For years, environmentalists have demanded expanded public transit service as a way of offsetting pollution caused by the Big Dig in Boston –- but are they focusing on the wrong issue?
As the Big Dig project began in 1990, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) made a deal with the Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation to ensure that the construction efforts complied with the national Clear Air Act: "The logic was simple: provide more, and more convenient, public transportation, and more people will leave their air-fouling cars at home." Now it's 2006, and the MBTA has not lived up to its part of the bargain, increasing controversy. But is the focus on public transit missing the point?
"Of course, all of these deliberations take for granted the fact that the best way to decrease pollution is through public-transit projects. But in fact, some suggest that such an assumption may be foolhardy. Train-transit projects, which cost hundreds of millions of dollars and achieve modest air-quality benefits, might be less effective than pushing for higher vehicle-emission standards, better fuel efficiency, and various other clean-energy goals."
FULL STORY: T-easing pollution

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
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