Pick Your Road: The U.S. vs. Europe, by Bryan Caplan In the U.S., we have low gas taxes, low car taxes, few tolls, strict zoning that leads developers to provide lots of free parking, low speed limits, lots of traffic enforcement, and lots of congestion. In Europe (France and Germany … [Read more...]
World’s Most Impressive Subways
WIRED - Gallery: The World's Most Impressive Subways photo of DC Subway by flickr user JerryHayesAustin, although DC was not included in WIRED's gallery. … [Read more...]
Happy 125th, Chicago’s L
Stephen Smith at rationalitate picked up on a Wired article and posted Thomas Edison builds the first el: today is 125th anniversary of the debut of Thomas Edison's elevated electric railway demonstration in Chicago. The project was financed with $2 million in private funds, through the … [Read more...]
Mixed Incentives and the True Costs of Driving
From the Freakonomic Blog - Mixed Messages on Auto Use: We wrote not long ago about the various negative externalities produced by driving — congestion, pollution, accident risk, etc. — and how pay-as-you-drive insurance might help impose the true cost of driving on each driver. ... And here’s … [Read more...]
Market Incentives to Conserve Resources
The economics blog, Knowledge Problem on how prices effect individuals incentive to conserve: Conservation of resources: Prices change everything Steven Stoft, at the EU Energy Policy Blog, observes that market driven conservation is a slow process: Conservation is the main way consumers respond … [Read more...]
“Green” Parking Garage in Chicago. Oxymoron?
Developer, Al Friedman plans to build a "green" parking garage in Chicago's Streeterville neighborhood, where development has replaced many surface lots. (Crain's) Environmentally speaking, it's probably better than a surface lot and frees up more space for productive development. But, can the … [Read more...]
$12.8b Bid for PA Turnpike
From Toll Road News: With a bid of $12.8 billion an Abertis/Citi team has been selected as the concessionaire in a 75 year lease of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The bids were received in a second round of best-&-final offer bids last Friday (May 16). #2 bidder was Transurban/Goldman Sachs at … [Read more...]
The Great Depression and America’s Addiction to Government Roads and Oil
One of my favorite new blogs, Rationalitate brought up a topic that I have spent much time thinking about, The Great Depression and Public Roads: In a time before the widespread adoption of income and sales taxes, property taxes made up the lion's share of local government revenues: two-thirds of … [Read more...]