Alex Goldmark

A 2009 Amtrak plan suggests three option s for restoring gulf coast service from New Orleans to Florida.

In 2005, there weren't many passenger trains rolling from Florida to New Orleans -- just three a week in each direction.

Now there are none.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina washed away swathes of rail along the Gulf Coast owned by CSX. Amtrak used those tracks for the last stretch of the Sunset Limited service mostly for passengers going to, or coming from, as far off as Los Angeles. After the storm, Amtrak suspended -- though it did not officially cancel -- the Gulf Coast portion of the route. Seven years later, from New Orleans to the Florida panhandle Mayors are plotting how to bring back the trains, and add new ones.

More than 40 mayors gathered last week in Mobile, Alabama to hear from Amtrak what they need to do to get trains rolling. If they get their way, the new Sunset Limited Gulf Coast service will be more frequent than before in hopes of boosting tourism and commerce.

According to a review of a 2009 report by Transportation Nation, restoring train service would not be cheap, and the old Sunset route did not turn a profit. Bringing it back requires federal or state support to build it, and then almost certainly, a subsidy to run it. So, the coalition of mayors and local leaders are strategizing how to lobby their representatives in Congress to get the federal funding process going.

Chart from Amtrak Presentation on PRIIA Plan presented to Gulf Coast Mayors. Figures are 2009 dollars.

The Panama City News Herald reports: "Officials believe reviving the train service would be a boost to tourism and would help the economies of communities across the Gulf Coast still recovering from Katrina." According to the paper, "Mobile, Alabama Mayor Sam Jones wants an alternative to cars and planes, both of which he calls "too costly."

A 2008 act of Congress, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act (PRIAA), required Amtrak to come up with a plan for restoring service. The national rail company offered a 52 page report with three options: restoring the old, sleepy tri-weekly nighttime service, extend the famous City of New Orleans route from Chicago to New Orleans so it turns east to Orlando, Fla. A third option is to launch a new daily service.

Amtrak tells Transportation Nation the plan is there and done. "It is now the decision of federal and state policymakers to determine if passenger rail service should be restored, identify the preferred option and provide the additional funding for capital and ongoing operating costs."

Some of the stations along the route were so infrequently used that it will be hard to argue for restoring them in tight fiscal times. A local website, NorthEscambria.com reports that fewer than three people per week boarded Sunset Limited trains at the Atmore, Alabama station.

Still, Mayors want the service back, and the primary goal of their big meeting on August 16th, was to gather facts they can use to convince Congress to pony up funding. The Pensacola News Journal reported support from the mayors of New Orleans, Pensacola, Fla. and Mobile, Alabama and others want to take economic arguments to their Congressional representatives. Daily daytime service would make it possible for someone to live in Biloxi, Miss, or nearby and work in New Orleans, or for New Orleanians to take short vacations along the Gulf Coast. That's the kind of story a Congressman would need to hear to devote taxpayer money to an unprofitable line.

Another meeting of mayors and local supporters will take place in the next three months months to focus in on Congressional proposals to pitch to federal lawmakers. Mayor Jones of Mobile, told the Alabama Local "we've probably got another six months worth of preparation before we step out with our plan and proposal."

Comments [7]

TN MOVING STORIES: Romney Bets on Oil, Chicago Bus "Restructuring," Google Now Test

Friday, August 24, 2012

Watch Stunning Video of Curiosity Rover Falling onto Mars

Friday, August 24, 2012

The NASA Mars rover mission continues to churn out drama made for TV. It has already delivered seven minutes of terror with the landing, propelled the mohawked geek dreamboy Bobak Ferdowsi to the pinnacle of fame, (the Not My Job quiz on NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me) and it could reignite interest in the space program.

If that happens, it will be because of the images. We loved to watch the blue-shirted scientists leaping with joy trading charmingly awkward high-fives after the successful landing, but now we're wowed by high definition video of Mars itself.

Here are two videos of the descent of Curiosity onto the surface of the Mars. Watch them all the way through. In the one above, you can see what look like clouds around 40 seconds in as the rover lands in a crater on Mars. Turn on HD and make it full screen for the full effect. It's like parachuting onto the red planet through your screen.

The second video keeps the heat shield in the frame so it's a bit less shaky and feels a more like NASA dropped a frisbee into a pile of orange sand from a jet plane.

NY MTA: Suburban Passengers Get $7 Subsidy Per Ride, Subway Riders, A Buck

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Tax subsidy per average ride.

LISTEN: Get more details in this conversation as WNYC's Richard Hake speaks to MTA head Joe Lhota.

NY's MTA Chief said his agency contributes more than $7 to each Long Island Railroad passenger's ride, compared to just over a dollar per subway ride.

Joe Lhota came out swinging Thursday in defense of the payroll mobility tax struck down by a state court Wednesday. (Full ruling)

Lhota held a press conference in Grand Central Terminal to call the ruling "flawed and erroneous." He showed up armed with some figures.

Suburban rides on Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad receive a bigger subsidy per ride, than NYC subway rides.

