To alleviate road congestion, expand roads, provide alternatives or both?

In my last post I was pretty direct by suggesting, in effect, that American roadway infrastructure was heading in the wrong direction. As you know, roadways can only handle so many vehicles per given unit of time operating at a per given unit of speed. The proper term is “capacity.” Too little capacity and traffic flow becomes … Read more

Innovative approaches the answer to get transport to good state of repair?

With statements like: “Among all sectors, the transport sector is the only one in which emissions are continuing to increase in spite of all the technological advances. …The alarming performance of the transport sector is largely due to road traffic, which accounts for 73% of global transport emissions”1 “So far this year, 61 of America’s … Read more

Efforts to lower air emissions from marine vessels in Canadian waters laudable

It’s always heartening to learn when new measures are being implemented to reduce emissions. Such is the case with amendments in Canada to cut air pollution levels from vessels navigating Canadian waters. This is on top of other air-emissions-reduction actions already taken. “The amendments bring new requirements into force for vessels under Annex VI of … Read more

The ‘sprawl’ or ‘no sprawl’ choice is ours and change on the horizon?

First things, first. I would really like to know if there is such a thing as too much sprawl – suburban, exurban or otherwise? If the adage “everything in moderation” really rings true, then, yes, by definition, there could conceivably be too much sprawl. Question is: Has the sprawl demarcation line already been established though? … Read more

High-tech highways: Charging car batteries for life

If it were not for air pollution would there even be mass commercial production of the electric vehicle or EV? It is difficult to say. But being there is commercial mass EV production, there must also be charging infrastructure available with which to recharge vehicle batteries. Two conditions of batteries in EV applications is battery … Read more

High-tech highways: ‘Hands-free,’ ‘pavement-powered’ vehicle platforms?

In “CATS: ‘Contactless,’ energy-storage features give transit an edge,” I wrote: “First, with the creation of a ‘contactless,’ catenary-free system, not only is it now possible for electrical propulsion power to be provided to fixed-guideway transit networks minus the overhead electrical catenary infrastructure, but a system along these lines can also provide for a more … Read more

eMission control – Focus: Walkways

I have to wonder if walkways are all they’re cracked up to be. Lonely are sidewalks in my neighborhood. Comparatively speaking, they don’t see much action. Owing to this is that people walking can oftentimes be found strolling in the street. And even though sidewalks, which are in plain view and are made specifically for … Read more

Best reuse of abandoned freight rail corridors – public transit, anyone?

Back in Nov. 2012, I posted an editorial covering Fresno County’s first Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy workshop held on the 7th. The idea behind the workshop, as I understood it, was to present ideas on ways to reduce the area’s carbon footprint. Workshop participants worked in teams with an average 7 to 9 people … Read more