Interesting Blog Posts from the Week...

Image via WikipediaHere is some of the interesting blog posts from around the transit blog world that caught my attention this week.

First off from Track 29 which is by a Washington DC resident, we have this one about the proposed gutting of transit funds for more highway funding:

Call Me Confused (But Not Surprised)

I already mentioned about the President's proposal and this blog talks a little more about the whole thing.

From Light Rail Photos comes some photos about the opening of the Gold Line in Los Angeles on its 5th Anniversary

Pasadena Gold Line opening

The Gold Line was built along the right of way of the former Santa Fe railroad that saw such famous trains as the Super Chief which was also referred to as the "train of the stars". I grew up not far from this line and during my high school years lived in a house whose back yard bordered this line.

Here is an off beat entry from the Transit Sleuth in Portland about the why the concept of Fare Free is a bad idea:

Hot Chicks on the MAX, TriMet Makes a Play...

Once again from California comes this entry from the Transbay Blog out of San Francisco talking about California's Complete Streets Proposal:

Complete Streets Act to Hit the State Senate Floor

Think we will ever see this in Utah? I won't hold my breath unless their is a rapture and people do start voting for the person instead of the political party in this state.

Curitiba is often used by BRT advocates as their nirvana example (I will talk about this more in the future) but here is a post from the Overhead Wire about their LRT plan:

Replay 5.21.07: Curitiba Transport Chief Throws BRT Under the Bus

Streetsblog Los Angeles has a couple of postings of interesting:

Plan for LA’s Central Park Showing at 7th and Fig

This is a proposal to cap the freeway that runs to the west of downtown Los Angeles. Seattle did this with a portion of Interstate 5 near downtown Seattle. Now if they had only put Interstate 15 in a trench like most rebuilt freeways through downtown Salt Lake because this same thing could have been done in Salt Lake, but its too late now.

Next there is this posting about Representative Earl Blumenauer's bill that would help transit agencies that are being hurt by the big diesel prices.

House Bill Makes Connection Between Transit Funding and Gas Price Relief

Blumenauer has been a big proponent of effective transit development and is a regular speaker at Railvolution and other similar programs.

One of the things I like about this bill is that there is a provision to boost housing near highways plus incentives for transit riders, cyclists, telecommuters and carpoolers.

Previously I have talked about the problems with the requirments for new schools that almost force students to be either bussed or driven to school or drive themselves in the case of High Schools. The Smart Growth Around America Blog has an entry talking about more about this and issues such as diesel prices is having on busing:

It all hinges on a key phrase: “If it’s possible.”

As the blog points out, it is great to encourage kids to walk to school but new schools are being built that makes that next to impossible.

That's it for the ones that stood out this week.