Rapid Fire Urban Update
I’ve decided to go all aggregator today since time is short and news is long. Here’s what’s up:
TOO MUCH HUMAN CAPITAL IN CHINA
In China there are too many college grads and not enough jobs. So much for the theory about just creating lots of human capital.
PAY FOR TRANSIT OR TEAR OUT YOUR DOWNTOWN
So . . . why should we fund the bus system to a greater extent? Well it turns out that the more you reduce transit into the central business district (downtown) the more of your city you have to tear out to build parking lots. Want a more robust downtown? We’re gonna need that local option, yo.
EVERYONE BUT BOISE GETS TIGER FUNDS
It also turns out that the 100 largest cities in the U.S. (BOI is around 84 or 86 depending on who is estimating when and with what data) got 70% of the TIGER funds. Boise, as you recall, got bupkis. Does this foretell bad things? Are we not part of the renewed federal interest in cities?
HIGH SPEED RAIL FROM RENO TO SLC. BOI: NO TRAIN FOR YOU!
Another favorite of mine from this week is the discovery of a new advocacy group - the Western High Speed Rail Alliance. In another shut-out for Boise and Idaho, this coalition has formed to advocate for high-speed rail routes all over the west, including a route from SLC to Reno. SLC to Reno? Boise doesn’t figure in to the planning.
Uncategorized | admin February 19, 2010
