Bike Safety Could Be Mastered in Cambridge

Bicycling in Cambridge, Mass., is a big success pretty much no matter how you slice it. According to a report from the city, the number of people on bikes in the leafy city on the Charles River tripled between 2002 and 2012. That makes Cambridge a leader in bike commuting nationally: 7.1 percent of Cambridge residents biked to work in 2012, putting it ahead of all but four other American cities.Perhaps unsurprisingly, the sheer number of crashes involving bicycles has gone up along with the number of people on bikes. According to an article in the Boston Globe, there was a 136 percent rise in bike crashes between 2004 and 2012, from 91 to 215.

The rate of crashes, however, has gone down by nearly 30 percent — from 19.6 crashes per million bicycle miles traveled in 2004 to 13.8 in 2012, the city’s analysis shows(only 5 percent of Cambridge crash injuries were reported as “incapacitating,” and in 18 percent the rider reported no injury). That decline in rate of crashes is one more manifestation of the “safety in numbers” phenomenonthat has been observed by many researchers looking at bicycle safety. Broadly speaking, the more people on bikes, the lower the crash rate.

Read the rest of the story here: http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/bicycling-cambridge-bike-safety-spending

Robert Cary Is New Richmond District Administrator

VDOT ANNOUNCES NEW RICHMOND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATOR
Robert H. Cary, P.E., will lead the transportation program in the agency’s Richmond District

RICHMOND, Va. – Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Commissioner Charlie Kilpatrick, P.E., today announced that Robert H. Cary, P.E., will be the agency’s new Richmond District Administrator.

“I am pleased to announce that Robert H. Cary, P.E., will be leading VDOT’s Richmond District,” said Kilpatrick. “Rob takes on a new role with the agency, but is in no way new to VDOT. He brings an incredible amount of experience to the Richmond District. His background and experience working on the executive leadership team and directing both the Salem and Lynchburg districts will be invaluable to the transportation program in the Richmond area.”

Cary, who started his career with the agency in 1992, became the Salem District Administrator in July 2012. Before that, he served for five years as the agency’s Lynchburg District Administrator.

While in the Salem District, Cary directed road maintenance, construction and operations for a 12-county region of southwest Virginia that includes more than 9,200 miles of roadway,  2,800 structures, approximately 850 employees and an annual budget of $265 million.

Cary holds a Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech. Following graduation, Cary joined William H. Gordon Associates of Woodbridge as a staff engineer and surveyor. In 1992, he became a transportation engineer in VDOT’s Staunton District and later, location and design engineer in the Salem District before being promoted to assistant district administrator for preliminary engineering.

Cary is chairman of the American Association of State Highway Officials’ (AASHTO) technical committee of preconstruction engineering, a member of AASHTO’s subcommittee on design, and is active with both the Transportation Research Board and the National Cooperative Highway Research Program.

TomTom Unveils New Online Navigation Service

TomTom has unveiled a new online navigation service that allows customers to offer a navigationapplication on internet-connected devices such as smartwatches or smart glasses without storing a large offline map.

The new service integrates well with TomTom's existing navigation products such as NavKit, NavKit Worker, NavCloud, and latest maps, real-time traffic, best-in-class routing, a comprehensive search function and easy-to-use software development kits.

The service also enables mobile device vendors and web service providers to provide online mapping and navigation applications that don't require an offline map.

To enhance its product line, TomTom has extended its partnership with deCarta.

Read the rest of the story at Road Traffic Technology.

.

SolarSign Shines In Awards

From Road Traffic Technolgy

SES America arrives at World Congress fresh from the National Rural ITS conference, where its SolarSign was awarded New Product of the Year.

SolarSign is a solar-powered dynamic messaging sign (DM5) system with full range capabilities for large-scale displays on major highways in both rural and urban locations.

The solar power system allows signs to be erected where needed without placement being dictated by access to power and the signs can display travel times, warnings and awareness signs.

