Partnersip for Sustainable Communities

Here's a site dedicated to the Partnership for Sustainable Communities between government agencies HUD, DOT, and EPA.  One of the goals of this partnership for 2011 is dedicate itself to the "connection between sustainable communities, job creation, econmomic growth, and redevelopment"- and viable transit options in a community are key ingredients to accomplish this connection.  Check out what the President had to say about it:

"By working together, [HUD, DOT, and EPA] can make sure that when it comes to development—housing, transportation, energy efficiency—these things aren’t mutually exclusive; they go hand in hand. And that means making sure that affordable housing exists in close proximity to jobs and transportation. That means encouraging shorter travel times and lower travel costs. It means safer, greener, more livable communities. "
–President Barack Obama

http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov/index.html

Denver transit agency sees strong demand for disability passes

RTD has seen large increases in each of the past three years in riders applying for half-price transit passes due to medical disabilities. The total number of discount cards is up, in part, because social-service agencies in the area "have become more aggressive at getting their clients in our program," said Joe Berdaus, RTD's senior manager of customer information.

The Regional Transportation District offers Special Discount Cards to people with disabilities if they show proof of eligibility, including a Medicare card, Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income documentation, or a Veterans Administration letter certifying the applicant has at least a 50 percent disability.

Applicants also can submit a form signed by a health-care provider verifying a disability, which can include blindness, hearing impairment, ambulatory problems, epilepsy, mental retardation or mental illness.
"We have a strict documentation requirement to be sure you qualify for the program," Berdaus said, adding that the increase in the issuance of cards also has tied in with the decline in the economy.

In 2004, RTD issued 1,393 new Special Discount Cards and roughly the same number in 2005. In 2006 and 2007, new issues declined to 1,269 and 1,217, respectively.  Then, in 2008, the number of new cards issued jumped 28 percent from the previous year, followed by an increase in 2009 of about 22 percent and another jump of 35 percent, to 2,569 new cards issued, in 2010.  In January of this year, RTD issued 49.7 percent more discount disability cards than in the same month of 2010.

While the number of people in Colorado's medical-marijuana registry has boomed in recent years — from 4,720 in 2008 to 88,920 last year — RTD officials said registry cards do not satisfy eligibility requirements for the transit discount program.


>>Read more: Denver transit agency sees strong demand for disability passes - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_18168480#ixzz1UZ8hJfcL
Article by:

By Jeffrey Leib
The Denver Post

Posted: 05/30/2011 01:00:00 AM MDT

Washington Metro MLK Service Change Hours

Metrorail will open two hours early – at 5 a.m., operate enhanced service on all lines, suspend track work and offer free parking at all stations as part of Metro’s effort to accommodate customers attending the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial dedication on Sunday, Aug. 28.

“We are looking forward to welcoming thousands of guests aboard Metro for this historic event,” said Richard Sarles, Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer.

To avoid lines, customers are strongly encouraged to purchase a farecard or one-day pass prior to traveling. If using SmarTrip®, be sure there is sufficient value on the card to complete your round trip.

For a limited time, customers can purchase a special commemorative one-day pass featuring an image of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. The $9 pass allows for unlimited travel on the day it is used (subject to the same conditions as a standard Metro one-day pass). Customers can purchase the commemorative pass online, at Metro sales offices and regional transit stores.

>> For more information, visit http://www.wmata.com/about_metro/news/PressReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=4995

Largest City in U.S. Without Transit Expected to End Bus Service Test

In the widespread landscape of Texas' second largest metroplex, Dallas and Fort Worth have their own respective transit systems that even connect by way of the TRE (Trinity Railway Express), a passenger commuter rail service.  However the largest city between both of these metropolitan hubs, Arlington (which also happens to be the new home of the Dallas Cowboys who are hoping to host another Super Bowl in the near future) has not been committed to putting a permanent transit system into place.  In recent news, Arlington is discontinuing it's "experiment" with bus service that's provided an Express bus route from Arlington to downtown Fort Worth which has been offered through Fort Worth's transit system, The T.  Should the largest city in the U.S. without transit stay that way or is it ready for public transportation? 

http://blogs.star-telegram.com/honkin_mad/2011/08/arlington-texas-will-end-its-3-year-test-of-bus-service-to-fort-worth-citing-low-ridership-and-will-.html

METRO Solution History

In development since 2001, METRO Solutions is a comprehensive transit system plan to help solve the Greater Houston region's traffic congestion and air quality problems. The plan was crafted with extensive input from the public, METRO's regional transportation partners and mobility experts nationwide. The plan was adopted by the METRO Board of Directors in July 2003 and approved by voters in November 2003.

