- Shall we walk or do we have time to take the bus?
That may become just a hoary joke if the New York DOT (Dept of [Car] Transportation) proposal for our city becomes a reality.
Not a term that flows trippingly off the lips, Bus Rapid transit (BRT) is actually a complex methodology to improve transit at a cost considerably less than building tramways, light rail or subways. It premises that there is a lane dedicated to buses (and many times, taxis and (gasp!) cyclists) which bypass the normal congested traffic lanes. Signals would be set so the bus lane vehicles have priority.
Sketches from StreetsBlog show the types of "stations" proposed by the DOT (not the elegant station shown at right.)
Used in many countries, ours falls considerably short of advanced BRT systems in cities like Curitaba, Brazil, or Beijing, China. The differences? Chiefly, the speedup that can be achieved is dependent on a) fast loading and unloading (prepaid/free passes) and b) dedicated bus lanes. Neither of which apply to the DOT proposal--but it's a start.
One hopes that the cynical commentator who suggests the the DOT is deliberately doing too little so that the BRT experiment fails, and they can get back to their first love- moving cars around as fast as possible- is wrong.
A good set of articles on BRT is here.
- The British are Coming! The British are Coming!
So we're outsourcing everything from telemarketing to recycling to MRI scanning to perusal of law briefs. Now there's the danger of in-sourcing sustainable building consultancy?
Apparently the Brits (like most European countries) are way ahead of these United States of America when it comes to "Green" or energy-conscious building, and UKTI (the government organization promoting international trade) chief executive Andrew Cahn is quick to spot a business opportunity when he see one. They estimate the US market for green building is $20 billion and growing, and they want a share of it.
"The [UK} Government has urged the UK's green architects and engineers to cash in on the opportunities offered by the thriving American sustainable construction market.
The US has the biggest construction market in the world, accounting for 25% of total global demand, with green construction taking an increasing important role."
Paul, please call home. More here.
- Habitat for Humanity to the Forefront
Using recycled products, lower emission paints and materiels, soy-based insulation and wall covering that does not exude formaldehydes, Habitat for Humanity is building greener homes. If this not-for-profit organization, using donated labor, can do this, why can't we all? Story here.
"The idea for this project was presented to HHGC by Dr. Dan Abel, a professor at Coastal Carolina University (CCU). After receiving a grant for this CCU Sustainability Initiative, he decided to ask for help on the project from this local Christian-based organization which is 'already one of the greenest builders around because they use recycled materials, they build small and they don’t waste.' '[The idea is] to build a house as if people and the environment both matter,' Abel said. “Most houses are not built with that in mind and normal household building materials and furniture give off chemicals that are not good for people to breathe.'"
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