A critical look at the political economy of urban bicycle infrastructure in the United States Not long ago, bicycling in the city was considered a radical statement or a last resort, and few cyclists braved the inhospitable streets of most American cities. Today, however, the urban cyclist represents progress and the urban "renaissance." City leaders now undertake ambitious new bicycle infrastructure plans and bike share schemes to promote the environmental, social, and economic health of the city and its residents. Cyclescapes of the Unequal City contextualizes and critically examines this new wave of bicycling in American cities, exploring how bicycle infrastructure planning has become a key symbol of-and site of conflict over-uneven urban development. John G. Stehlin traces bicycling's rise in popularity as a key policy solution for American cities facing the environmental, economic, and social contradictions of the previous century of sprawl. Using in-depth case studies from San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Detroit, he argues that the mission of bicycle advocacy has converged with, and reshaped, the urban growth machine around a model of livable, environmentally friendly, and innovation-based urban capitalism. While advocates envision a more sustainable city for all, the deployment of bicycle infrastructure within the framework of the neoliberal city in many ways intensifies divisions along lines of race, class, and space. Cyclescapes of the Unequal City speaks to a growing interest in bicycling as an urban economic and environmental strategy, its role in the politics of gentrification, and efforts to build more diverse coalitions of bicycle advocates. Grounding its analysis in both regional political economy and neighborhood-based ethnography, this book ultimately uses the bicycle as a lens to view major shifts in today's American city.

How does public transport work in an African city under neoliberalism? Who owns what in it? Who has the power to influence its shape and changes in it over time? What does it mean to be a precarious and informal worker in the private minibuses that provide public transport in Dar es Salaam? These are the main questions that inform this in-depth case study of Dar es Salaam's public transport system over more than forty years. The growth of cities and informal economies are two central manifestations of globalization in the developing world. Taken for a Ride addresses both, drawing on long-term fieldwork in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and charting its public transport system's journey from public to private provision. This new addition to the Critical Frontiers of Theory, Research and Practice in International Development Studies series investigates this shift alongside the increasing deregulation of the sector and the resulting chaotic modality of public transport. It reviews state attempts to regain control over public transport and documents how informal wage relations prevailed in the sector. The changing political attitude of workers towards employers and the state is investigated: from an initial incapacity to respond to exploitation, to the political organisation and unionisation which won workers concessions on labour rights. A longitudinal study of workers throws light on patterns of occupational mobility in the sector, and the political and economic interests that shaped the introduction of Bus Rapid Transit in Dar es Salaam, and local resistance to it are analysed. Taken for a Ride reveals the political economy of public transport, exposing the limitations of market fundamentalist and post-colonial scholarship on economic informality, the urban experience in developing countries, and the failure to locate the agency of the urban poor within their economic and political structures. It is both a contribution and a call for the contextualised study of 'actually existing neoliberalism'.

Policymakers at all levels of government are debating a wide range of options for addressing the nation's faltering economic conditions. One option that is once again receiving attention is accelerated investments in the nation's public infrastructure - that is, highways, mass transit, airports, water supply and wastewater, and other facilities - in order to create jobs while also promoting long-term economic growth. This book examines policy issues associated with using infrastructure as a mechanism to benefit economic recovery. Discussed are airline fees; factors which influence the extent of transit-oriented development; current law and legislative history of the federal excise tax on motor fuels and the highway trust fund; long-term financing of the highway trust fund; the Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) Program; vehicle safety inspections; and seat belt use among long-haul truck drivers.

The number of bicyclists is increasing in the United States, especially among the working class and people of color. In contrast to the demographics of bicyclists in the United States, advocacy for bicycling has focused mainly on the interests of white upwardly mobile bicyclists, leading to neighborhood conflicts and accusations of racist planning. In Bike Lanes Are White Lanes scholar Melody L. Hoffmann argues that the bicycle has varied cultural meaning as a “rolling signifier.� That is, the bicycle’s meaning changes in different spaces, with different people, and in different cultures. The rolling signification of the bicycle contributes to building community, influences gentrifying urban planning, and upholds systemic race and class barriers. In this study of three prominent U.S. cities—Milwaukee, Portland, and Minneapolis—Hoffmann examines how the burgeoning popularity of urban bicycling is trailed by systemic issues of racism, classism, and displacement. From a pro-cycling perspective, Bike Lanes Are White Lanes highlights many problematic aspects of urban bicycling culture and its advocacy as well as positive examples of people trying earnestly to bring their community together through bicycling.     

