Bronx had become a virtual wasteland in barely 10 years. From Charlotte Street and Boston Road the view was like Berlin at Hitler’s demise. But there had been no war.
All that has changed now….
Obesity Is a Growing Problem in Europe, Too
Remember how suburbs cause obesity? So why is it that "obesity has increased by 10 to 40 percent in a majority of European countries in the past 10 years"? Maybe because those lazy Europeans have all those trains to ride on?
Of course, as Wendell Cox and I love to point out, western European cities are rapidly suburbanizing. But the highest rates of obesity are in central Europe, which isn't nearly as wealthy or suburbanized as western Europe.
The real reason behind the obesity alarmism is suggested near the end of the article, which calls for spending more money on obesity research. Who made the call? Obesity researchers, of course.
Remember how suburbs cause obesity? So why is it that "obesity has increased by 10 to 40 percent in a majority of European countries in the past 10 years"? Maybe because those lazy Europeans have all those trains to ride on?
Of course, as Wendell Cox and I love to point out, western European cities are rapidly suburbanizing. But the highest rates of obesity are in central Europe, which isn't nearly as wealthy or suburbanized as western Europe.
The real reason behind the obesity alarmism is suggested near the end of the article, which calls for spending more money on obesity research. Who made the call? Obesity researchers, of course.
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Rental Car Tour: Bucharest: Birthplace of Smart Growth (1.1 MB download)
In a previous article, I evoked the ire of many U.S. urban planners by suggesting that the late Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceaucescu was the “Father of Smart Growth” --- the philosophy that the values of urban planners must be imposed upon the city to increase densities and deny people the right to live how they like. Little did I realize how apt was the title. I was to learn that if Ceaucescu was the “Father of Smart Growth,” then Bucharest was its birthplace.
The dictator-planner saw to it that the city grew. To make sure it happened he destroyed villages around the country and forced people to move into Bucharest high-rises…
Other Rental Car Tours at this Link
New Ramp Puts Commuters on Cloud Nine
A new, mile-long ramp linking the Washington Beltway with Interstate 95 has greatly relieved traffic congestion, says the Washington Post. While it hasn't solved all the problems with the Beltway, it has greatly reduced travel times for many commuters.
A new, mile-long ramp linking the Washington Beltway with Interstate 95 has greatly relieved traffic congestion, says the Washington Post. While it hasn't solved all the problems with the Beltway, it has greatly reduced travel times for many commuters.
Faster Growing School Districts Spend Less and Spending Grows Slower
An analysis of US Department of Education data in "Building for the Future" (Byron Schlomach, PhD with Wendell Cox) shows that faster growing school districts generally spend less per pupil and their rates of spending growth are lower. The faster growing districts are generally suburban, while the slower growing districts are generally urban. This conclusions contradicts the conventional thinking in urban planning, especially "Current Urban Planning Assumption #2," which holds that faster growing areas spend more than slower growing areas. Yes, infrastructure costs in the suburbs are higher due to the necessity of building new schools. But no, overall costs are lower, because entrenched special interests have long since driven urban costs so high that their lower infrastructure costs are more than neutralized.
http://www.texaspolicy.com/pdf/2004-04-facilities.pdf
An analysis of US Department of Education data in "Building for the Future" (Byron Schlomach, PhD with Wendell Cox) shows that faster growing school districts generally spend less per pupil and their rates of spending growth are lower. The faster growing districts are generally suburban, while the slower growing districts are generally urban. This conclusions contradicts the conventional thinking in urban planning, especially "Current Urban Planning Assumption #2," which holds that faster growing areas spend more than slower growing areas. Yes, infrastructure costs in the suburbs are higher due to the necessity of building new schools. But no, overall costs are lower, because entrenched special interests have long since driven urban costs so high that their lower infrastructure costs are more than neutralized.
http://www.texaspolicy.com/pdf/2004-04-facilities.pdf
Tuesday, May 25, 2004
Does Highway Spending Really Pay Off?"
Virginia Postrel, writing in the New York Times, cites a Brookings Institution researcher who has found that each dollar spent on highways returns only 8 cents in congestion reduction. That's not much of a payoff, she says.
Wendell Cox responds that "spending money on soundwalls and transit doesn't reduce traffic congestion." In other words, just because it is called "highway money" doesn't mean that it is spent on anything that will reduce congestion.
Many regions have made a concerted effort to spend their highway funds on things that won't reduce congestion. "Transportation solutions aimed solely at reducing congestion are inappropriate," says Metro, Portland's regional planning agency. Given this bias, it is not surprising that transportation spending has been ineffective at reducing congestion.
Virginia Postrel, writing in the New York Times, cites a Brookings Institution researcher who has found that each dollar spent on highways returns only 8 cents in congestion reduction. That's not much of a payoff, she says.
