In 1981, scholar Donald Appleyard published the book “Livable Streets” (link is to the 2nd edition soon to be published) based on his research into how people experience streets with different traffic volumes. Streetfilms recently covered portions of his research…
2011 Sustainable Transport Award Winner: Guangzhou, China
The Institute for Transportation and Development Policy recently announced the 2011 Sustainable Transport Award winner, which, as you can see, is Guangzhou, China. Its new bus rapid transit (BRT) system, which integrates bike lanes, bike share and metro stations was…
World Urban Rail Systems [Map]
Since I’ve been writing about transit a lot lately, I thought I’d share this super cool map of world rail systems (from 2008). I actually ran across it looking for a photo last week for a post on the world’s…
European Cities Limiting the Car, Improving Quality of Life
Europe, as we know, has a much different urban fabric — because most of its cities were developed long before cars arrived. They have narrower streets, are more walkable, more bike-friendly, and more pleasant. Nonetheless, Europe went the same route…
UK’s Largest Solar Housing Project Now in Yorkshire
South Yorkshire Housing Association (SYHA) has signed 120 houses up for an innovative renewable energy program, “Power Roofs,” which should reduce carbon emissions by about 350 tons a year. By 2012, SYHA hopes to eventually have 650 homes signed up…
First Bike Sharing Program in U.S. without Bike Stations?
“A small start-up near Washington, D.C. has started what it calls ‘the first stationless smart bike sharing program in North America.’ And all it took to get the system up and running was some bikes, U-locks and mobile phones.” That’s…
Conversation Cars on Public Transit: A “Modest Proposal”
There’s been a pretty significant transformation on public transit in the past decade or less. Whereas riders used to start up a conversation with complete strangers on a regular basis in the past, more and more riders are plugged into…
North American Handmade Bicycle Show 2011 Preview – BikeRadar
BikeRadar recently previewed the 2011 North American Handmade Bicycle Show. Looks like a cool event. Here’s more: The seventh annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show is set to kick off February 25-27 in Austin, Texas and even though the event is…
Intercity Bus: Fastest-Growing Form of Transit in U.S.
Intercity buses are actually extremely efficient modes of transport, even beating rail. Apparently, they are becoming more popular with the public these days as well. They were the fastest-growing mode of intercity transport for the third year in a row…
Paris to Ban SUV’s?
The City of Lights could soon become the city without S.U.V.’s. Government officials in Paris are considering putting in effect a series of regulations that would heavily tax, or completely ban, S.U.V.’s and high-polluting, old diesel vehicles from entering the…