New Pedestrian Areas on Broadway

I got to visit this area over the weekend and it really is amazing! There are excellent bike paths full of riders, nice new planters that define the space, tons of chairs to relax in, people everywhere and best of all, a much safer and less chaotic walking experience because of all the traffic calming measures. The painted areas of the pavement send a clear message that tell the pedestrian it is "Okay to walk here" and tell the cars to "stay off!"

Virginia applying for $1.5bn in federal rail money

Highlights:

Virginia's proposed $1.51 billion plan includes $491 million improvements in a six-mile stretch around Richmond's Acca rail yard and a 13-mile link between the yard and Main Street Station in the city's downtown. The improvements are necessary to remove bottlenecks that limit rail service to the renovated station

Other parts of the proposal include:

* $185 million to add a third rail track between Richmond and Fredericksburg;

* $152 million to improve conventional rail service between Main Street Station and Petersburg; and

* $195 million to upgrade the rail corridor between Richmond and Washington, D.C., to allow high-speed trains that could cut the trip to 90 minutes on a reliable basis.

Read full story at the RT-D

Richmond in top half of fastest growing US cities

Good news! Richmond ranked 123 of 273 in a list of America's fastest growing cities with populations over 100,000. The US Census Bureau estimated 199,991 City residents in 2007, and 202,002 residents in 2008, a net addition of 2011 people or 1% population change.

Meanwhile, Virginia's Tidewater region registered net population losses in all its cities. Virginia Beach City ranked 250th. While still VA's largest, the city lost 1,258 people, or 0.3%. Newport News and Hampton cities ranked 264 and 265 respectively, with a 0.7% population decline each. Norfolk came in at 267 also with a 0.7 negative gain and Portsmouth rounded out the bottom of the list at 271 with a 1.3% population loss.

Northern Virginia cities posted positive population gains. Arlington ranked near the top of the list at 18, with a 3.0% population gain. Alexandria was close behind at number 20 with 2.9% growth.

See the data here:
Table 3: Estimate of Resident Population Change for Incorporated Places Over 100,000

And here is the Census Bureau's page of Population Estimates

Talking with DC's DOT Director

Upcoming Transit MEGAtrip!!

I'm going to New York City in a couple weeks and I just nailed down the final details of the trip, I'm really excited! So here's my planned route, from Richmond's Jackson Ward neighborhood, to Manhattan's Times Square:

*Walk to 1st and Broad streets for the #6 GRTC bus to Main St. Amtrak

*Amtrak #94 regional from Main St. to Union Station in DC

*Lunch at Union Station

*Metrorail Red line to Gallery Place/Chinatown

*Megabus from Chinatown to 28th St and 7th Ave Manhattan

*MTA 1 train from 28th St to 42nd St Times Square

*Walk through Times Square to John's Pizzeria 260 West 44th St for Josh's wedding rehearsal dinner!

Goals of H.R. 2724

This is what that "Transportation for America" banner to the right is about. Notice that electric rail transit would accomplish all of these goals (except increasing freight transport)
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From the Federation of state Public Interest Research Groups

The following goals, which are enumerated in the National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009, are critical benchmarks for future transportation policy:

1. Reduce per capita vehicle miles traveled by 16 percent.
2. Triple walking, biking, and public transportation usage.
3. Reduce transportation‐generated carbon dioxide level by 40 percent.
4. Reduce delay per capita by 10 percent.
5. Increase proportion of freight transportation provided by railroad and inter modal
services by 20 percent.
6. Achieve 0 percent population exposure to at‐risk levels of air pollution.
7. Improve public safety and lower congestion costs by reducing traffic crashes by 50
percent.
8. Increase share of major highways, regional transit fleets and facilities, and
bicycling/pedestrian infrastructure in good state of repair condition by 20 percent.
9. Reduce average household combined housing plus transportation costs by 25
percent, using 2000 as a base year.
10. Increase by 50 percent the number of essential destinations (work and non‐work)
accessible within 30 minutes by public transportation or 15 minutes by walking, for
low‐income, senior, and disabled populations.

America needs a new transportation future based on national priorities that enhances our economy, environment, and quality of life. We respectfully ask you to co‐sponsor the National Transportation Objectives Act of 2009.

United Streetcar 10T specs

The new variant of United Streetcar's 10 T series is the T4 model for hot climates. "The new model offers an increased cooling capacity, improved air distribution and a new and more efficient HVAC system. "

Among the vehicle options:

*MORE MODERN APPEARANCE
An improved appearance provides your city a modern looking vehicle and will give your community its own "signature streetcar".

*HOT CLIMATE PACKAGE
We offer an increased insulation package to be used in cities with hot climate conditions. This package provides solar reflective glass, additional/improved insulation, higher capacity HVAC systems with improved air distribution systems and additional cooling capacity.

Check out all the specs at United Streetcar's site