The tax funds $1.8 billion of the MTA budget, about 15 percent. The tax is levied in 12 counties where the NY Metropolitan Transportation Authority operates subways, buses, bridges, or commuter rail. It is a constant political football for suburban districts around New York City who feel they are paying for the city's subway.

Here are the subsidies for the average ride for each of the three rail networks operated by the MTA.

LIRR: $7.34
Metro-North: $4.26
Subway: $1.11

Now, there are billions of rides taken on the subway and only about 80 million on LIRR (and we're tracking down the additional figures to flush out this kind of comparison) but Lhota's point is that the subsidy isn't exactly a suburbs-to-city stream of tax money. The biggest winners are the riders of Long Island Rail Road, coincidentally, exactly the people who vote for Nassau County (aka Long Island) Executive, Ed Mangano, the man who filed the lawsuit challenging the mobility tax.

Here's a primer on the mobility tax and four other fees that could also be overturned if the court ruling stands courtesy of the MTA:

Fees and Taxes affected by the ruling according to the MTA:

Vehicle Registration Fee – Vehicle registrants residing in the 12-county district pay an additional $50 to register a car for each 2-year period.

Taxi Surcharge – A 50¢ surcharge on all medallion taxi (yellow cab) trips that begin within New York City and end within the 12-county MTA service territory.

Automobile Rental Tax – Automobile rental charges within the 12-county MTA region incur an additional tax of 5%.

Auto License Fee – $2/year for each driver's license. So most people pay an additional $16 fee at the time of their renewal.

And here's how the MTA explains the payroll tax collection:

As for the Payroll Mobility Tax itself it is paid by employers and self-employed individuals earning more than $50,000/year located within the MTA’s 12-county region at rates ranging from 0.11%, or 11¢ for every $100 paid to employees, to 0.34%.On December 12, 2011, Governor Cuomo signed legislation revising the Mobility Tax structure by exempting or reducing some categories of taxpayers who had been paying the 0.34% rate, as follows:

Self-employed individuals earning less than $50,000 per year (Exempt)

Businesses w/ annual payroll between $10,000 and $1.25 million (Exempt)

Public and private elementary and secondary schools (Exempt)

Businesses w/annual payroll = $1.25 million -$1.5 million (0.11%)

Businesses w/annual payrolls = $1.5 million and $1.75 million (0.23%)

Comments [6]

Here's the New NYC Taxi Logo

Thursday, August 23, 2012

T is for (new) Taxis in New York City. (Photo by Caitlyn Kim)

New York city is giving taxis a new look. There's the taxi of tomorrow set to roll out next year, but even the motley mix of sedans and SUVs out there now are getting a new paint job. And when they do, the city's yellow cabs come back more yellow and as this picture captures, with a new logo, fewer words, and more to the point. JFK airport gets a mention right on the door.

Here's a side-by-side comparison. (Or, top-by-bottom comparison?)

Comments [3]

May Air Traffic Down 0.3 Percent from 2011, First Drop in 6 Months

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Fewer people traveled by air in the U.S. this May compared to a year ago. The 0.3 percent drop is the first year-to-year decline since November of 2011, according to the Department of Transportation. Still, the trend is up over 2011 numbers for the first five months of 2012. As the chart above shows, passenger traffic follows yearly cycles but have remained fairly steady for the past few years.

The full release just in from the DOT:

BTS Releases May 2012 Airline Traffic Data;

System Traffic Down 0.3 Percent from May 2011

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) reported today that U.S. airlines carried 63.7 million scheduled domestic and international passengers in May 2012, 0.4 percent fewer domestic passengers and 0.7 percent more international passengers than in May 2011. These changes resulted in a system wide decrease of 0.3 percent in passengers from May 2011, the first year-to-year decline since November 2011 (Tables 1, 7, 13). The May 2012 passenger total was 3.6 percent above that of two years ago in May 2010 (Table 2).

U.S. airlines carried 297.2 million total system passengers during the first five months of 2012, up 1.9 percent from the same period in 2011 (Table 2). Domestically, they carried 259.1 million passengers, up 1.8 percent from 2011 (Table 8). Internationally, they carried 38.1 million passengers, up 2.1 percent from 2011 (Table 14). See Tables 2, 8 and 14 of Air Traffic Press Releases for previous year numbers.

Additional traffic numbers can be found on the BTS website in the Airlines and Airports box. Click on a link in the column on the right. For more historical numbers, see Traffic on the BTS website.

Load Factor and Capacity

The first four months of 2012 continued 2011’s trend of all-time high system and domestic load factors, with an international load factor that declined from the record high set in 2010. The trend changed in May when year-to-year changes in system and domestic passengers and capacity resulted in load factors that were unchanged from May 2011. The international load factor from January through May 2012 remained below that for the same period in 2010 (Tables 1, 7, 13). Domestic capacity, measured by available seat-miles, increased 0.2 percent in May 2012 compared to May 2011. Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) increased by 0.1 percent (Table 7). The international load factor in May increased as airlines increased capacity by 1.2 percent while RPMs increased by 1.4 percent (Table 13). Systemwide capacity was up 0.5 percent compared to a 0.5 percent increase in RPMs (Table 1). See Tables 1, 7 and 13 of Air Traffic Press Releases for previous year numbers.