The NTCIP-compliant company uses the latest LEDs, which are 30-50% more efficient than traditional LED's and eliminate the need for a cooling system therefore reducing both power consumption and maintenance costs.

An optional power and temperature monitoring system provides real-time feedback to eliminate operational uncertainties regarding the power supply.

Japanese Pilot Project Uses Tablet-Guided Ultra-Compact Vehicles

From http://www.traffictechnologytoday.com/news.php

A pilot project in Japan is using a fleet of tablet computer controlled ultra-compact vehicles to navigate around a popular tourist destination. For its ‘Super Miniaturized Mobility’ project, Japanese telecoms company, Softbank, has deployed the vehicles across the village of Asuka, which is the site of Japan’s ancient capital, and features a number of important historical sites and locations that can be visited by the public. The ‘Michimo’ electric-powered, ultra-compact vehicles are a customized version of Nissan’s New Mobility Concept vehicle, which was introduced as a testbed model last year, to show the need for a small form-factor, short-distance vehicle for single passengers. The vehicle’s quiet electric propulsion and compact dimensions made it ideal for the relatively small size of the village.

Using the iPad Mini that is integrated into the Michimo vehicle, passengers can choose a target destination around the village without the need to rely on other map applications. Visitors or local residents can rent the vehicles to conveniently navigate around the village’s public areas, famous tourist spots and other featured destinations. The customized navigation system not only provides the optimal route andGPS location, but can also offer related or updated information. The navigation system also includes voiced guides, which provide directions, as well as functioning as an electronic tourist guide. The information provided is constantly updated by Softbank’s cloud databaseand local information sources. The Michimo’s are not autonomous, but require the user to drive manually to their destination.

In addition to the benefits for tourists, Softbank sees the project as having the potential to provide a convenient form of transport for the village’s elderly population. Although the use of tablet computers in cars for guidance and navigation is not a new concept, their integration into a vehicle that has been ‘personalized’ for a specific area, could lead to the development of automated single-use cabs that would effectively replace regular taxis, when used for quicksuburban trips. Softbank also plans to deploy the Michimo units across nearby towns and cities, particularly in the town of Takatori, and Kashihara City, home to another popular historical tourist site.

Millennials Favoring New Way of Transportation

Young Americans are just not into driving the way their elders are or did at their age. They are less likely to own cars or use cars. The drives they do are shorter. Meanwhile, the bus is looking good to them.

A new report confirms this trend and offers reasons that millennials —we're talking 14- to 31-year-olds — seem less drawn to the automobile thing. They're sure not singing car songs as the baby boomers did. No "Little Deuce Coupe," no "G.T.O.," no "Hot Rod Lincoln."

But the report, by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group and the Frontier Group, misses what I see as the biggest factor. Driving is no longer a coast down the great American open road. It's become a pain and a drag — drag as in "a boring or tiresome thing."

Read the rest of the piece at the Sun Journal website: http://www.sunjournal.com/news/columns-analysis/2014/10/18/froma-harrop-millennials-favoring-new-way-transportation/1604622#

Transportation Board Approves Berkmar Drive Alignment

The Commonwealth Transportation Board today approved the location of the proposed extension of Route 1403 (Berkmar Drive) in Albemarle County that will continue the  existing Berkmar Drive 2.3 miles north to Towncenter Drive.

The state transportation board approved Alternative A, which was endorsed by the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors and favored by members of the public who attended the location public hearing and provided comments on the three alternate routes presented.

The project is part of the Route 29 Solutions package and is being advanced in a design-build procurement that also includes the widening of Route 29 between Polo Grounds Road and Towncenter Drive and the grade-separated intersection at Rio Road and Route 29. It will build a new road running parallel to and west of Route 29 and will provide an alternate route for local traffic. The project, which includes a bridge spanning the South Fork Rivanna River and Rio Mills Road, is estimated to cost $54.5 million.

