Transit
Streetsblog Basics
This Could Be the Biggest Year Ever for Transit at the Ballot Box
Next month, 19 transit-related measures will come before voters. If the rest of this year is any guide, 16 of them will pass.
October 10, 2012
NYC Residents Who Drive to Work: Homeowners, Government Employees
The Census has released a new set of data that helps shed some light on how New Yorkers get to work. Nationally, the percentage of workers driving to work alone edged down, while transit made a tiny gain. New York City saw the same pattern, with carpooling also showing a slight drop.
September 26, 2012
What Would Happen If Washington Cuts Transpo Funding 35 Percent?
The Republicans have retreated from their insistence on cutting transportation spending by 35 percent to match Highway Trust Fund revenues -- for now. But the problem is far from solved. As a reminder of the dangers such a policy presents, the Bipartisan Policy Center and the Eno Center for Transportation put out a new report yesterday on the potential consequences of a 35 percent cut in transportation spending.
September 14, 2012
Is This the Best Transit Ad Ever?
The idea of investing in transit is popular with Americans, even among those who don't depend on it. But trains and buses, buses in particular, have always had an image problem. U.S. transit providers could take a cue from this Danish ad, which makes light of the mundane nature of bus travel (free handles!) in a way that actually makes transit look "cool." Turn on the captions for the full effect.
September 14, 2012
NRDC Poll: Americans Support New Transit Twice as Much as New Roads
When asked what would solve traffic problems in their community, 42 percent of Americans say more transit. Only 20 percent say more roads. And 21 percent would like to see communities developed that don’t require so much driving. Two-thirds support local planning that guides new development into existing cities and near public transportation.
September 12, 2012
MTA Wants to Take Payroll Tax Ruling Straight to State’s Top Court
On Wednesday, a state Supreme Court judge ruled the Payroll Mobility Tax unconstitutional, saying that because the "budgetary crisis of the MTA is not a substantial state concern," the law required a home rule message from the affected counties. Now, the MTA says it will appeal directly to New York's top court.
August 24, 2012
The MTA Payroll Tax Ruling: What’s Next?
Saying that the “budgetary crisis of the MTA is not a substantial state concern," a state Supreme Court judge ruled yesterday that the MTA Payroll Mobility Tax is unconstitutional. Although taxes will continue to be collected as the MTA appeals the case to a higher court, yesterday’s decision puts $1.5 billion, or approximately 12 percent of the MTA’s annual budget, at risk.
August 23, 2012
2011 DOT Scorecard: More Jobs, More Subway Riders, Traffic Stays Flat
While the number of employed New Yorkers has recovered from the lows of the recession, motor vehicle traffic in the city remained flat last year, with increased demand for travel being met by the city’s increasingly stretched subways, according to NYC DOT’s annual Sustainable Streets Index update.
August 21, 2012
Multi-Modal Summer Reading
Summer gives permission to set aside serious reading for the refreshment of fluffier stuff. This year, though, several meaningful books on transportation are out that you might want to tuck into your beach bag. Each is that rare thing: a should-read that’s also a want-to-read.
August 10, 2012
Atlanta Beltline Staff: “We Still Have a Project to Build”
The Atlanta Beltline project isn't going away. Project staff want to make that clear. Sure, last week, Atlanta turned down -- by a wide margin -- a major transportation spending package that would have awarded $600 million to the Beltline project. But this project -- an innovative transit and trails corridor that will circle Atlanta's central city -- has seen big setbacks before, says Ethan Davidson, the Beltline's spokesman.
August 6, 2012