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Tucked into the testimony of Amtrak President Joesph Boardman at last week’s Senate hearing on the future of the Northeast Corridor is this graphic demonstrating the number of daily train movements by operator at different locations along the spine of the Northeast Corridor:
One interesting thing to note is the difference in the volume Continue reading Capacity on the Northeast Corridor Mush on my windowsill. I’m sitting in DC, looking out a window at a mushy, mostly liquid ‘snow’ storm named after an obscure federal budgetary procedure. There’s a joke in there somewhere about failing to meet the hype. But instead, I’ll offer some links to articles of interest over the past few weeks. Regulatory challenges. Slate blogger Continue reading ‘Snow’ links: finding the right level of regulation Manhattan. CC image from sakeeb. Breaking news! Last week, the New York Times reported that it is expensive to live in Manhattan. The Times frames the question through the lens of the middle class, asking what the definition means in the context of they city’s densest borough. In a city like New York, where everything is Continue reading Middle class in Manhattan? CC image from sparktography. In the DC urbanist blogosphere (or, David Alpert across multiple platforms), ‘choice’ is all the rage these days. GGW writes about DC Planning Director Harriet Tregoning being “pro-choice” on transportation; Alpert in the Post writing about housing choices and transportation options; and Alpert again talking about zoning and parking requirements on News Continue reading Choice architecture and behavior change Surface parking in Minneapolis. CC image from Zach K. Writing in MinnPost, Marlys Harris asks why (seemingly) nothing is getting done in Minneapolis. She comes up with three broad reasons: a negative attitude towards new development, economic justifications that don’t pencil out for new projects, and the impact of zoning and land use regulations – Continue reading Parking requirements and unintended consequences Zoning notice from Burlington, VT – CC image from Don Shall The ‘right’ density: In the process of putting this post together, I missed Ryan Avent’s piece in The Economist, mentioning some of the broader consequences of land use regulation constraints. It’s a great summary of some of the key issues regarding density, constraints to growth, Continue reading Density links – process and constraints CC image from Rob Swatski Some illustrative links from the world of rail transportation: From Reason and Rail: Why the freight railroads will never electrify. This is the problem which freight electrification faces. While electrification would represent a lessening in fuel expenses, especially as the price of oil is expected to rise another 20-30% over the long-term, Continue reading Rail transport links – carry that weight House for rent. CC image from Sean Dreilinger Foreclosed sprawl – the next frontier of renting? The New York Times looks at the practice of firms buying up foreclosed, cookie cutter sprawl housing at relatively low prices with the idea of renting these houses out to tenants. As an inspector for the Waypoint Real Estate Group, Continue reading Links: The new American Dream CC image from Jaybird A few more thoughts (and links) to discussion from The Rent is Too Damn High. On rent control: Mike Konzcal (linking to JW Mason) notes how Yglesias’ book is more or less an endorsement of renting, yet rent control and similar sorts of tenant protections are part of what helps give renters Continue reading The rent is still too damn high I just finished a nice, quick read of Matt Yglesias’ new e-book The Rent is too Damn High. Following in the same vein as Ryan Avent’s The Gated City, Yglesias documents the perverse economic impacts of development regulations and restrictions on urban areas. Though not as well sourced and without the in-depth discussion of Avent’s Continue reading The rent is too damn high |
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