Approximately 70 people attended the location public hearing for the Berkmar Drive Extension project, which was held Sept. 18. The overwhelming majority of the public comments that expressed a preference for a specific alignment supported Alternative A. That alternative runs roughly parallel to Route 29 and avoids a residential property and minimizes impacts to the cultural resources identified by the environmental field investigations done during development of the alignment alternatives.

Public comment is currently being taken on the major design features of the Berkmar Drive Extension project as well as the other two design-build projects. Comments will be accepted through Oct. 24. More information about the project and the public comment opportunity is available on VDOT’s web site at www.Route29Solutions.org.

Commonwealth Transportation Board Awards Two Major Contracts

 At its monthly meeting today, the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB) awarded two contracts worth approximately $27.3 million for major infrastructure work.

The projects will improve mobility, enhance safety and extend the life of the state’s transportation network.

The two contracts are for projects that will:

1. Replace James River bridge on U.S. 501, Amherst-Bedford county line in VDOT’s Lynchburg District

The CTB awarded a contract for approximately $16.8 million to Orders Construction Company Inc. of St. Albans, W.Va., to replace the bridge on U.S. 501 over the James River and adjacent rail tracks at the Amherst-Bedford county line.

The project will construct a two-lane, steel-girder superstructure. The new 40-foot-wide bridge will have shoulders to accommodate bicycles and pedestrians. The structure will be about 0.7 miles from the existing structure.

Project road improvements will include right- and left-turn lanes at the new “T” intersection of U.S. 501 and Route 130. The project also will add a multiuse pull-off for public river access and accommodate enforcement of vehicle weight restrictions and VDOT emergency operations.

The project is scheduled for completion on April 21, 2017. For more information, visithttp://www.virginiadot.org/projects/lynchburg/route_501_bridge_over_james_river_at_snowden.asp.

2. U.S. 1 bridge replacement, Chesterfield County in VDOT’s Richmond District

The CTB awarded a contract for approximately $10.5 million to American Infrastructure-VA Inc. of Glen Allen, Va., to replace the U.S. 1 bridge just north of Chester Road (Route 145).

The new bridge will span four rail tracks and a service road. It will be designed to carry traffic with a 45 mph speed limit.

The structure will include:

• Four 12-foot lanes (two lanes in each direction), raised medians and improved drainage,
• Left-turn lane for Bellwood Road and entrance to mobile-home park north of bridge, and
• New signals at U.S. 1, Chester Road and Bellwood Road intersection.

Construction is expected to begin later this year. The project is scheduled for completion on May 15, 2017.

For more information about the project, visithttp://www.virginiadot.org/projects/richmond/route_1_bridge_replacement_in_chesterfield.asp

The chart below tracks the dollar amount of major contracts the CTB has awarded in calendar year 2014. The CTB did not meet in August.

In advance of each CTB meeting, VDOT Commissioner Charlie Kilpatrick also approves contracts up to $5 million in value. From the Sept. 24, 2014, bid lettings, the commissioner approved 26 contracts worth a total of approximately $33 million for construction and maintenance on state primary and secondary roads.

Appointed by the governor, the 17-member CTB establishes the administrative policies for Virginia's transportation system. The CTB allocates highway funding to specific projects, locates routes and provides funding for airports, seaports and public transportation. The board normally meets on the third Wednesday of the month in months when action meetings are scheduled.

For more information:

• Final bid results and projects:

http://www.virginiadot.org/business/const/bidresults-list.asp

• CTB meeting, times and locations:

http://www.ctb.virginia.gov/meetingschedule.asp

Pavement Recycling Shows Solid Performance 3 Years Later

The revolutionary pavement-recycling project the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) conducted on Interstate 81 to rebuild a section of the roadway is performing “well” after three years of high-volume truck traffic, according to a new VDOT research report.

The environmentally friendly paving methods saved millions of dollars by recycling existing road material back into the new pavement and road structure and reduced the project’s estimated construction time by about two-thirds.

The 2011 project cost $10.2 million. VDOT used three pavement-recycling processes to rehabilitate a 3.66-mile portion of southbound I-81 in Augusta County, the first time the three methods were used together on a single interstate reconstruction project in the nation.

