Had enough yet? It's not just user-error, the system doesn't work. Does. Not. Work.

photo from facebook

NY Daily News: "A newly married man was struck and killed by three vehicles Saturday night while helping a stranded motorist on the side of the road — about 7 hours after his wedding."

"Driving boom is over" in US

Report: Cities Should Make Public Transit, Biking A Priority | St. Louis Public Radio: "Alec Sprague with the Missouri Public Interest Research Group couldn't explain the reasons behind the changes in transportation habits. But he says the country needs to shift away from car-centric city planning.

“Policy makers need to wake up and realize that the driving boom is over,” Sprague said. "Based on these national and local trends we should be investing in public transit and biking for the future.”"

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Tea Party is a creation of the oil industry which lives in fear of #publictransit

Tea party targets mass transit plans | The Daily News Journal | dnj.com: "INDIANAPOLIS — Tea party activists who are among the harshest critics of a proposal to boost central Indiana's mass transit offerings told a legislative committee Oct. 3 that they oppose any tax increases to pay for expanding local bus service or a possible light rail line in the heavily populated region."

Minnesota facing massive #autosprawl costs

MnDOT chief: $50 billion needed for transportation | Minnesota Public Radio News: ""If we look at some corridors which really do need expansion to accommodate commerce, to accommodate trucking, to accommodate people getting to their jobs," he said, "if you think of the population coming into the metro area, we just aren't equipped to handle the population and maintain the quality of life the state enjoys.""

More than half of USA in a drought

More than half of USA in a drought: "Hot, dry weather over the past week led to worsening drought in the central USA: In the Midwest, where temperatures have been as much as 10 degrees above normal over the past week, drought expanded in parts of Missouri, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota and Wisconsin, according to the monitor."

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Suburban sprawl, subsidized for years, caused #climatechange, now needs a bailout

Des Plaines River flood plan calls for new levees, wetlands and dam removal - chicagotribune.com: "New flood-control projects targeted for the Des Plaines River could prevent millions of dollars in damages to Chicago-area homes and businesses, engineers say — but only if taxpayers can come up with the millions needed to pay for them."

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Increased Transit Will Reduce Carbon Emissions

Center for Neighborhood Technology: "Public transit has the potential to reduce the United States’ annual CO2 emissions by 37 million metric tons. That’s the equivalent of over 7.2 million cars off the road and 4.2 billion gallons of gas saved each year. In Chicago, the CTA estimates that its buses and trains keep 400,000 cars off regional roads every day. And, demand for public transit in Chicago is increasing: total CTA ridership jumped by 2.4 percent in 2012, with rail ridership increasing by 4.2 percent."

#Carfree Indiana family goes tent camping. Yes, Indiana.

Gone With the Schwinn: "One of our goals has been to go camping via our bikes, and we've done it!"

Lake Shore Drive should move people, not traffic

Chicago Sun-Times: "Lake Shore Drive is being redesigned with everyone in mind — not just auto traffic. All transportation projects should be built with moving people in mind, not traffic. Repurposing parts of Lake Shore Drive for bus or light rail are more efficient uses of space and will lead some people out of their cars, not cause more traffic. The evidence is in and it proves that the alarmism exhibited in this editorial is unfounded. Chicagoans and planners should recognize this. Moving people, not just traffic, should be the No. 1 priority."

Kudos to [Madison County] MCT! | Clarissa's Blog

Kudos to MCT! | Clarissa's Blog: "The standard of living in any area depends, to a significant degree, on the availability of a reliable and accessible public transportation system. We are supremely fortunate in Madison County to have MCT serve our needs. It is very cheap, so anybody can afford it but the standard of service is extremely high. Among other things, MCT offers a door-to-door service for the disabled and the elderly. Just imagine what a difference a service like this can make in the life of a disabled person.

Thank you, MCT, you are the best!"

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People want more #publictransit. How many times do we have to tell you.

Business Record: "A large majority of voters in four major U.S. cities believe that it is important to invest in public transportation, according to a survey funded by the Rockefeller Foundation and conducted by Global Strategy Group.

The survey conducted public opinion surveys in Chicago, Boston, Nashville and Pittsburgh. In each city, 85 percent or more of respondents agreed that it was important to invest in public transportation in order to ensure that communities grow and thrive."

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Kokomo’s Public Transit Adds Trolleys, Strengthens Routes & Maintains Free Ridership

Kokomo Perspective: News: "“It’s great to be able to extend Kokomo’s public transportation service and keep it free of charge at a time of ridership growth,” said Mayor Greg Goodnight. “The new trolleys and expanded routes connect more residential neighborhoods to our parks, schools, medical service facilities and shopping areas.”
In 1964, Kokomo discontinued its public bus system. In 2010, the City of Kokomo introduced the City-Line Trolley as free public transit, and the demand for its service has steadily increased."

