DCStreetsBlog.org
Elana Schor // January 28, 2010
Homeowners in car-dependent areas without access to alternative transportation are at greater risk of foreclosure, according to a report released yesterday by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) that calls for mortgage underwriting standards to begin taking so-called "location-efficiency" into account.
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Thursday, February 4, 2010
The W Hollywood Hotel & Residences: An urban complexity
Not really a Texas mixed use deal, but I worked two years on this project -- so have to share news of the Grand Opening!!!
15-story, $600-million development combines on a single L-shaped site the W's hotel and condominium towers with a 375-unit apartment block called 1600 Vine.
The W Hollywood Hotel & Residences: An urban complexity
15-story, $600-million development combines on a single L-shaped site the W's hotel and condominium towers with a 375-unit apartment block called 1600 Vine.
The W Hollywood Hotel & Residences: An urban complexity
Commuter Rail Success Stories
Empire Report
Jack C. Swearengen // January 28, 2010
Dallas’ DART light-rail system, which has an average weekday ridership of 70,000 trips, registered an increase of more than 8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 and more than 10 percent for the year. "People who were used to driving did the math and figured they could buy a monthly pass ($50) for less than a tank of gas," said Morgan Lyons, a spokesman for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit. As gasoline prices fell, other benefits became more apparent. Instead of traffic-clogged drives that could take up to an hour, riders could be on the train for 35 to 40 minutes and do work or relax. "When you have to start making decisions about all the little things, other little things become equally important," he said.
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Jack C. Swearengen // January 28, 2010
Dallas’ DART light-rail system, which has an average weekday ridership of 70,000 trips, registered an increase of more than 8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008 and more than 10 percent for the year. "People who were used to driving did the math and figured they could buy a monthly pass ($50) for less than a tank of gas," said Morgan Lyons, a spokesman for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit. As gasoline prices fell, other benefits became more apparent. Instead of traffic-clogged drives that could take up to an hour, riders could be on the train for 35 to 40 minutes and do work or relax. "When you have to start making decisions about all the little things, other little things become equally important," he said.
MORE
DART, TRE land FRA funds for double-track project
ProgressiveRailroading.com
January 29, 2010
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Trinity Railway Express (TRE) announced they will receive about $7.2 million in federal funds to help fund the construction of a five-mile section of double track between the West Irving and CentrePort/DFW Airport stations.
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January 29, 2010
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and Trinity Railway Express (TRE) announced they will receive about $7.2 million in federal funds to help fund the construction of a five-mile section of double track between the West Irving and CentrePort/DFW Airport stations.
MORE
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Congress & Transportation Reform - Is Anyone Listening?
citiwire.net
Neal Pierce // January 16, 2010
Most everyone agrees that efficient roads, rails and air service are vital for our economy and our quality of life. Most of us see that without them, America will have a hard time competing against rising powers worldwide.
So why is Congress stalling? Representatives and senators know well that the federal transportation program expired last September. They keep passing temporary extensions without facing up to core issues–for example the federal gas tax stuck at 18.4 cents a gallon, unchanged for 17 years, despite escalating asphalt and concrete prices.
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Neal Pierce // January 16, 2010
Most everyone agrees that efficient roads, rails and air service are vital for our economy and our quality of life. Most of us see that without them, America will have a hard time competing against rising powers worldwide.
So why is Congress stalling? Representatives and senators know well that the federal transportation program expired last September. They keep passing temporary extensions without facing up to core issues–for example the federal gas tax stuck at 18.4 cents a gallon, unchanged for 17 years, despite escalating asphalt and concrete prices.
MORE
Impact of Pollution on Student Attendance
Fort Worth Star Telegram
Mike Lee // January 18, 2010
Children in Texas are more likely to miss school when certain types of air pollution increase — even when the levels are below the limit set by the federal government, a new study says.
The research also shows that absences decrease significantly when pollution decreases.
The study is unusual because it tracks the impact on a large group: 39 of the biggest school districts in Texas, including Dallas and Fort Worth. In El Paso, which has some of the state’s worst air pollution, the reduction in carbon monoxide levels resulted in a 0.8 percent decrease in the rate of absences.
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Mike Lee // January 18, 2010
Children in Texas are more likely to miss school when certain types of air pollution increase — even when the levels are below the limit set by the federal government, a new study says.
The research also shows that absences decrease significantly when pollution decreases.
The study is unusual because it tracks the impact on a large group: 39 of the biggest school districts in Texas, including Dallas and Fort Worth. In El Paso, which has some of the state’s worst air pollution, the reduction in carbon monoxide levels resulted in a 0.8 percent decrease in the rate of absences.
MORE
How Can We Promote Zero Car Households
DCStreetsBlog.org
Sarah Goodyear // January 20, 2010
Today on the Streetsblog Network, a fascinating look at the top 50 "low-car cities" in the United States -- that is, cities in which a high proportion of households do not own a car at all. Human Transit's Jarrett Walker digs into a list (from Wikipedia) of the US cities with populations over 100,000 with the highest percentage of zero-car households.
New York City, unsurprisingly, ranks first, with 55.7 percent. Seattle is number 50, with 16.32. Looking at the entire list, Walker comes to the conclusion that each municipality on it has at least one of three factors in play: age (older cities were in great part designed before automobiles came into use); poverty; and/or the presence of a large university.
Walker poses an important question: for those of us who see a "low-car" future as something to strive for, what conditions need to come into play in communities without those big three factors? He writes:
So here's the question: How long will it take for a city that lacks age, poverty, or dominant universities to achieve the kind of low car ownership that these 50 demonstrate? How soon, for example, will a city be able to create a combination of density, design, and mixture of uses that yields the same performance as an old city that naturally has those features?
MORE
Sarah Goodyear // January 20, 2010
Today on the Streetsblog Network, a fascinating look at the top 50 "low-car cities" in the United States -- that is, cities in which a high proportion of households do not own a car at all. Human Transit's Jarrett Walker digs into a list (from Wikipedia) of the US cities with populations over 100,000 with the highest percentage of zero-car households.
New York City, unsurprisingly, ranks first, with 55.7 percent. Seattle is number 50, with 16.32. Looking at the entire list, Walker comes to the conclusion that each municipality on it has at least one of three factors in play: age (older cities were in great part designed before automobiles came into use); poverty; and/or the presence of a large university.
Walker poses an important question: for those of us who see a "low-car" future as something to strive for, what conditions need to come into play in communities without those big three factors? He writes:
So here's the question: How long will it take for a city that lacks age, poverty, or dominant universities to achieve the kind of low car ownership that these 50 demonstrate? How soon, for example, will a city be able to create a combination of density, design, and mixture of uses that yields the same performance as an old city that naturally has those features?
MORE
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