“This project firmly illustrates how VDOT is employing the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ principle as a serious and cost-saving method for rehabilitating Virginia’s roads,” said Virginia Secretary of Transportation Aubrey Layne Jr. “These significant results show how we reduced emissions, costs and the raw materials needed to rebuild a road that will stand up to today’s traffic.”

“The I-81 project demonstrates that pavement recycling is viable on high-volume, high-priority routes,” said VDOT Commissioner Charlie Kilpatrick. “As we rebuild more of our aging interstates and other routes, VDOT continues to use these innovative pavement-recycling techniques as a standard option for improving our roads to keep Virginia moving.”

Read more at VDOT's website: http://www.virginiadot.org/newsroom/statewide/2014/research_on_revolutionary_pavement-recycling77051.asp

Cincy Red Bikes Exceed Expectations

Cincy Red Bikes have been used more than expected since organizers rolled out the system four weeks ago. It's been a little cold and rainy recently, but people are still using the bikes. Organizers expected there to be about 1,000 rides per week. When they took a look at the numbers, there have actually been many more than that. So far there have been more than 7,000 trips, about 3,000 more than expected. Fore $8 per day, someone can rent one of the bikes to ride around town. That bike needs to be checked in every hour at one of 30 stations downtown, uptown or in Over-the-Rhine. Jason Barron, the Executive Director for Red Bike, said, "The most popular stations have been 12 & Vine, right in the heart of Over-The-Rhine, Fountain Square, a no brainer, Main & Orchard, which is up near a whole bunch of houses in Over-The-Rhine, which surprised us a little bit, but that has been a very popular station, and Freedom Center, right where we are standing, has been the 4th most popular station, right at the Banks." Riders can also buy an $80 annual pass. With that, you can use the bikes all year, but they still need to be checked in every hour. There are 30 Red Bike stations, with 260 available bikes.

Read More at: http://www.local12.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/cincy-red-bikes-exceeding-expectations-19323.shtml#.VEUFZJg5L6V.twitter

Guardrail Maker Trinity Industries Liable for Fraud in Texas

Trinity Industries, the highway guardrail maker accused of selling systems that can malfunction during crashes and slice through cars, was found by a jury on Monday to have defrauded the federal government. 

The case was brought under the False Claims Act by Joshua Harman, a competitor who discovered that the company made changes in 2005 to its rail head — the flat piece of steel at the front of the system — without telling the Federal Highway Administration, as is required. The company sold the guardrails to state governments that, in turn, received federal reimbursement.

Read the rest of the story at the New York Times.

Zero Fatalities Message Monday - Oct. 20, 2014

From our friends at Iowa DOT:

This is National Teen Driver Safety Week. In 2007, Congress dedicated the third week in October every year to this cause to raise awareness of the issue. 

 Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for 14-18 year olds, both in Iowa and in the U.S. In fact, almost half of the teen drivers involved in a crash die. Yet, a recent survey show that only 25 percent of parents have had a serious talk with their kids about the key components of driving. You are the parent, they are your children, and they still have a lot of learn. You can teach them and you may just help save their lives.

Take some time this week to talk to your teen driver about the 5 driver behaviors (shown below) that are within their abilities to control.  Does your teen tell you that they don’t text while driving?  Don’t stop the conversation there.  Ask about SnapChat, Instagram or Twitter… it’s not just about texting anymore!

It might be a good time to reflect on your own driving habits.  Parents are the biggest source of information and imitation for children and teens, wither we like it or not.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2JWM6hppWY&feature=youtu.be

Here’s the top five things you can talk to your kids about: 

• Eliminating distractions
• Don’t drive while impaired (alcohol, drugs, prescription meds)
• Wear seat belts – every seat, every trip
• Obey posted speed limits
• Don’t drive if you are drowsy 

UVA TTA Workshop Updates

The University of Virginia Transportation Training Academy (UVA TTA) is accepting registrations for our classes for the rest of the year.

