New Variable-Speed Escalators for New York Subways
by Lewis DerkinsAugust 6th, 2008, 11:57 pm
Today, The New York Times reports on an MTA plan to begin replacing its standard escalators with “variable-speed escalators”. Variable-speed escalators [use] infrared motion sensors, [and] the escalators will slow to a crawl of just 15 feet per minute when no one ... more
Posted in Congestion Pricing, Government Workers, Mass Transit, Spending, Subways, Tax Increases | 8 Comments »
Will NYC Congestion Pricing Just Die Already?
by Lewis DerkinsAugust 4th, 2008, 5:38 pm
Faced with a looming $900 million budget shortfall at MTA, congestion pricing advocates have reared their ugly heads again to rally for the implementation of the fees in order to fund mass transit. I make no attempt to conceal the ... more
Posted in Congestion Pricing, Gas Taxes, Mass Transit, Spending, Subways, Tax Increases | 14 Comments »
Falling Gas Tax Revenues = Bad For Mass Transit
by Lewis DerkinsJuly 28th, 2008, 9:56 pm
Uh oh! Last week, I mentioned that taking cars off the roads will only hurt mass transit. Today, The Wall Street Journal confirms my sentiments. The first sentence of this article says it all: An unprecedented cutback in driving is slashing the ... more
Posted in Congestion Pricing, Gas Prices, Gas Taxes, Highways, Mass Transit, Tax Increases, Uncategorized Rage | 13 Comments »
New York MTA Hurt by Rising Fuel Costs
by Lewis DerkinsJuly 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 Wages War on Commuters
by Lewis DerkinsJuly 9th, 2008, 11:28 pm
Mayor Fenty’s administration has recently been increasing punitive measures against cars in a misguided attempt to relieve DC’s horrible traffic congestion. Washington DC has the 4th worst traffic congestion in the nation, and the city has been instituting various measures ... more
Posted in Bicycle Lanes, Bicycles, Buses, Car Taxes, Congestion Pricing, Environmentalism, Fines, Highways, Mass Transit, NIMBY, Parking Meters, Red-Light Cameras, Traffic Congestion, Uncategorized Rage | 1 Comment »
Embarrassing: U.S. Embassy Refuses to Pay London Congestion Pricing Fees
by Judd WileyJune 26th, 2008, 3:43 pm
The U.S. federal government is apparently not willing to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to congestion pricing. In 2003, Great Britain mandated that drivers pay an £8 levy ($16) to drive in central London during business ... more
Posted in Congestion Pricing, Toll Lanes, Traffic Congestion | 6 Comments »
A Picture’s Worth A Thousand Words
by Lewis DerkinsJune 19th, 2008, 11:06 pm
And sometimes that picture conceals a truth that’s worth a thousand more. I discovered that when a Streetsblogger threw this picture (right) in my face to prove that I’m full of it, and that cars are a terrible scourge on ... more
Posted in Bus-Only Lanes, Congestion Pricing, Mass Transit, Politics, Railroads, Spending, Traffic Congestion, Tunnels, Uncategorized Rage | 43 Comments »
StreetsBlog: StreetCritiques
by Lewis DerkinsJune 2nd, 2008, 9:35 pm
Recently, many of our readers have probably noticed that we have been engaged in a lively discussion with several StreetsBloggers concerning various disagreements we have with their policies. The debate centers around us picking on StreetsBlog – whom we view ... more
Posted in Congestion Pricing, Gas Prices, Gas Taxes, Mass Transit, Subways, Tax Increases, Tolls, Traffic Congestion | 14 Comments »
Who Is Mark Gorton?
by Judd WileyMay 30th, 2008, 12:43 pm
BACKGROUND We recently wrote a very critical post about Streetsblog.org, the radical, left-wing, anti-car website that promotes a bikeable/walkable utopia free of the internal combustion engine and all of its loathsome externalities. Ever since, we’ve been assailed by Streetsblog readers, and have ... more
Posted in Congestion Pricing, Environmentalism, Politics, Sport Utility Vehicles, Tax Increases, Tolls, Traffic Congestion, Uncategorized Rage | 36 Comments »
Montgomery County Congestion Pricing
by Lewis DerkinsMay 21st, 2008, 4:36 pm
Residents of the DC area are familiar with poor traffic conditions. Transportation departments staffed by rejected circus performers, a confluence of major transportation arteries, and the lack of ability to use critical thinking to solve problems converge to create a ... more
Posted in Congestion Pricing, Highways, Spending, Tolls | No Comments »
More On Chicago Bus-Only Lanes
by Lewis DerkinsMay 14th, 2008, 2:18 pm
Chicago recently received $153.1 million in federal funds to reduce traffic congestion. How will they spend it? On Bus Rapid Transit, which will have dedicate bus lanes and outfit buses with special devices that allow them to signal traffic lights ... more
Posted in Bus-Only Lanes, Buses, Congestion Pricing, Spending, Traffic Congestion | No Comments »
Feds Bribe LA County with $213.6 Million for HOT Lanes
by Judd WileyApril 26th, 2008, 1:20 pm
The feds are bribing Los Angeles County with $213.6 million in federal tax dollars to create High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes on the 210, 10, and 110 freeways. The hope is to reduce congestion in the car pool lanes, ... more
Posted in Buses, Car Pool Lanes, Congestion Pricing, Environmentalism, Highways, Mass Transit, Spending, Toll Lanes, Tolls, Traffic Congestion | No Comments »