See Air Traffic Release for summary tables and additional data.

TN MOVING STORIES: Tax Funding NYC Subway Overturned, Romney's Energy Plan, and a Hoverbike Test

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Top News on Transportation Nation:

NY State Court overturns tax that pays for Subway construction. (Link) [NOTE: We'll have more on this throughout the day]

In Age of streetcar, transit (not cars) fueled DC suburbs. (Link)

Transit Art Project: "Underground NY Public Library" captures subway reading moments. (Link)

The TV show Glee featured in anti-texting-while-driving ad. (Link)

Aerofex Hover Bike (Courtesy of Aerofex)

Romney's energy plan: Less regulation, more exploration. (Marketplace)

Court finds EPA rule on power plants too broad. Agency can't regulate some "downwind" effects in states that border power plants. (Marketplace)

Chicago is finalizing a 'de-crowding' plan to thin out packed mass transit trains and buses. (MassTransit)

A study by the University of Pennsylvania draws a link between gardening in vacant lots and reduced crime rates. (NextAmericanCity)

House lawmakers urge President Obama to delay new fuel economy standards. (AutoBlogGreen)

Ray LaHood will send a team of DOT experts to Boise, Idaho to address technical and financial hurdles of Mayor Dave Bieter's vision. (MassTransit)

NTSB investigators are on scene at the coal train derailment in Ellicott City, Maryland that killed two. (WAMU)

Work still stalled on NYC's second avenue subway construction after an explosion Tuesday. (NY Daily News)

Chicago's ice cream truck owners say they were left out of new food truck rules designed to expand quality street eats. (WBEZ)

Why yes, this is a Star Wars-style hover bike. (Innovation News Daily, via Newser)

From our Tumblr: Whooshing down into the subway on a slide and other ways to make transit fun. (TN Tumblr)

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Transit Art Project: Photos of the "Underground NY Public Library"

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

A woman reads "Augustus John: Drawings" by Lillian Browse. Part of the Underground New York Public Library photography project by Ourit Ben-Haim.

One of the advantages of taking transit over driving to work is that you can read while you ride. It's a common New York pastime, offering a bevy of curious visual moments for an underground photographer. Sure there's the cheeky contrast of a Bible one seat over from Fifty Shades of Grey, or a focused reader of Ishmael: an Adventure of the Mind and Spirit next to a woman dancing at nearby pole.

These are the types of moments captured by Underground New York Public Library, a photo project by Ourit Ben-Haim.

She writes:

"The Underground New York Public Library is a photo series featuring the Reading-Riders of the NYC subways. The photos come together as a visual library. This library freely lends out a reminder that we’re capable of traveling to great depths within ourselves and as a whole."

There are pictures of people on trains, on platforms, of families reading together, of readers finding mental quiet amidst the bustle of a busy train and a literary moment in an empty station. Impressively, the books are identified each time and occasionally a comment from the reader or Ben-Haim rounds out the single moment captured in the frame.

See the full series in vivid large sizes at Underground New York Public Library

(Not in any way affiliated with the above ground New York Public Library.)

PIC: Highway Overpass as War Monument

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Not often do you see a highway overpass celebrated for its beauty, but this entrance to Fort Benning in Georgia is a local point of pride, as much for transportation planners as the military servicemen stationed at the base. The Georgia State Transportation Board voted to place this photo on the cover of the official state map.

Here's how the Georgia Department of Transportation described the proud monument on its Facebook page.

"The Columbus Gateway Foundation completed construction of this magnificent structure encompassing 56 acres, 20 flags, 20 fountains, and life-size statues atop the gateway pillars. The monument’s four statues are two bald eagles, a “Trooper on the Plains” representing the Armor school and a “Follow Me” Infantryman, all well-known symbols to members of the military and especially important to those attending the base's Armor and Infantry training facilities."

We wonder how long they had to wait for a shot that had so little traffic passing by.

JetBlue Fined for Keeping Fliers on Plane at Gate, Orbitz Fined for Hidden Fees

Monday, August 20, 2012

Since new U.S. Department of Transportation rules took effect in January requiring baggage and other fees to be prominently displayed, numerous airlines and travel websites have been slapped with fines. As with today's penalty for Orbitz, the offense is usually for temporarily hiding fees in a way that could mislead customers.

JetBlue landed itself a $90,000 penalty for not telling passengers they had the right to leave a plan while it was delayed at the gate for nearly three hours.

When you dive into the wording of these DOT fine announcements you can see how precise and thorough they investigate each case, and how a single error lead to fines of nearly $100,000.

Here are the full announcements from the DOT, first JetBlue, then Orbitz:

U.S. Department of Transportation Fines JetBlue for Not Informing Passengers of Opportunity to Leave Aircraft During Delay at Gate

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today said JetBlue Airways violated federal rules last March by not informing passengers on an aircraft delayed at New York’s JFK Airport that they had an opportunity to leave the plane as it sat at the gate with the door open. DOT fined JetBlue $90,000 and ordered the airline to cease and desist from further violations.