Click here to see a class listing as well as instructions to register for workshops.

6 Intersection Designs That Actually Prioritize Pedestrians

Crosswalks and signals are supposed to make walkers safe as they step off the curb, but a tragic example from New York City last month shows that pedestrian infrastructure just isn’t enough when it’s trumped by car-centric intersection design.
On September 25th, a driver turned left from Kenmore Street onto Elizabeth Street in Manhattan and fatally struck 82-year-old Sui Leung. Like almost half of New York walkers that get hit, she was crossing in a crosswalk.
Read the rest of the story here: http://nextcity.org/daily/entry/walkable-cities-intersection-design-for-pedestrians

Highway Guardrail May Be Deadly, States Say

By last month, state transportation officials in Missouri said they had seen enough. Federal highway officials had long insisted that guardrails throughout the state were safe. But some guardrail heads had apparently malfunctioned, in essence turning the rails into spears when cars hit them and injuring people instead of cushioning the blow, Missouri officials said.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/13/business/highway-guardrail-may-be-deadly-states-say.html?_r=1

Inclusive planning, bipartisan support and ambitious investments are fueling economic prosperity

Salt Lake City, Utah- With stories of partisan gridlock making headlines every day, Utah stands out as a model of collaborative planning for a better future. State leaders and citizens have managed to stare down a recession while making transportation investments that accommodate projected population growth and bolster the economy and quality of life.

Read how they did it here- http://t4america.org/maps-tools/local-successes/salt-lake-city/

3 Big Challenges for Planning Multi-Modal Cities

Cities of all sizes are reorienting their transportation priorities toward people over cars. Rebranding streets as "complete," "shared," or "great" reflects a turn away from automobility as the only choice for urban travel. Local transportation officials and planners now place a larger focus on offering many modes of travel and consider quality-of-life rather than simply encouraging driving everywhere. Though cars are still dominant, the era of automobilityseems to have peaked. Yet continued reductions in driving require true multi-modalism: rather than relying on one mode of transportation, or expecting that most driving trips can be substituted for transit trips, people need to be able to choose from a network of options, including not traveling at all.

Read the rest of the story here: http://www.citylab.com/design/2014/10/3-big-challenges-for-planning-multi-modal-cities/381254/

Progress on Parking Reform Could Make DC More Walkable and Affordable

A few key changes to the DC zoning code could help make housing more affordable, streets more walkable, transit more convenient, and healthy foods more accessible. Years of debate and delay have watered down the reforms somewhat, but they still represent substantial progress. And now it looks like they will pass.

New zoning rules will cut parking requirements in half near metro stops and frequent bus corridors. Photo: Virtual Tourist

Cheryl Cort of the Coalition for Smarter Growth files a status report at Greater Greater Washington:

Read the rest of the story here: http://streetsblog.net/2014/10/10/progress-on-parking-reform-could-make-dc-more-walkable-and-affordable

U.S. DOT Releases New Guidance to Make Streets Safe for Cycling

Last month in Pittsburgh, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx unveiled a new federal initiative aimed at reducing pedestrian and cyclist fatalities. Despite declining overall traffic fatalities, people walking and biking are being killed more often on American streets, a disturbing trend that U.S. DOT wants to reverse.

Protected bike lanes are in the toolkit that FHWA recommends to reduce cyclist fatalities. Photo: Carl Sundstrom via FHWA

Now we’re beginning to see what the feds have in mind. This week, U.S. DOT released a new guide for transportation professionals it calls Bikesafe. The online resource includes recommendations for state departments of transportation and local governments on how to make streets safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

Bikesafe contains a list of 46 “countermeasures,” including chicanes, protected bike lanes, roundabouts, and “visual narrowing” of the roadway. Under protected bike lanes (FHWA calls them “separated bike lanes“), for example, the guide advises planners to pay particular attention to driveways and intersections and to “make full use of signing and marking to improve awareness and guidance of the facility through these conflict zones.”