The plan calls for major multimodal transit improvements across the region and extends through 2014 the General Mobility Program, which sets aside one-quarter of METRO's one cent sales tax revenue for mobility projects in Harris County, the City of Houston and the Multi-Cities. In addition, voters granted METRO the authority to issue up to $640 million in bonds to fund the next phase of projects.

In June 2005, METRO announced its $2 billion Phase 2 Implementation Plan to provide more rapid transit for the Houston region in less time than originally proposed under METRO Solutions. Key components of the Implementation Plan include:

• Nearly 30 miles of Light Rail Transit - In the North, East End, Southeast, Uptown and University Lines;
• 28 Miles of Commuter Rail Transit (CRT) - along U.S. 290 from Cypress Park & Ride and along U.S. 90A from Missouri City to Fannin South Park & Ride/Rail Station;
• 40 Miles of Signature Bus Service/Suburban Bus Rapid Transit - Southeast Transit Center to Texas Medical Center, Uptown to U.S. 90A CRT line, Gessner and Texas 249/Tidwell;
• 10 New Transit Facilities - Intermodal Facilities serving different transit modes (Commuter Rail, Light Rail, buses, etc.), Transit Centers and Park & Ride lots; and
• HOV/HOT Conversion - modify one-way, reversible High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes to two-way High Occupancy Toll (HOT) lanes.

Learn more about the scope of METRO Solutions program.

As Hybrid Buses Get Cheaper, Cities Fill Their Fleets

IF you wonder whether hybrid-electric vehicles will ever catch on, simply ask one of the millions of people who ride in them every day.

Hybrid-electric buses, that is.

Transit systems from New York to Taipei, and from Ames, Iowa, to Ann Arbor, Mich., are adding hybrid buses at a rapid clip. New York, by far, has the nation’s biggest fleet of hybrid buses, which run on electricity and diesel fuel, with nearly 1,000 in all five boroughs, most in Manhattan.

Although the initial cost is well above that of a conventional diesel-powered bus, hybrid buses emit less pollution and get far better fuel economy. They are quieter than old-style buses, and their ride is generally more comfortable (not accounting for the condition of city streets). Like the hybrid taxis that have become a common sight in New York, hybrid buses arrived during the last decade.

Transit officials faced pressure in the mid-1990s to clean up their bus fleet, which was a major contributor to air pollution on city streets. “We were looking at what to do to reduce bus emissions as quickly as possible that didn’t have a major cost,” said Joseph J. Smith, senior vice president for the department of buses for the MTA New York Transit Authority.

>>To read the rest of this article, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/22/automobiles/autospecial2/22BUS.html

FTA Approves Dallas Streetcar Project

Good news!  Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority reported on July 26, 2011 that :

The Dallas-to-Oak Cliff Streetcar project may proceed toward construction after the project received environmental clearance this week with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issuance of a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) on July 21. The decision means local, state and federal agencies concluded the project will not adversely affect the environment.

"In addition to creating much-needed jobs for workers in Dallas, this proposed streetcar line will advance economic growth in downtown neighborhoods by linking them with major employment centers throughout the region," said Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff.

The FTA announcement means the project moves toward final design and construction. DART will soon seek a design/build contractor and begin purchasing streetcar vehicles.

The project will provide a much-needed link between the downtown core and North Oak Cliff via the Houston Street Viaduct over the Trinity River and offer easy connection to other transit options at Union Station. Increased transportation options and connectivity mean enhanced access to employment, education and entertainment centers.
>>To read the rest of this article, visit http://www.dart.org/news/news.asp?ID=966