This book looks at one of the most serious types of highway accidentscollisions involving vehicles traveling the wrong way on high-speed divided highways. The goal of this investigative project is to identify relevant safety recommendations to prevent wrong-way collisions on such highways and access ramps. The investigations included in the book take a focused view of the driver and highway issues affecting wrong-way collisions. The book addresses the following safety issues concerning wrong-way driving: driver impairment, primarily from alcohol use, with consideration of older driver issues and possible drug involvement; the need to establish, through traffic control devices and highway design, distinctly different views for motorists approaching entrance and exit ramps; monitoring and intervention programs for wrong-way collisions; and in-vehicle driver support systems.

Policymakers at all levels of government are debating a wide range of options for addressing the nation's faltering economic conditions. One option that is once again receiving attention is accelerated investments in the nation's public infrastructure -- that is, highways, mass transit, airports, water supply and wastewater, and other facilities -- in order to create jobs while also promoting long-term economic growth. This book examines policy issues associated with using infrastructure as a mechanism to benefit economic recovery. Discussed are state-level driver data and the effect of look-back periods on recidivism prevalence; restraint use and minimum drinking age laws; electronic stability control; mobile device use while driving; the impact of fuel price increases on the aviation industry; aviation safety; and the assessment of potential mariner-training needs.

Almost all commercial service airports in the United States are owned by local and state governments, or by public entities such as airport authorities or multipurpose port authorities. In 1996, Congress established the Airport Privatization Pilot Program (APPP) to explore the prospect of privatising publicly owned airports and using private capital to improve and develop them. In addition to reducing demand for government funds, privatisation has been promoted as a way to make airports more efficient and financially viable. Privatisation refers to the shifting of governmental functions, responsibilities, and sometimes ownership, in whole or in part, to the private sector. With respect to airports, "privatisation" can take many forms up to and including the transfer of an entire airport to private operation and/or ownership. This book examines the issues and options for Congress with airport privatisation. It describes the experience with the APPP; examines the challenges airport owners and investors face to full airport privatisation; describes the potential effects of airport privatisation; and, discusses reasons why airport privatisation is more prevalent outside of the U.S. and stakeholder views on the APPP.

As the U.S. population ages, access to safe and reliable transportation alternatives is critical to helping older adults remain in their homes as long as possible. HHS, DOT, VA, and other federal agencies may provide funds to state and local entities to help older adults access transportation. This book examines the federal programs that provide funding for transportation services for older adults and the extent to which the programs that fund these services are coordinated; and how state and local transportation agencies and aging network organisations in selected states coordinate transportation for older adults and the challenges they face in coordinating or providing these services. The book also addresses the federal programs that provide funding for NEMT services; how federal agencies are coordinating NEMT services; and how NEMT services are coordinated at the state and local levels and the challenges to coordination.

The population of adults 65 and older is the fastest growing demographic in the United States. It is estimated that by 2030, drivers over 65 will represent a quarter of total driver fatalities. When comparing the crash rates per mile driven of various age groups, the data resemble a U-shaped curve. Young drivers have the highest crash rate, which drops as drivers leave their teens. After age 25, the crash rate remains low until around age 70 when it begins to increase again. This U-shaped trend on crashes per mile driven has been found in many studies in many countries. Given the increase in crash rates around age 70, there should be a significant safety benefit in identifying potential problem older drivers before they are involved in a serious crash. The driver licensing process is one potential point for an intervention. This book discusses the examinations of licensing procedures and driver skills evaluation in relation to older drivers.