Nature slams sprawl commutes with 7 inches of rain, closes Edens Expwy

Edens reopens as flooding stops Metra UP Northwest trains - chicagotribune.com: "Flooding closed the Edens Expressway at Pratt Avenue for about three hours this morning and shut down the McHenry branch of Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line for the entire day."

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Climate change hell is here and now. Still want cars?

Applicants line up in Calumet Park to apply for aid from the Illinois Department of Human Services for homes and businesses damaged after storms and flooding this spring. | Nausheen Husain~Sun-Times

Hundreds wait in heat for last chance at flood-relief aid - Chicago Sun-Times: "Gregory Davis spent the first few hours of the first day of summer waiting in line.

Davis, 52, who is blind, waited from 1 a.m. to about 10 a.m. Friday, one of hundreds who waited at the Family Community Resource Center in West Pullman for the last chance to get flood-relief aid for damage from this spring’s storms."

Living #carfree in Des Moines, Iowa. Yes, it can be done.

Zach Boyden-Holmes/Juice 

dmJuice.com: "“I don’t have to worry about bad drivers. I don’t get speeding tickets any more. I don’t have to worry about parking. It’s a stress-free way for me to travel in almost every way,” Hammes said."

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Chicago sprawl reaps the whirlwind of #climatechange

chicagotribune.com: "Officials in Plainfield and Bolingbrook are applying for state and federal assistance to help pay for damage incurred during last month's storms and floods."

Sprawl causes #climatechange, and then exacerbates it

Des Plaines Blames Neighbors For Flood Problems « CBS Chicago: "The city of Des Plaines is blaming Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights for some of its flooding problems.

Des Plaines officials believe their upstream neighbors – Mount Prospect and Prospect Heights – made the flood worse by closing a gap in a levee."

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Red states did not get the #teaparty memo to hate #publictransit

MPO Study Says Mass Transit Would Bring 7,000 Jobs | Indy's News Center - 93.1 WIBC Indianapolis - Live. Local. First.: "The study says about half of the jobs would be directly-related construction positions and roughly the other half would be permanent jobs, many of which would be indirectly related. The study also says building and operating the first phase of the plan would pump $3.8 billion into the economy from 2015 to 2025. Ehren Bingaman, executive director of the Central Indiana Regional Transportation Authority says his group continues to promote mass transit legislation that aims to bring the issue and funding to a public referendum in November 2014."

Mother Nature is talking, anyone listening?

pic.twitter.com/HzHrfMzwPV

Carbon emissions disrupt rain cycle

Evanston ranks 10th in country for green commuting

The Daily Northwestern: "“The majority of U.S. commuters drive alone in a car to work, which is the absolute worst way you can get around, as far as reducing your carbon footprint,”
... Evanston commuters take public transportation far more frequently than the average urban American."

LaHood Calls the US "One Big Pothole."

Tri States Public Radio: "LaHood highlighted his connection to the area, having attended Spoon River College, and applauded city and county’s efforts on the new transit center.

He said infrastructure and public transport are keys to economic development."

20,000 gallons of crude oil spill as train derails in Otter Tail Co. | StarTribune.com

20,000 gallons of crude oil spill as train derails in Otter Tail Co. | StarTribune.com: "PARKERS PRAIRIE, Minn. - Authorities say 14 cars of a Canadian Pacific Railroad have derailed in western Minnesota and at least three have spilled or leaked crude oil."

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U.S. has reached #peakauto

twin city sidewalks: "Since 2005, driving has started to plateau. And back around 2008, the total actually began going down for the first time in anyone's living memory. Part of that is the recession and the rise in oil prices. But when viewed from a per capita perspective, the trend hits you even harder. Growth in yearly driving has been slowing since 1990 and been going down since 2004. "

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Prosecutor Terry Curry endorses mass transit expansion | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Prosecutor Terry Curry endorses mass transit expansion | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com: "He also believes transit can deter criminal activity by reducing household expenses, and by providing transportation to community services, jobs and re-entry programs."

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Critical Transit: Rail in the highway median - not attractive

Critical Transit » Blog Archive » Highway Transit: "Once you reach the platform, you’re still exposed to high health risks from auto emissions, not to mention the discomfort caused by noise and the nauseating feeling of traffic whizzing by within a few meters of where you’re standing. Not a nice place to be waiting, and certainly not a good way to attract riders and promote public transit."

Champaign-Urbana #freetransit info for seniors

For the retirees March 3, 2013 | News-Gazette.com: "Champaign-Urbana: Rides for grocery shopping in Champaign-Urbana city limits and rides for Champaign County residents to medical appointments can be arranged by contacting the Senior Resource Center of Family Service at 352-5100.

The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District provides senior citizens with a special card for free bus transportation in Champaign-Urbana and half-price taxi service. Call MTD at 384-8188 for more information."