JetBlue violated a provision of the DOT’s new airline consumer protection rule requiring that if passengers on a delayed flight have the opportunity to leave the aircraft, the carrier must inform them that they can deplane. Announcements that passengers can leave the plane must come 30 minutes after the scheduled departure time and every 30 minutes afterward.

“Airlines may not leave passengers stranded indefinitely aboard an aircraft, whether on the tarmac or at the gate, and passengers must be told if they are able to leave the plane,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “At DOT, we are committed to protecting consumers when they travel by air, and will continue to take enforcement action when our rules are violated.”

On March 3, 2012, JetBlue Flight 645 was scheduled to depart New York’s JFK Airport at 7:30 p.m. and arrive at San Francisco at 11:16 p.m. local time. Boarding began at 7:06 p.m., but the flight was delayed and the doors to the aircraft did not close until 9:55 p.m. An investigation by DOT’s Aviation Enforcement Office found that passengers were not notified that they had the opportunity to leave the aircraft during this delay, even though the aircraft door was open and customers could have deplaned at any time. The Enforcement Office also found that JetBlue’s contingency plan for long tarmac delays did not contain the assurance, as required by the DOT rule, that passengers on delayed flights will receive notifications about the status of the delay every 30 minutes, including the reasons for the delay.

DOT’s new airline consumer protection rule, which took effect in August 2011, was adopted as part of the Department’s efforts to prevent passengers from being left for extended periods aboard aircraft. The new rule expanded DOT’s existing ban on tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, which took effect in April 2010, by adding a four-hour limit for tarmac delays on international flights operating at U.S. airports. Exceptions to the tarmac-delay limits are allowed only for safety, security, and air traffic control-related reasons.

Orbitz Fined for Failing to Disclose Baggage Fees Properly

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today fined online ticket agent Orbitz $50,000 for violating the Department’s expanded airline passenger protection rule by failing to clearly and prominently inform consumers that they may have to pay baggage fees, and directed the company to cease and desist from further violations.

“Airline passengers should be able to determine the full cost of their trip, including baggage fees, quickly and easily,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. “The Department adopted its rules on baggage fees to ensure that consumers have complete and accurate information about how much they will have to pay when they book a flight, and we will continue to take enforcement action when carriers and ticket agents fail to comply with our rules.”

Under a new DOT rule which took effect Jan. 24, carriers and ticket agents must disclose to consumers booking a flight that they may have to pay baggage fees in addition to the basic ticket price. When consumers book a flight on-line, carriers must clearly and prominently disclose on the first screen that offers a specific itinerary that additional baggage fees may apply and tell the consumer where they can view the fees. The rule applies to all airlines selling air transportation in the United States, including foreign carriers.

For a short period of time after Jan. 24, Orbitz’s website disclosed on the first webpage in which it offered fare quotations for specific itineraries that additional fees for baggage may apply and where consumers could see those fees. However, the location of the disclosure may have required consumers to scroll to the bottom of the first webpage, and therefore was not clear and prominent as required by DOT’s rule.

The consent order is available on the Internet at www.regulations.gov, docket DOT-OST-2012-0002.

FULL LETTER: Tappan Zee Funding Request Approved

Monday, August 20, 2012

NY State finally has the local approval it needs to request federal funds to complete the $5.2 billion construction of the new Tappan Zee Bridge spanning the Hudson river north of New York City.

After a unanimous vote this morning of the NY Metropolitan Transportation Council, here's the letter from NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo to U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood.

Our NY reporter Jim O'Grady was at the event with Cuomo and will file a full report soon.

GOVERNOR CUOMO SIGNS LETTER TO U.S. SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION RAY LAHOOD
REQUESTING FEDERAL FUNDING TO BUILD A NEW BRIDGE REPLACING THE TAPPAN ZEE

Letter Follows Unanimous NYMTC Vote to Approve Governor?s Plan For a New
Bridge

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, joined by Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos,
Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef,
Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell and Westchester County Executive
Rob Astorino, today signed a new letter of intent to U.S. Secretary of
Transportation Ray LaHood to apply for federal funding to build a new
bridge to replace the Tappan Zee. The letter formally initiates New York's
application for funding under the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and
Innovation Act (TIFIA) program and came after the members of the New York
Metropolitan Transit Council (NYMTC) unanimously voted to support Governor
Cuomo?s plan to build a new bridge. To view the Governor?s letter go to
http://www.governor.ny.gov/assets/documents/Ray_Lahood_pdf.pdf.

?Today we are one step closer to building a new, safer bridge that will
revitalize the Hudson Valley by creating thousands of jobs,? said Governor
Cuomo. ?After over a decade of delay caused by political dysfunction, this
letter demonstrates that we are making real progress towards constructing a
stronger, transit-ready bridge that will reduce congestion and be safer for
drivers for years to come. Over the past few months, members of my
administration have met with residents and business owners throughout the
Hudson Valley to ensure that this process is as transparent and inclusive
as possible. I applaud Majority Leader Skelos, Speaker Silver, and the
Hudson Valley County Executives for their leadership and dedication to New
Yorkers.?