Wendell Cox responds that "spending money on soundwalls and transit doesn't reduce traffic congestion." In other words, just because it is called "highway money" doesn't mean that it is spent on anything that will reduce congestion.
Many regions have made a concerted effort to spend their highway funds on things that won't reduce congestion. "Transportation solutions aimed solely at reducing congestion are inappropriate," says Metro, Portland's regional planning agency. Given this bias, it is not surprising that transportation spending has been ineffective at reducing congestion.
Monday, May 24, 2004
Vermont Endangered by Big-Box Stores
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which supports smart growth, has listed the entire state of Vermont as one of eleven most-endangered places in the U.S. The prime threat to Vermont is that its residents may soon have the same opportunity to shop in big-box stores that Americans in the rest of the U.S. have enjoyed. This would result in "erosion of the state's unique sense of place."
Of course, no one will force Vermontians to shop at these stores. But somehow it makes more sense to deny them that choice than to risk losing a "unique sense of place."
It is worth noting that one of the National Trust's other endangered "places" is "tobacco barns of southern Maryland," which are apparently endangered by the decline of the tobacco industry and Maryland's efforts to persuade farmers to grow something less deadly. I guess everyone who quit smoking should light up again to help protect those endangered barns.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which supports smart growth, has listed the entire state of Vermont as one of eleven most-endangered places in the U.S. The prime threat to Vermont is that its residents may soon have the same opportunity to shop in big-box stores that Americans in the rest of the U.S. have enjoyed. This would result in "erosion of the state's unique sense of place."
Of course, no one will force Vermontians to shop at these stores. But somehow it makes more sense to deny them that choice than to risk losing a "unique sense of place."
It is worth noting that one of the National Trust's other endangered "places" is "tobacco barns of southern Maryland," which are apparently endangered by the decline of the tobacco industry and Maryland's efforts to persuade farmers to grow something less deadly. I guess everyone who quit smoking should light up again to help protect those endangered barns.
Problems with Denver's FasTracks Rail-Transit Plans
Denver's transit agency, RTD, wants voter approval this November to spend billions of dollars on "FasTracks," six new rail lines in the Denver metro area. Yet RTD's own data show that bus-rapid transit is faster, offers better service, and costs less to both build and operate than rail transit. Meanwhile, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) estimates that FasTracks will take less than one-half a percent of cars off the road and less than 1.4 percent off during rush hour.
I have prepared several short reviews of FasTracks, including:
Denver's transit agency, RTD, wants voter approval this November to spend billions of dollars on "FasTracks," six new rail lines in the Denver metro area. Yet RTD's own data show that bus-rapid transit is faster, offers better service, and costs less to both build and operate than rail transit. Meanwhile, the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) estimates that FasTracks will take less than one-half a percent of cars off the road and less than 1.4 percent off during rush hour.
I have prepared several short reviews of FasTracks, including:
- A two-page FasTracks Index that documents some basic statistics;
- A two-page color flyer with charts showing problems with FasTracks;and
- A black-and-white version of the same flyer for people who don't have color printers.
Smarter Transit: What Really Increases Transit Ridership
This is a 7.5-megabyte PDF conversion from a PowerPoint show given at a smart-growth conference in Portland last January. But I suspect it wasn't too popular with conference goers, as it says that "light rail is not powerful enough to draw choice riders" i.e. riders who have autos. "Rather, the choice market responds to other dimensions" such as speed and frequency. The presentation effectively endorses bus-rapid transit as a faster, more frequent transit service than rail. But this presentation includes much more information as well.
This is a 7.5-megabyte PDF conversion from a PowerPoint show given at a smart-growth conference in Portland last January. But I suspect it wasn't too popular with conference goers, as it says that "light rail is not powerful enough to draw choice riders" i.e. riders who have autos. "Rather, the choice market responds to other dimensions" such as speed and frequency. The presentation effectively endorses bus-rapid transit as a faster, more frequent transit service than rail. But this presentation includes much more information as well.
How Wal-Mart Uses Tax Dollars to Finance Its Growth
Another study just completed by Good Jobs First documents more than $1 billion in subsidies to Wal-Mart stores and distribution centers. These subsidies include:
Another study just completed by Good Jobs First documents more than $1 billion in subsidies to Wal-Mart stores and distribution centers. These subsidies include:
- Free or reduced-priced land
- Infrastructure assistance
- Tax-increment financing
- Property tax breaks
- State corporate income tax credits
- Sales tax rebates
- Enterprise zone status
- Job training funds
- Tax-exempt bond financing
- General grants
Labor Group Supports Smart Growth
Or perhaps the headline should read, "Smart-growth group claims to support labor unions." This study, by a "progressive" group calling itself Good Jobs First, concludes that smart growth leads to more jobs for construction union workers. The study claims to show that certain types of projects are "more labor intensive" than others and therefore are supposed to be better (can everyone see the fallacy of this type of reasoning?).