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Public Transportation Should Get Dedicated Funding, Advocates Say - DNAinfo.com Chicago

Public Transportation Should Get Dedicated Funding, Advocates Say - DNAinfo.com Chicago: "THE LOOP — Dedicated public transportation funding could dramatically improve the quality of your commute, transit officials and community leaders said Monday.

“There’s dedicated funding for roads, but not transit,” said Erin Evenhouse, 25, who works with Transportation for America."

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Environmental group backs mass transit - southbendtribune.com

Environmental group backs mass transit - southbendtribune.com: "INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Expanding mass transit in Indiana could help reduce the need for cars and allow for cleaner air, the Hoosier Environmental Council's senior policy director said this week."

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Project for Public Spaces | Walking is Not a Crime: Questioning the Accident Axiom

Industrial Rd & Millard Ave in Omaha, America’s worst intersection for pedestrians according to Streetsblog / Photo: Google

Project for Public Spaces | Walking is Not a Crime: Questioning the Accident Axiom: "In 2010, the last year the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration (NHSTA) published such figures, a startling 4,280 pedestrians were hit and killed in traffic and 70,000 were injured. For many states, this past year was one of the most deadly in a decade, ending a general decline in pedestrian fatalities. Even still, there is a disturbing cultural willingness to accept these deaths as a necessary evil. The public increasingly blames the victims. The police rarely prosecute, and if they do, the courts are often lenient. In 2012, 136 pedestrians were killed and another 11,621 were injured in New York City alone—and in all that time, only one sober, unacquainted driver was charged."

Lafayette, IN, plans for more buses as demand expect to double

Higher gas prices boost public transit users | WLFI - Greater Lafayette, Indiana: "With the dependency of public transportation expected to increase dramatically over the next couple of decades, CityBus is taking steps to make sure it’s ahead of the game."

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Cars are literally killing us. We need to try the #carfree diet.

Commuters who ride public transit weigh less than those who drive. - redeyechicago.com: " People who drive to work every day are packing on slightly more weight than their colleagues who use trains, buses and bicycles to get to the office, even if they exercise in their spare time, according to a new study.
"Even if you are efficiently active during leisure time, if you use a car for commuting daily, then that has an impact on weight gain," said lead author Takemi Sugiyama of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia."

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Free Bus Ride With Topeka Library Card February 4th Through 9th

Free Bus Ride With Topeka Library Card February 4th Through 9th: "The big announcement is if you have a Topeka Public Library card, you can ride the bus for free from February 4-9.

They are encouraging everyone throughout the city of Topeka to come out. Plus, there will be a special item on the bus."

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Railroad coal spill, oil is next.

Train heading to S.D. derails in N.D. | The Argus Leader | argusleader.com: "A train carrying coal from Wyoming to eastern South Dakota derailed Saturday night near Hettinger, N.D., spilling 13 carloads onto the ground."

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Can Transit Reverse Indianapolis’ Center-City Slide? | Streetsblog.net

Can Transit Reverse Indianapolis’ Center-City Slide? | Streetsblog.net: "At the Indiana statehouse today, a committee is discussing a transit plan that could revolutionize Indianapolis. The proposal would drastically expand transit investment, and add a rapid transit element, in an attempt to make this relatively auto-centric city a more authentically urban place."

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Paying More for Less: What’s Behind the CTA Cuts and Fare Hikes? | Occupied Chicago Tribune

Paying More for Less: What’s Behind the CTA Cuts and Fare Hikes? | Occupied Chicago Tribune: "We know that the Mayor would like to divide and conquer transit users and CTA workers, just like he tried to do during the CTU strike when he attempted to pit students and parents against the teachers. But the fact remains that when transit services get cut, CTA workers and riders both lose. When our transit infrastructure goes unrepaired, life is harder for riders as well as workers."

Car-Centric Big Cities More Violent Because Of Gasoline Lead - CleanTechnica

Car-Centric Big Cities More Violent Because Of Gasoline Lead - CleanTechnica: "Concrete jungles have been plagued with violent crime much more so than small towns, with few concrete answers as to why. In a recent Mother Jones article, Kevin Drum outlines why exposure to gasoline lead has driven violence in major cities."

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Fortified by Global Warming, Deadly Fungus Poisons Corn Crops, Causes Cancer - Yahoo! News

Fortified by Global Warming, Deadly Fungus Poisons Corn Crops, Causes Cancer - Yahoo! News: "“We have a big aflatoxin problem,” says Charles Woloshuk, a botanist and plant pathologist at Purdue University. “There are loads of corn coming to the [grain] elevators that have been rejected.”"

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Expect railroad oil spills soon

Safety a concern as crude moved by train - San Antonio Express-News: "The parade of mile-long trains carrying hazardous material out of North Dakota and Montana and across the country has experts and federal regulators concerned. Rail transport is less safe than pipelines, they say, and the proliferation of oil trains raises the risk of a major derailment and spill."

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