Senate Majority Leader Dean G. Skelos said, "A new Tappan Zee Bridge means
thousands of new jobs for the Hudson Valley, less congestion and a better
quality of life for the people who travel this span every day. I applaud
Governor Cuomo for his leadership on this important project, and for his
vision of what is possible here in New York. Senate Republicans will
continue to work with him to turn this state around, as we did on the
design-build legislation which contributed to moving this project forward."

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver said, "I applaud Governor Cuomo for taking
critical steps to advance one of the most complex public transportation
projects New York State has undertaken in many years. I am looking forward
to further details as the project progresses that will consider the
concerns of residents, commuters, local businesses, and government
officials to safeguard travelers, eliminate traffic congestion, and provide
future mass transit options. This is a significant investment in the
region's economy that will result in the creation of tens of thousands of
jobs for hard working men and women, and I commend the Governor for his
leadership."

This letter represents a significant step in the process to build a new,
stronger, safer bridge that will last 100 years. Last fall, President Obama
granted Governor Cuomo?s request to expedite the process of constructing a
new bridge to replace the Tappan Zee and to make the project a priority.
Governor Cuomo also partnered with the legislative leaders to pass a
design-build law that will be used to streamline and prevent cost overruns
of building a new bridge. The Governor presented a plan for a new bridge
that will be safer for drivers, create better options and faster service
for bus commuters, be transit-ready for rail or bus rapid transit, and
create 45,000 new jobs in the Hudson Valley. Just last month, Governor
Cuomo released the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on the new
bridge project. The FEIS was compiled by a dozen state and federal
agencies responding to over 3,000 comments from the public.

The NYMTC vote signifies an agreement between local officials from New York
City, Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley to seek federal approval for
the Tappan Zee bridge replacement project. The New York Metropolitan
Transportation Council (NYMTC) is a federally-required regional council of
governments that provides a collaborative transportation planning forum for
New York City, Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley. NYMTC, pursuant to
federal law, serves as the region?s Metropolitan Planning Organizations
(MPO). A core requirement for receiving and spending federal
transportation funds is that states follow the prescribed
federally-required metropolitan and statewide planning processes.

Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee said, ?I am very encouraged by the willingness
of the Governor's office to listen to the concerns of the community about
this important project that will improve public safety and present
opportunities for economic development in our region.?

Rockland County Executive C. Scott Vanderhoef said, ?I am pleased that we
are moving ahead with a new safer bridge that will be built for tomorrow
and will be able to accommodate mass transit. I applaud Governor Cuomo's
commitment to this project and to working with the Hudson Valley community
in order to make this process go forward.?

Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell said, ?This project is more than
likely one of the largest projects that New Yorkers will be undertaking as
far as transportation infrastructure projects. American history tells us
that it is these types of projects that helped our nation climb out the
Great Depression. The common goal I share today with my colleagues is to
get our families back to work or keep them working. As Putnam County
Executive I would like to applaud Governor Cuomo for his genuine
demonstration of good faith and leadership in working with County
Executives Astorino and Vanderhoef and myself in making sure that this
project move forward with as much information as possible, and I look to
The New York State Legislature to make sure the fiscal oversight is place
in order to keep this project on track.?

Westchester County Executive Robert P. Astorino said, ?Today marks an
important step in building a new Tappan Zee Bridge. Challenges await us,
but we are moving forward - unified in our commitment to give our counties,
state and country a bridge that creates jobs, strengthens our economy,
protects the environment and leaves a legacy we can be proud of.?

New Yorkers can see toll options, submit questions and concerns about the
project through www.NewNYBridge.com or call the toll free number,
855-TZBRIDGE. The website also features videos of the community meetings
and a database of all documents created over the last 10 years on the
Tappan Zee Bridge. A Twitter account has been set up for Tappan Zee
project, and New Yorkers can receive updates by following @NewNYBridge.

###

Texas to Investigate Health Risks of Living Near Drilling Site

Monday, August 20, 2012

(Photo (cc) by Flickr user lmahornfan)

The number of oil and gas drilling sites is rapidly growing with the proliferation of hydraulic fracturing, commonly called fracking. Each new well brings new fears to neighbors who After a rise in breast cancer rates in one area attracted national attention in Texas, the state will now investigate the potential health effects of living near drilling sites.

The investigative reporting unit StateImpact, says previous limited studies have found no health risks in Texas, though studies in Utah and Colorado have pinned ill-health and smog on drilling. Dave Fehling spoke with Texas officials about the potential study.

Read the full story at StateImpact.

TN MOVING STORIES: Tappan Zee Vote Today, Capitol EVs, White House Bus Beer

Monday, August 20, 2012

Why NYC's Bike Share Program Will Be Delayed Until March.

Top Stories on Transportation Nation:

NYC Legal Battle Escalates over Adding Green “Outer-Boro” Cabs.

