Happy new year, everyone!
– There has been a lot of editorial page pontification in the last week about what our cities’ transportation policies should be in 2009. Here are a handful:
- The Hartford Courant, which I’ve been reading, wants better public transportation and restoration of historic train stations.
A province in Rwanda has banned bicycle use; Maryland police are surveilling a bicycle group
- The Toronto Star calls for a transformation of the city with more carfree streets and better walkability.
- The Jakarta Post (which doesn’t have permanent links to their stories) says “Let’s be friendlier in 2009!” and asks for more carfree spaces and safer streets.
– New Portland Commissioner Amanda Fritz has been given the job of “river czar” and the task of overseeing the cleanup of the Willamette and the development of its various functions, including transportation.
– Chris Smith at PortlandTransport.com has looked over the draft of the region’s new transportation priorities document, and found it lacking in vision for sustainable transportation.
– The Willamette Week called up a few Portland bike shops to ask about they’re doing in the economic downturn.
– The New York Times writes that “A surge in bicyclists appears to be waiting,” and interviews a number of retailers — including Jay Graves of Portland’s own Bike Gallery — about how low gas prices and the recession are hitting their business, and ridership.
– Bikes are becoming popular again with China’s elite, as a fashion statement as well as a way to get around.
– The New York Times has rounded up some differing opinions about new bike lanes in Brooklyn.
– A province in Rwanda has banned bicycle use, and locals are at a loss as to how to get themselves and their goods around.
– DC’s Washcycle blog has turned up a Washington Post story about various groups that Maryland police have labeled “terrorists,” including an unnamed group dedicated to “establishing bike lanes.”
– And finally, a reader sent in this link to an artist’s vision of incredibly obese cars.
As always, feel free to discuss any of these items or post your own in the comments.
I’m still on my East Coast Tour, and will have two more Mondays on the road.