Transportation Policy
Portland Elects Cyclist Mayor; Obama Draws 8,000 on Bikes
On Tuesday, voters in Portland, Oregon elected Sam Adams as their next mayor. A former Congressional staffer and current Portland city commissioner, Adams -- who is a cyclist -- ran on a platform that emphasized environmental and progressive growth initiatives, including, in the words of the Oregonian, "use [of] the
Portland Streetcar and better planning to spur urban
renewal." Adams received strong support from the livable streets community, which helped earn him a 52-34 percent margin of victory.
May 22, 2008
Q Poll Finds Americans Opposed to Gas Tax “Holiday”
For what it's worth, a Quinnipiac poll released today again shows that Americans aren't buying into the Clinton-McCain gas tax "holiday" gimmick.
May 15, 2008
Northern Virginia Locked In to Congested Roads
Suburbanites in northern Virginia are finding their streets more clogged with traffic than ever, and, as the Washington Post reported earlier this week, they aren't about to get bailed out by road-widening projects. Here's the crux of the problem, told from the Post reporter's decidedly windshield perspective:
May 9, 2008
Delaware Senator Dares to Utter the Word “Transit”
Even as the price of gas turns into a hot-button campaign issue, the presidential candidates are studiously avoiding the "T" word -- transit -- for the most part.
May 7, 2008
Clinton Camp May Rethink Gas Tax Strategy
With a big loss in North Carolina and a razor-thin victory in Indiana, the Times reports that Senator Hillary Clinton's advisers are expected to reconsider her campaign strategy for upcoming Democratic primaries -- specifically, whether to continue pushing for a federal gas tax cut.
May 7, 2008
Sign a Petition to Clinton and McCain at GasTaxScam.com
Man, those Nigerian spammers are getting better every day. Here is a curious piece of e-mail that landed in the Streetsblog inbox today. If you click the link at the bottom of the e-mail and visit this web site GasTaxScam.com, you'll find an open letter to Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain that you can sign on to.
May 5, 2008
How Much Would You Actually Save With a Gas Tax “Holiday”?
Drivers depend on gas tax revenue almost as much as they depend on gas.
May 2, 2008
Obama Dismisses Gas Tax “Gimmick”
With primaries in North Carolina and Indiana less than a week out, Barack Obama seems to have taken Streetsbloggers' advice with this ad explaining why a suspension of the federal gas tax, as called for by Hillary Clinton and John McCain (among others), is a sham. It's a masterful spot: the swelling orchestral score, the shots of everyday North Carolinians nodding in agreement as the candidate links the lie of the "short-term quick fix" gimmick to the need for fundamental change in Washington.
May 1, 2008
Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton: Where Is the Leadership?
Joining Hillary Clinton in the push to reduce the federal gas tax is fellow New York Senator Chuck Schumer, who has railed about gas prices at least since they "soared" to $1.59 per gallon.
April 30, 2008