Greyhound to Move into Chinatown Bus Market after Law Change in NY.

Obama Tells States “Use It or Lose It” for $470 Million in Transpo Money (w/CHART).

Canned air from Paris: 20% The Louvre 20% Notre Dame 25% Eiffel Tower 15% Musée d'Orsay 10% Champs-Elysées 10% Sacre Coeur

After shoring up support to pass his Tappan Zee Bridge plan, N.Y. Gov. Cuomo hastily schedules a formal vote for this morning at 9:30am. (Official notice, background: Streetsblog, our full coverage)

Texas to investigate the health effects of living near oil drilling sites. (KUHF)

Infrastructure rhetoric is increasingly playing a role in the presidential campaign. (Politico)

U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich) finally convinced his colleagues to pass a bill to install an EV charging station at the U.S. Capitol building so he can charge his Chevy Volt. President Obama just signed it. (Autoblog Green)

Tehran has a booming subway system, just five years-old and carrying 2 million passengers a day. (ThisBigCity)

India will launch a Mars orbiter in 2013. (Marketplace)

Runway to shut down for 60 days at busy BWI International Airport in Baltimore, which handles many flights for D.C. (WAMU)

On the link between legal status and driver's licenses for immigrants. (KQED)

LA moves along on the 'Metro to the Sea.' Construction begins to extend Expo Line to Santa Monica. (KPCC)

A VW Jetta set a new hybrid speed record: 185 m.p.h. (gas2.org)

Relaxing on the campaign trail: President Obama's tour bus rolls with White House home brew. (WAMU)

Not exactly Perri-Air like in the movie Spaceballs, but an artist is offering canned air from cities around the world for ex-pats in need of a whiff of home. (Atlantic Cities)

From our Tumblr: A vintage painted postcard of the now-hidden NY City Hall subway station filled with bustling old-timey commuters. (TN Tumblr)

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Obama Tells States "Use It or Lose It" for $470 Million in Transpo Money (CHART)

Friday, August 17, 2012

States will lose out on millions of dollars in federal highway money if they sit on the cash without putting it to immediate use, the White House said in a statement today.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is making freeing up $473 million in unspent highway earmarks for other projects "that will create jobs and help improve transportation." The move is intended to speed the stimulus and job creation impact of federal transportation spending, much of which goes to large projects that can take years to plan and execute.

President Barack Obama said, “We’re not going to let politics stand between construction workers and good jobs repairing our roads and bridges.”

According to the DOT, $473 million in highway earmarks remain unspent from 2003-2006 appropriations (full list here). Today's authorization allows state transportation departments to take that earmarked money and use it on other highway, transit, passenger rail or port projects.

Funds not re-obligated within a state by the end of the year can go to other states in the 2013 fiscal year, hence the headline in the White House press release "Use It or Lose It" (in full below)

Top Ten States with unused earmarks:

Top Ten States with Unspent Transportation Earmark Money

Alabama $51,488,747.50
California $43,075,444.64
Texas $30,795,362.97
New York $29,031,287.86
Pennsylvania $28,536,041.90
Alaska $20,239,216.44
Massachusetts $18,933,562.00
Kentucky $17,518,853.15
Michigan $15,806,886.79
Mississippi $15,248,578.00

Full Press Release:

Obama Administration on Idle Earmark Projects: Use It or Lose It “We Can’t Wait” Action Helps States Put People to Work, Improve Infrastructure

WASHINGTON, DC – The Obama Administration today announced that it won’t allow infrastructure funds to sit idle as a result of stalled earmark projects at a time when hundreds of thousands of construction workers are looking for work. U.S Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is making over $470 million in unspent earmarks immediately available to states for projects that will create jobs and help improve transportation across the country.

“My administration will continue to do everything we can to put Americans back to work,” said President Barack Obama. “We’re not going to let politics stand between construction workers and good jobs repairing our roads and bridges.”

“We are freeing up these funds so states can get down to the business of moving transportation projects forward and putting our friends and neighbors back to work,” said Secretary LaHood.

President Obama has vowed to veto any bill that comes to his desk with earmarks and would support legislation to permanently ban earmarks. But $473 million in highway earmarks from FY2003-2006 appropriations acts remain unspent years later. Those acts contain provisions that authorize the Secretary to make the unused funds available for eligible surface transportation projects. Effective today, state departments of transportation will have the ability to use their unspent earmarked highway funds, some of which are nearly 10 years old, on any eligible highway, transit, passenger rail, or port project.

States must identify the projects they plan to use the funds for by October 1, and must obligate them by December 31, 2012.

“Particularly in these difficult fiscal times, states will be able to put these dollars to good use,” said Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. “These funds will create jobs in the short term and help bring about what President Obama called ‘an America built to last.’”

To ensure that this funding is quickly put to good use to improve our nation’s infrastructure, funds not obligated by the December 31 deadline will be proportionally redistributed in FY 2013 to states that met the deadline.

