Archive for ‘Bridges’

Shock Report: 25 Percent of U.S. Bridges Rated “Deficient”

by Judd Wiley
July 28th, 2008, 10:10 pm


Next time you’re considering driving over some massive bridge, think about the following: Within the next 15 years almost half of U.S. bridges will exceed 50 years of age, exceeding the life span for which they were designed. Even now, ... more

Posted in Bridges, Highways, Spending | 18 Comments »

New York MTA Hurt by Rising Fuel Costs

by Lewis Derkins
July 23rd, 2008, 5:11 pm


Today, Streetsblog commented on the way rising fuel costs and declining revenues are contributing to a $900 million budget shortfall with New York’s MTA. Writer Ben Fried points to possible solutions: In the face of these numbers, why are Paterson and Bloomberg ... more

Posted in Bridges, Congestion Pricing, Fines, Gas Taxes, Highways, Mass Transit, Spending | 13 Comments »

Washington DC Streetcar Proposal

by Lewis Derkins
July 8th, 2008, 9:52 pm


Today on the Metro, I was reading my copy of the Washington Post Express when the following quote jumped out at me: “getting streetcars…is the single most important issue in DC transportation planning, so we’re writing to Councilman [Graham] for answers.” This ... more

Posted in Bicycle Lanes, Bridges, Highways, Light Rail, Mass Transit, Politics, Spending, Subways | 10 Comments »

Drinking With Bob: Our Infrastructure Is Falling Apart

by Judd Wiley
June 10th, 2008, 7:30 pm


Bob is livid: "Go look at the freaking infrastructure of this freaking city! The roads, the highways, the bridges ... They're a freaking mess!" Watch more of Drinking With Bob’s rants on YouTube and DrinkingWithBob.com. We’ll be checking in with Bob every ... more

Posted in Bridges, Highways, Tunnels | 2 Comments »

Executive Order Aims to Ease Congestion Along I-5

by Lewis Derkins
May 17th, 2008, 4:18 pm


Reprising his role in Kindergarten Cop, Governor Schwarzennegger issued an executive order today aimed at: Encourage[ing] the maximum feasible and practicable use in the impacted Sacramento area of telecommute programs, alternative work schedules, public transit, and video and teleconferencing This order comes ... more

Posted in Bridges, Environmentalism, Government Workers, Highways, Politics, Tolls, Traffic Congestion, Uncategorized Rage | No Comments »

$38 Million Settlement for Minneapolis Bridge Collapse

by Lewis Derkins
May 12th, 2008, 9:25 pm


After my previous post on the I-35 bridge collapse, what I’m about to say may sound strange, but I don’t think that the victims of the bridge collapse should get a $38 million settlement. That may sound harsh, but hear me ... more

Posted in Bridges, Government Workers, Highways, Politics, Spending | No Comments »

Ohio Bridge Scare, But No Warning for Minneapolis

by Lewis Derkins
May 12th, 2008, 8:47 pm


Today the Star Tribune in Minneapolis reports that the federal government knew 12 years ago that a design defect in bridges could lead to a collapse like the one on I-35 in Minneapolis last year that killed 13 people and ... more

Posted in Bridges, Government Workers, Highways | 3 Comments »

$7 Toll on Golden Gate Bridge?

by Judd Wiley
May 10th, 2008, 3:10 pm


Drivers might soon have to pay a $7 toll to cross San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge. The current toll is $5 for those who pay with cash and $4 for those who use FasTrak. That's a 40-75% increase. Officials with the ... more

Posted in Bridges, Tolls, Traffic Congestion | No Comments »

Twisted Environmentalist Logic

by Judd Wiley
May 9th, 2008, 9:36 pm


A friend who read a few of our posts asked me today, "Do you guys just kind of sit around and bash on environmentalists all day long?" "Yeah, that's kind of what we do," I answered. "These stupid idiots actually have ... more

Posted in Bridges, Environmentalism, Highways, Traffic Congestion | No Comments »

$1 Million “Suicide Barriers” on Santa Barbara Bridge

by Judd Wiley
May 7th, 2008, 6:04 pm


Caltrans plans to spend $1 million to suicide-proof the Cold Spring Arch Bridge on California 154, which links coastal Santa Barbara County to the Santa Ynez Valley. The $1 million will pay for 6-foot-high safety barriers on top of the existing ... more

Posted in Bridges, Spending | No Comments »

NY Subway Ridership Skyrockets, City Unprepared

by Judd Wiley
May 5th, 2008, 4:44 pm


New York commuters are switching from cars to subways/light rail at a rapid clip, according to the NY Post. In March, 4.8% fewer drivers (roughly 15,000 per day) took Port Authority's six crossings between New York and New Jersey, compared with ... more

Posted in Bridges, Gas Prices, Light Rail, Mass Transit, Subways, Tolls, Tunnels | 4 Comments »

G.W. Bridge Tolls: Cash Cow for Port Authority

by Judd Wiley
April 11th, 2008, 1:32 pm


Every time I drive through New York, I’m reminded of a maddening article I read in Forbes back in 2006. From what I can tell, not much has changed since then. George Washington Bridge, which connects New Jersey to Manhattan, is ... more

Posted in Bridges, E-ZPass, Tolls, Traffic Congestion | No Comments »