Read the rest of the story here:  http://usa.streetsblog.org/2014/10/10/u-s-dot-releases-new-guidance-to-make-streets-safe-for-cycling

Virginia Celebrates International Walk To School Day

RICHMOND, Va. — Communities across Virginia and throughout the country joined together yesterday to celebrate International Walk to School Day (iWalk). Schools, public health groups, transportation organizations and parents alike organized group events, “walking school buses,” (adult-led groups who walk along school routes and pick up students as they go) and other activities to highlight and celebrate the benefits of choosing safe, “student-powered” transportation to school.

On Wednesday, staff from the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), the agency that administers the federal Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) in Virginia, joined William Fox Elementary students in Richmond.

This year’s goal of 200 iWalk events was exceeded with 214 participating schools, the biggest turnout in Virginia since iWalk started in 2004. Last year 187 schools held iWalk events. The Virginia SRTS Program recognizes the many benefits of active transportation.

“International Walk to School Day is a proactive way to encourage walking to school as a healthy and safe habit for parents and kids when they might not have considered it otherwise,” said Rob Williams, VDOT’s Safe Routes to School coordinator. “They soon realize all of the benefits walking brings, like improved academic performance, more time with the family and fewer cars idling near the school, to name a few.”

More events are expected to be added throughout October, which is Walk to School Month. For additional information, please contact VDOT’s Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator Robert Williams at 804-371-4868, or visit these websites:

• VDOT Safe Routes to School Program
  www.virginiadot.org/saferoutes
• Walk to School Day in the USA
  www.walkbiketoschool.org 
• National Center for Safe Routes to School
  www.saferoutesinfo.org

                  

###

About Safe Routes to School

• The Virginia Department of Transportation manages the statewide Safe Routes to School Program,providing funding, technical assistance and other resources to local communities to encourage safe walking and biking to school.
• Since 2007, VDOT has awarded over $22 million in funding to more than 500 schools in Virginia for Safe Routes to School activities.
• Walk to School Day was established in the U.S. in 1997 by the Partnership for a Walkable America. Canada and Great Britain already had walk to school programs in place. In 2000, these three countries joined together to create International Walk to School Day.

• In May 2006, the National Center for Safe Routes to School was established to assist communities in enabling and encouraging children to safely walk and bike to school.

• The National Center for Safe Routes to School serves as the national coordinating agency for Walk to School activities in the United States.
• Walk to School Day began as a simple idea – children and parents, school and local officials walking to school together on a designated day. It is an energizing event, reminding everyone of the simple joy of walking to school, the health benefits of regular daily activity, and the need for safe places to walk and bike. Schools focus on health, safety, physical activity and concern for the environment.
• Organizations supporting International Walk to School Day in the U.S. include America Walks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Federal Highway Administration, the Institute of Transportation Engineers, the National Center for Bicycling and Walking, the National Center for Safe Routes to School, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safe Kids Worldwide, and the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

Lack of affordable, walkable neighborhoods linked to poor health

A lack of affordable housing in Metro Vancouver is forcing many residents who want to live in pedestrian-friendly neighbourhoods to move to car-dependent areas, which could be negatively affecting their health, according to new research from the University of B.C

.

Lead researcher Larry Frank, a professor in UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, said the study’s findings highlight a need for politicians, real estate developers and healthcare providers to work together to bring housing costs down and build more pedestrian-friendly, healthier neighbourhoods.

“Our healthcare costs are going to continue to spiral out of control,” Frank told Metro. “We have a perfect storm in front of us with an aging population, increased chronic disease and people living in sedentary, unwalkable environments.”

Read the rest of the story here.

The Hidden Reason Why Rent Is So Expensive In Cities: Parking Spaces

While many factors contribute to drive up the price of rents, parking is among the most significant, according to University of California Los Angeles professor and renowned parking guru Donald Shoup. BuzzFeed News sat down with Shoup during the CityLab 2014 conference in Los Angeles Monday to talk about how parking makes housing more expensive. His point: “It’s unfair to have cities where parking is free for cars and housing is expensive for people.”