A list of available funds by state can be accessed here: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pressroom/redisfy0306earmarks.htm

See Our Abandoned Bike Art Exhibit. Yeah, We Said Art.

Monday, August 13, 2012

What started as journalistic curiosity is now art.

Our Abandoned Bike Project has been transformed into a humble art exhibit in the windows of the Jerome L. Greene Performance Space, WNYC's street-level studio venue.

For those of you in New York City, offering up a chance to see abandoned bikes live and in person might seem like trying selling snow cones to Santa Claus. But these bikes are a captivating catalog of plodding decay, each a different shade of rust and crumble. Display them in windows facing a busy downtown sidewalk and, voilà!, you've got art. For proof, see the slide show above, which we recommend you take in as a collection of diverse short stories--all with the same ending.

We've "curated" a collection of the best pictures submitted to our abandoned bike tracker, chosen a broken bike as muse and and added poetry: Bike-Kus, anyone?

Ragged rusty bikes hide within the sleek and modern Jerome L. Greene Performance Space.

The pièce de résistance? We convinced the Department of Sanitation to provide us with several authentically claimed derelict abandoned bikes. (That's different from regular abandoned bikes, as you'll recall from this story). Although we found hundreds of abandoned bikes, there have been just 62 officially removed derelict bikes in NYC this year. Four of them now sit in the The Greene Space along with several others donated by Recycle-A-Bicycle, a youth service charity that refurbishes old bikes.

As a refresher, the evolution of our abandoned bike reporting project began with a simple question: why do busted-up old bikes stay chained to street signs for so long on NYC's crowded sidewalks. We hunted down the answer -- complicated mix of bureaucracy, city law, NYC's density -- and found something else. New Yorkers just love to look at abandoned bikes. And to photograph them.

In chasing what we thought would be a simple answer, we asked for help. That help came in the form of hundreds of geocoded photographs we used to map the phenomenon. Those photographs are what you seen in this post, and in our exhibit.

Come on by Varick Street and Charlton Street in Manhattan. Photos are behind the glass, bikes are inside it!

Q&A: Amtrak President Joe Boardman on the Rational Inevitability of High-Speed Rail

Monday, August 06, 2012

Rendering of an Amtrak NextGen high-speed rail train.

Amtrak plans to build a next generation high-speed rail network along the east coast zipping business travelers from New York to Philadelphia (or D.C.) fast enough to get them to their cheesesteak power lunch in a little more than half an hour. But the $151 billion plan lacks a dedicated funding source--a source that railroad executives are asking Congress to provide at a time of hostility to big projects. So Transportation Nation's Alex Goldmark chatted with Amtrak President and CEO, Joe Boardman about the future of our nation's rail network, and the prospects for Northeast corridor bullet trains in particular.

"The same kinds of arguments were delivered during the days of the building of the Erie Canal."

Amtrak's president predicted the business community will demand high-speed rail in the Northeast and pressure Congress to overcome its spending worries. He compared today's opponents of high speed rail to early 19th century naysayers of the Erie Canal, which enriched the city by bringing the bounty of the American midwest through the port of New York. Boardman believes we face a crisis of mobility similar to the one two centuries ago and that, this time, instead of canals, rail is the solution.

Joe Boardman: I think one of the things that’s most important is it’s really critical to the business community of the Northeast to have mobility and an ability to have the clustering of new technology companies. That will not happen if you do not have the mobility of something like high-speed rail for the Northeast and the increase in capacity [that would bring].

"It’s really critical to the business community..."

TN: What kind of upgrades are we talking about?

JB: A critical need here is to actually increase the capacity by actually increasing the number of tracks: having two new tunnels [under the Hudson River], improving the space within Penn Station itself, putting in a new Portal Bridge [in Northeast New Jersey], to make sure that gets done properly for the speeds we want to operate. And for the lack of being held up by movable bridges.

New Jersey Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Amtrak are all working together we can begin to make a change for the future, and I think it will be a change that is very positive for the business community and all in the Northeast.

"I think the opportunities for having this funded over the next several decades are excellent."

TN: Is it realistic to expect Congress to find $151 billion for high-speed rail in the Northeast?

JB: I think the opportunities for having this funded over the next several decades are excellent. I think clearly it is absolutely required. I think it will include all levels of government and include the revenues that will come back from the improvements that we will provide for the customers in the Northeast.

JB: You’ve got right now about 20 percent of the GDP coming out of the Northeast United States. If we don’t fix this [mobility] problem, that won’t last. So the business community in the Northeast, as it begins to wake up to what’s necessary to have the free flowing mobility … is going to need to look at reasonable solutions to that mobility. That’s train travel.

"Look at China right now. A lot of the increase in their ridership came from induced demand."

TN: Aren't there other ways to get around besides the train?

JB: You can look at China right now. A lot of the increase in their ridership came from induced demand, not from taking from any other mode. You’re still going to need the highways, you’re going to need aviation, but you’re not going to be able to grow with the projection of the population of the Northeast unless what you do is improve capacity. The place to make that happen is the railroad.