In "Creating Green Roads", James and Matthew Sipes demonstrate that roads don't have to be the enemy of sustainability: they can be designed to minimally impact the environment while improving quality of life. The authors examine traditional, utilitarian methods of transportation planning that have resulted in a host of negative impacts: from urban sprawl and congestion to loss of community identity and excess air and water pollution. They offer a better approach - one that blends form and function. Through case studies and photos from around the country, "Creating Green Roads" provides an examination of all aspects of green roads, from transportation policy to the basics of road design, public involvement, road ecology, and the economics of sustainable roads. This comprehensive guide offers a practical strategy for rethinking how we design, plan, and maintain our transportation infrastructure.

This book examines the funding of roads and highways in Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England and Wales, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, South Africa, and Sweden. It provides a description of the infrastructure in the jurisdiction, information on the ownership and responsibility of the roads, and taxes or other ways of collecting money to fund the nation's infrastructure. By revealing a multiplicity of approaches to the funding of road infrastructure, the report provides an opportunity to determine whether lessons can be learned from the experiences of other countries in funding roads and highways.

Local road practitioners across the country play a critical role in addressing crash risks at the local level and may be able to identify the specific or unique conditions that contribute to crashes within their jurisdictions. The Local Road Safety Plan (LRSP) offers a foundation for consensus and focus. It defines key emphasis areas and strategies that impact local rural roads and provides a framework to accomplish safety enhancements at the local level. The LRSP helps communities take a proactive stance in reducing and preventing local road fatalities and injuries. This book guides the development of an LRSP. It provides information to local practitioners about identifying stakeholders and partnerships needed to build support, tools to analyse data, and resources to identify safety issues and select safety strategies.

Vehicles carrying objects that are not properly secured pose a safety risk on our nation's roadways. Debris that falls from a vehicle can collide with other vehicles or pedestrians, causing serious injuries or fatalities. According to data collected by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), there were about 440 fatalities caused by roadway debris in 2010. However, the exact number of incidents resulting from vehicles carrying unsecured loads is unknown. This book examines NHTSA's data collection efforts as well as states' laws related to unsecured loads. It also discusses the extent that Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) data reliably identify wetline safety risks; options for addressing wetline safety risks, and how well PHMSA has assessed the costs and benefits of addressing these risks through regulation.

Entering the 21st century, the Nation's transportation system has matured; it only expands its infrastructure by a fraction of a percentage each year. However, congestion continues to grow at an alarming rate, adversely impacting our quality of life and increasing the potential for accidents and long delays. These are expected to escalate, calling for transportation professionals to increase the productivity of existing transportation systems through the use of operational improvements. In order to assess the potential effectiveness of a particular strategy, it must be analyzed using traffic analysis tools or methodologies. The objective of this book is to assist traffic engineers, planners, and traffic operations professionals in the selection of the correct type of traffic analysis tool for operational improvements.

Policy-makers at all levels of government are debating a wide range of options for addressing the nation's faltering economic conditions. One option that is once again receiving attention is accelerated investments in the nation's public infrastructure - that is, highways, mass transit, airports, water supply and wastewater, and other facilities -- in order to create jobs while also promoting long-term economic growth. This book examines policy issues associated with using infrastructure as a mechanism to benefit economic recovery. Discussed are airline passenger rights and the federal role in aviation consumer protection; an overview of the federal public transportation program; improved guidance in federal-aid highways which could enhance the states's use of life-cycle cost analysis in pavement selection; passenger rail security and consistent incident reporting and analysis to achieve program objectives; and the TSA explosives detection canine program.

This book examines the competitiveness of Mexican and Canadian ports with U.S. West Coast ports; discusses the history and the theories of cargo diversion and of the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT); reviews ocean freight rates, transit times and rail charges; and examines other potential relevant factors influencing the movement of cargo.

Grid electrified vehicles or plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) are gaining attention world-wide as a potential low carbon technology. Because it is still an immature technology on the market, there is limited knowledge about the control strategy design; the environmental life cycle rating; the business model behind electricity charging'; charging behaviour's interaction with local electricity grid voltage drop, under dumb or smart grid scenarios; and the monitoring apparatus needed to acquire real data on daily usage of these technologies. This book aims to provide insight into these PEV issues.