Read the list at BuzzFeed.

7 Simple Ways to Make Every City Friendlier to Pedestrians

San Jose is expected to grow faster than any city in the Bay Area in the next few decades. The local government is working to meet that demand with mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. To help it out, the non-profit San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) wrote a 67-page report looking at building and design techniques the city should encourage developers to use to better promote walkability—a fancy term that basically translates to pedestrian friendliness—and better use of mixed-use spaces.

Read the rest of the story at Wired.

UVA Transportation Training Academy Workshop Update

The University of Virginia's Transportation Training Academy has released its class schedule for the rest of the year.  To view the class list and find links to register, please check out our latest update here.

Building the City of the Future Through Smart, Connected Urban Transport

The concept of smart, connected transport is a hot topic among city leaders looking to ride the wave of innovation to more sustainable, prosperous cities. Despite this, building a truly smart and interconnected urban transport system is more than most cities can hope to do all at once.

Three key elements of smart urban transport – communications, efficient operations, and integration – serve as important starting points and can yield significant social, environmental, and economic benefits.
Using a “Smart City” approach to integrate services

Transport involves a host of variables that lead to complex coordination problems. In today’s cities, these challenges have led to the creation of individual networks, each one trying to solve each challenge separately. Many cities are burdened by individualized, disconnected transport systems that exist in silos and fail to connect the parts to the whole. Take the example of Bangalore, which has the largest bus fleet in India, and recently integrated and reorganized its service to improve user experience and efficiency.

Read the rest of the story here: http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/embarq/544981/building-city-future-through-smart-connected-urban-transport

Drivers express angst over I–95 tolls

The express lanes being built on Interstate 95 are expected to save commuters plenty of time.

But recent reports that it could cost up to $24 for one trip has many people wondering if the time-savings is worth that kind of money.

Under current pricing plans, the maximum a solo driver could pay to use the entire 29-mile stretch from Garrisonville to just north of the Capital Beltway during peak traffic periods is $23.20, says an official of the private corporations building the express lanes for the state.

And under the varying, congestion-priced rate structure, the cost could be less than $6 per trip when traffic is light.

Read the rest of the story here:  http://news.fredericksburg.com/newsdesk/2014/09/27/drivers-express-angst-over-i-95-tolls

The 4 Transportation Systems You'll Meet in the Future

We tend to think of transportation networks as the result of large public works projects—hello, Interstate Highway System—but lately, private hands have been tinkering at the edges of urban mobility. App-based e-hail car services like Uber and Lyft are disrupting traditional city taxi programs. Smartphonesare changing the way we wait for and pay for public transportation. And, of course, Google is on the verge of reshaping movement as we know it with the driverless car.

It's time to get the public sector talking again, says Anthony Townsend of New York University's Rudin Center for Transportation Policy & Management. To start the conversation, Townsend and the Rudin Center have released Re-Programming Mobility—a report intended to provoke city officials, urban planners, and the general public into participating in the future of transportation, rather than reacting to it. Otherwise, he says, decisions made in board rooms today will impact the civic arena for decades to come.

"Really, what we're trying to do is provoke a far-ranging discussion that's much less one-dimensional than the kinds of futures we're hearing coming out of a lot of these companies trying to disrupt the marketplace," says Townsend.

Re-Programming Mobility conceives four fictional-but-fact-based urban-mobility scenarios set in roughly 2030. The 15-year window is far enough away for mobility to be uprooted—the U.S. interstates were largely completed between 1955 and 1970, after all—but still close enough to be reshaped by public input. While each scenario feels a bit far-fetched in its own right, together they offer plenty of food for thought to anyone concerned with the future of urban movement.

The whole report worth a read, but brief summaries of each scenario will follow here:http://www.citylab.com/commute/2014/09/the-four-transportation-systems-youll-meet-in-the-future/380904/