Money for roads increases; Cash for Clunkers grows; distracted driving censured; boating fees provide test case; a bike bell crackdown; the trajectory of big ideas; bike sharing praised; skateboards get the spotlight.
Here are the news stories that caught our eye in the last week:
– Oregon’s governor has signed a new transportation bill into law — Chris Smith reports that there’s plenty of money for roads and highways (including the Newberg/Dundee bypass and — probably — the Columbia River Crossing) but not much for other modes.
– Speaking of the CRC, Joe Cortwright has an op-ed in the Oregonian about how we don’t need it and can’t afford it, and the O’s editorial board has a piece calling for our political leaders to push it through quickly.
– We won’t have a new national transportation bill until fall — but the Senate just passed a $7 billion patch for the Highway Trust Fund to tide us over until then. Unfortunately, it lacks money for transit.
– Fully 17% of federal road stimulus money has been spent on widening roads rather than maintaining existing ones.
– The federal “Cash for Clunkers” new car subsidy ran out of money, but never fear, the U.S. House has already approved $2 billion more dollars (although the Senate might kill the extension when they vote on it tomorrow).
– The New York Times now has a one-stop go-to resource page for all its coverage of distracted driving issues. CNN has also weighed in — unsympathetically — on texting while driving. And finally on this topic, the prototypical cautionary tale has at last emerged.
– Sprawl just plain costs more than building up existing communities, find the Australians.
– Sound familiar? The Oregon Legislature this year passed a $5 annual permit fee for the use of boats like canoes, kayaks, and drift boats (i.e., “manually propelled” boats) on Oregon waters. Officials are at a loss as to how to enforce the fee, or how to get the word out about the new $20 fee for out of state visitors to use a motorboat.
– Fatigue is one of the most common causes of fatal collisions across all modes of transportation, according to new research by the National Transportation Safety Board.
– Portland lawyer and champion of bike rights Bob Mionske’s latest column deals with how to respond to road rage. His first rule: Don’t engage.
– In the aftermath of a horrifying car-bike crash in Ottawa, Canada, police held a major, across-the-board enforcement action. People ticketed while bicycling were apparently surprised to receive fines — citations ranged from $35 for sidewalk riding to $110 for not having a bell to $180 for running a red light (for the latter, the same fine applied to those in cars).
– Wired Magazine is the latest to pose the not entirely neutral question of whether or not bikes should be regulated and taxed in the same way as cars.
– A nice essay by Tom Vanderbilt discusses the evolution of ideas from “silly” to “obvious,” particularly in light of criticisms of NYC’s recent spate of transportation reforms.
– The BBC has an audio documentary on the “Anatomy of a Car Crash,” with both parties involved in an incident explaining how the crash changed their lives forever.
– Another strong case for bike sharing is made on Copenhagenize — taking a look at how the Vélib system has transformed Paris. Worldchanging also has an article about Paris, and how it is becoming a model green city.
– Bikes reign supreme, but Portland is apparently also the skateboard capitol of the world.
– Traveling photographer and bike activist Russ Roca and his partner Laura came to Portland this weekend and enthusiastically participated in that quintessential Portland bike event, a cross-town bike move. You can meet Russ and Laura tonight at our 6pm event at Roots Brewery.