And the railroad then will receive the kind of state, local, federal funds necessary -- and in some cases the indebtedness necessary -- for the railroad itself to pay off those debts in the future.

"What mode of transportation can really get built and then begin to generate revenues? "

TN: Isn't there a reluctance to spend on large infrastructure projects?

JB: If that’s an obstacle, what mode of transportation can really get built and then begin to generate revenues? Not the highways. Not the airports largely. But on rail, what we’ve shown is an improvement in such a way that when you make these investments there is a surplus of revenues that are going to come forward. Where would you most likely want to make that investments then? It’s to the rail.

TN: Maybe the critics are right to say, "Let's delay high-speed rail and make do with what we have until we get our financial house in order."

JB: The same kinds of arguments were delivered during the days of the building of the Erie Canal. But once people saw the ability to really move products and move people in a much cheaper way and get greater mobility ... then the investments became available.

So I’m much more positive about the ability -- in the future -- for this country, and the younger people coming forward who are going to use this, to make those investments, to make us a continuing global competitor in the world.

*Transcript abridged for clarity.

Comments [5]

Philadelphia Aggressively Removes Abandoned Bikes

Friday, August 03, 2012

Abandoned bike removal in Philadelphia. (Photo by Emma Lee for WHYY's NewsWorks)

In stark contrast to bike removal tactics in New York City, Philadelphia just completed an annual proactive sweep of abandoned bicycles this week. As WHYY's Peter Crimmins reports from his bike snipping ride-along with city authorities:

"A power grinder can slide through a bike lock like a hot knife through butter. It takes about 30 seconds to liberate an abandoned bike and throw it in the back of a truck."

The sweep netted 65 bikes that were donated to local charities. New York City, despite its larger size and cycling population, has removed just 62 bicycles in 2012. Those bikes are recycled as scrap metal generally. TN readers photographed and mapped more than 500 allegedly abandoned bikes in NYC.

Maybe the difference is a champion in city hall. Aaron Ritz of the Philadelphia Mayor's Office of Transportation and Utilities just happens to be a bike lover who knows how to wield his power tools. He tells WHYY:

"When there's a wheel stolen, or it's vandalized, that ticks me off," said Ritz, an amateur bike racer and former mechanic. "But when it's abandoned, it's good to get them off the street. It's pleasing to have tidy space. Like cleaning up your room."

Read the full piece about Philadelphia's removal program at WHYY's NewsWorks including a short slideshow of great pics and follow up on how bikes are recycled then sold. There's even one pic of Crimmins taking a turn at the grinder, sparks flying and all.

Comments [10]

Social Carpooling Launches on East Coast with High Expectations

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Zimride users share a ride.

California's leading carpool company is now bi-coastal. Starting today, Zimride will help drivers in the Northeast sell rides in their private cars as they travel between New York, Washington, D.C., and Boston -- and, if anyone is willing to pay for a seat, anywhere else.

"We're excited about the East Coast because of all the success the bus lines have had," said John Zimmer, founder of Zimride. His service is a substitute for bus travel or driving alone. "From San Francisco to Los Angeles we have 250 - 300 drivers every week [who offer to sell seats in their car]. And we expect a similar type of density on the East Coast," he said, primarily because the cities are closer together. Zimride also hopes to benefit from passengers looking for low-cost transportation in the wake of a recent shutdown of several Chinatown bus companies.

The company's website connects drivers and prospective passengers for trips of more than one hour. (There's a local version called Lyft available in San Francisco). Drivers can set a price for an empty seat on a trip they plan to take, and passengers can pay -- or make a counter offer. All payments go through through the website, giving Zimride a cut of up to 15 percent. The prices tend to be about the same as taking a Chinatown bus -- meaning cheap enough to rack up 300,000 rides from 360,000 users in California, on 140 college and corporate campuses, since 2007. The pace of growth has doubled the pace in the past year.

Taking that business model to the busiest travel corridor in the country, though, is a big test for the concept of carpooling in America. "The reason we have created Zimride is because 80 percent of seats are empty on highways," Zimmer said.

The company calls it 21st-century hitchhiking.

As TN has reported before, Europe warmed to the idea long ago, but Americans continue to associate riding with strangers to consorting with ax murderers.

Zimmer figures trust is the secret sauce to success. "Because our application is integrated with Facebook, you can see who are going to ride with before you ride with them," he said, "and so you can choose someone that is most likely going to be a fun experience for you." Pick your experience: adventurous, safe, or romantic. (At least one wedding has resulted from ride sharing through Zimride so far.)

As with the European experience, Americans tend to come for the savings -- and stay for the experience. The first-time Zimrider likely chose carpooling to save money. But repeat users say they most value the social aspect.

Zimride suggests a price based on mileage, so New York to D.C. should be about about $25 for a passenger. That's a bit more than a curbside bus, but it could involve door-to-door service.

To grow the business in New York, Zimride will "feed the marketplace" at the start through targeted advertising online. If the company can get a critical mass of thousands of drivers offering up seats to Northeast corridor cities each weekend, the same number of cars zipping up and down the highways can be carrying a few extra thousand people.