Policymakers at all levels of government are debating a wide range of options for addressing the nation's faltering economic conditions. One option that is once again receiving attention is accelerated investments in the nation's public infrastructure - that is, highways, mass transit, airports, water supply and wastewater, and other facilities - in order to create jobs while also promoting long-term economic growth. This book discusses policy issues associated with using infrastructure as a mechanism to benefit economic recovery. Discussed are the Federal-Aid Highway Program (FAHP); surface transportation funding and programs under MAP-21; federal-aid highway assistance for disaster-damaged roads and bridges; earthquake risk and U.S. highway infrastructure; information on materials and practices for improving highway pavement performance; federal freight policy; Positive Train Control (PTC); Essential Air Service (EAS); the changing tide of U.S.-international container trade; and containerships that carry inventory for U.S. retailers.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) provides about $40 billion to the states annually to build and maintain highways and bridges through the federal-aid highway program. This book describes the process and factors that could affect highway project time frames; examines state DOTs' views on the benefits and challenges of the provisions to expedite highway projects established in SAFETEA-LU and describes additional initiatives that state DOTs and FHWA have implemented to expedite the completion of highway projects.

The National Weather Service (NWS) plays a significant role in providing weather services to the aviation community. NWS's weather products and data are vital components of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) air traffic control system, providing weather information to local, regional, and national air traffic management, navigation, and surveillance systems. NWS aviation weather products include forecasts and warnings of meteorological conditions that could affect air traffic, including thunderstorms, air turbulence, and icing. This book examines options for enhancing the efficiency of aviation weather services provided at en-route centres, with a focus on meteorological services and winter safety.

Finding cost-effective options to mitigate recurrent and non-recurrent congestion on freeway facilities is one of the most significant challenges State and regional transportation organisations face. Several countries are implementing managed motorway concepts to move higher traffic volumes on their highways more efficiently without acquiring more land and constructing large-scale infrastructure projects. This book explores managed motorway concepts and traffic optimisation technologies being implemented in Europe and Singapore.

The federal government collect revenues from taxes paid by highway users, mostly from those levied on gasoline and diesel fuel, and credits them to the Highway Trust Fund. Those revenues and others are subsequently used for federal spending on highways and transit. In fiscal year 2010, the trust fund's revenues totalled about $35 billion. Some policymakers and transportation analysts have expressed interest in developing new sources of funding. This book analyses the effects of alternative approaches to funding highways and compares the effects of current fuel taxes and of possible new taxes on the number of miles highway users drive.

Since the early 1980s, the periodic debate over the reauthorization of federal surface transportation programs has been primarily about money and its distribution. In each of the five reauthorizations that took place during that period, the federal fuel taxes and other sources of revenue dedicated to the highway trust were reliably providing the various surface transportation programs with more money year after year. In 2009, this was not the case. For the first time in decades, driving declined significantly, with a concomitant decrease in fuel tax revenues. Going forward the program cannot count on new money from the familiar sources. The law authorising federal surface transportation programs expired at the end of 2009, but Congress has failed to enact a new authorisation. This book examines the surface transportation program reauthorization issues for the 112th Congress; funding and finance; the Donor-Donee State issue of funding equity and federalism issues in surface transportation policy.

Substantial federal assistance allowed GM and Chrysler to restructure their costs and improve their financial condition. Through federally-funded restructuring, GM and Chrysler reported lowering production costs and capacities by closing or idling factories, laying off employees, and reducing their debt and number of vehicle brands and models. These changes enabled both companies to report operating profits and reduce costs enough to be profitable at much lower sales levels than ever before. Nevertheless, to remain profitable, both companies must manage challenges affecting both their costs, including debt levels, and vehicle demand, such as launching products that are attractive to consumers amid rising fuel prices. This book examines the role of TARP assistance in the restructuring of the U.S. motor vehicle industry with a focus on unwinding the government stake in GMAC and Chrysler.

This book examines greenhouse gas (GHG) emission levels and trends from the transportation sector and analyses the full range of strategies available to reduce these emissions. These strategies include introducing low-carbon fuels, increasing vehicle fuel economy, improving transportation system efficiency, and reducing carbon-intensive travel activity. Policy options for implementing these strategies are also discussed, including an economy-wide price signal; efficiency standards; market incentives; transportation planning and funding programs and research and development.