The study also says that cities with high rates of labor union membership (such as Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia) tend to be more compact than cities with lower rates (such as Dallas). Duh! But does correlation equal causation? Of course not. It is likely that both the compact nature of some cities and the high rates of union membership are artifacts of the histories of those cities.
Or perhaps the headline should read, "Smart-growth group claims to support labor unions." This study, by a "progressive" group calling itself Good Jobs First, concludes that smart growth leads to more jobs for construction union workers. The study claims to show that certain types of projects are "more labor intensive" than others and therefore are supposed to be better (can everyone see the fallacy of this type of reasoning?).
The study also says that cities with high rates of labor union membership (such as Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia) tend to be more compact than cities with lower rates (such as Dallas). Duh! But does correlation equal causation? Of course not. It is likely that both the compact nature of some cities and the high rates of union membership are artifacts of the histories of those cities.
Conference Committee Appointed
The House and Senate have appointed a conference committee to break the gridlock over reauthorization of federal transportation spending. The Senate passed a bill calling for spending $318 billion over the next six years; the House passed a bill with $284 billion. President Bush has threatened to veto any bill whose cost exceeds $256 billion, which is the anticipated receipts from highway user fees over the next six years.
According to this article, "Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., had stalled selection of Senate conferees until he got assurances that senators would fight to preserve the higher funding level." But at least one of the senators appointed to the conference committee had voted against the Senate bill so there is a remote chance that reason may prevail.
The House and Senate have appointed a conference committee to break the gridlock over reauthorization of federal transportation spending. The Senate passed a bill calling for spending $318 billion over the next six years; the House passed a bill with $284 billion. President Bush has threatened to veto any bill whose cost exceeds $256 billion, which is the anticipated receipts from highway user fees over the next six years.
According to this article, "Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., had stalled selection of Senate conferees until he got assurances that senators would fight to preserve the higher funding level." But at least one of the senators appointed to the conference committee had voted against the Senate bill so there is a remote chance that reason may prevail.
A Note to Transportation Bill Conferees
Congress has finally appointed a conference committee to deal with the transportation reauthorization bills that have passed the Senate and House. Ron Utt of the Heritage Foundation wants to remind conferees that the bill is mainly a big piece of pork barrel and no longer really about transportation.
It is likely that his note will fall on deaf ears. Participants in the Portland Preserving the American Dream conference will recall that Representative Earl Blumenauer firmly rejected the notion that we should stop subsidizing the automobile. As a member of the House Transportation Committee, he certainly did not want to give up having a say in distributing Congress' largest form of pork barrel.
Congress has finally appointed a conference committee to deal with the transportation reauthorization bills that have passed the Senate and House. Ron Utt of the Heritage Foundation wants to remind conferees that the bill is mainly a big piece of pork barrel and no longer really about transportation.
It is likely that his note will fall on deaf ears. Participants in the Portland Preserving the American Dream conference will recall that Representative Earl Blumenauer firmly rejected the notion that we should stop subsidizing the automobile. As a member of the House Transportation Committee, he certainly did not want to give up having a say in distributing Congress' largest form of pork barrel.
Urban Tours by Rental Car
When most people visit European, Asian, and other world cities, they rely on public transit, which gives them a distorted view of those cities. Wendell Cox has been touring cities by rental car and finding -- surprise -- they are a lot more like American cities than media reports usually indicate.
Wendell has now posted more than forty urban tours, most recently Antwerp, Barcelona, and Zurich. Each "tour" consists of a 250KB to 1.2MB PDF file with data, prose, and photographs. Before you leave the country, be sure to download the tour for any of Wendell's cities that are on your itinerary.
When most people visit European, Asian, and other world cities, they rely on public transit, which gives them a distorted view of those cities. Wendell Cox has been touring cities by rental car and finding -- surprise -- they are a lot more like American cities than media reports usually indicate.
Wendell has now posted more than forty urban tours, most recently Antwerp, Barcelona, and Zurich. Each "tour" consists of a 250KB to 1.2MB PDF file with data, prose, and photographs. Before you leave the country, be sure to download the tour for any of Wendell's cities that are on your itinerary.
Sunday, May 23, 2004
High Coastal Housing Prices Leading People to Move to Inland California
High housing prices in the San Francisco Bay Area and the LA-San Diego areas are leading retiring baby boomers and others to move to California mountain and desert communities such as Susanville and Bakersfield. This LA Times article (free registration required) doesn't mention that the high coastal prices are largely due to various restrictive land-use rules, but it does emphasize that many interior California communities remain very affordable.
High housing prices in the San Francisco Bay Area and the LA-San Diego areas are leading retiring baby boomers and others to move to California mountain and desert communities such as Susanville and Bakersfield. This LA Times article (free registration required) doesn't mention that the high coastal prices are largely due to various restrictive land-use rules, but it does emphasize that many interior California communities remain very affordable.
