Real, affordable electric vehicles are coming to market soon. Here's a Wired Magazine
story about the
Nissan Leaf, expected to be in production by this fall. With a 100 miles/charge range, these vehicles are an appealing, clean fuel option for those of us who can't afford a
Chevy Volt (to be available by late fall). You'll even be able to rent a Leaf by early 2011. Hertz has recently signed an
agreement with Nissan to make the Leaf available in the U.S. and Europe.
If you've been keeping up with Fresh Energy's Transportations Connections Department, you've probably heard about its push for a state Complete Streets policy. The measure aims to make streets safer and more accessible through various planning measures. This includes sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, and shoulders. But as far as understanding how exactly these road changes would equal improved safety and a cleaner environment, it's a little bit difficult to get from point A to point B--no transportation pun intended. I didn't have a clear understanding of it, myself, until I actually saw it last week.
Representatives and partners of ElectriCharge Mobility visited Fresh Energy yesterday to talk about some exciting developments in the field of electric vehicle transportation. Partner Paul Axt said people often view the development of the industry as a chicken-and-egg problem between the vehicles and their charging stations. What must come first to grow the other? ElectriCharge Mobility and charging-station developer Coulomb Technologies believe we first need to show people charging stations are widespread and accessible, in order for people to purchase electric vehicles.
The wonderful, heart-calming news was that my daughter was okay, with only a bruise. The bad news? My car was totaled. When your work is to advocate for clean transportation choices, what's your next step?
This morning in Washington, D.C., the president and administration officials unveiled their plan to create the first ever national fuel economy standard, calling for a five percent increase in fuel economy every year for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States. This nationwide policy would reduce global warming pollution, help break our dependence on oil, and save drivers money at the pump. President Obama described the policy as a roadmap for building the cars of the 21st century.
Read the original White House press release from May 2009.
Complete Streets means that our roads are designed and operated to be safe and accessible for pedestrians, transit riders, bicyclists, and drivers - all users, regardless of age or ability. Why is this important? Because too often we build roads that simply aren't safe for pedestrians, people with disabilities, bicyclists, transit riders, and older drivers. Everyone is impacted by "incomplete" streets, which lead to more injuries, fatalities, and very real barriers in our transportation system.
Last night, the Hennepin County board unanimously passed a Complete Streets policy (pdf) that "will enhance safety, mobility, accessibility and convenience for all corridor users including pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, motorists, commercial and emergency vehicles, and for people of all ages and abilities by planning, designing, operating, and maintaining a network of Complete Streets." Hennepin County joins the City of Rochester as the first two jurisdictions in Minnesota to pass explicit Complete Streets policies. St. Paul has also passed a Complete Streets resolution and will have a full policy in place by the end of the year.
"Pay-as-you-drive" insurance (PAYD) provides an alternative to standard flat-fee insurance and has been shown to save drivers money and cut driving, gas consumption, and global warming pollution. This is the type of win-win policy that just makes sense as we move forward toward reduced oil dependence. While many states--including Minnesota--have experimented with small-scale pilot projects in PAYD, California is now working on a statewide policy that would enable more widespread use. They have a public comment period open now and will likely have a policy by the end of the year. Minnesota needs to also take steps to move beyond pilot project to a more supportive statewide enabling policy.
If you haven't heard of PAYD before and are interested in more details, I would suggest the Environmental Defense Fund's summary.
Posted by: Ethan Fawley in walking, transportation, transit, policy, planning, legislation, land use, global warming, driving, biking on
Jun 16, 2009
Last Thursday, the Minnesota Environmental Partnership hosted the first forum for the 2010 gubernatorial race, and transportation and land use were key issues in the discussion. Two gubernatorial candidates explicitly mentioned (and others echoed the sentiments) the need to finalize the Building Sensible Communities bill as an important part of simultaneously addressing global warming pollution and other quality of life issues such as air pollution, congestion, personal transportation costs, and dwindling open space.
Posted by: Ethan Fawley in walking, transportation, transit, rail, policy, planning, land use, global warming, electric cars, driving, commuting, biking on
May 27, 2009
Transportation generated a lot of discussion at the Minnesota Capitol this year. Topics included discussions around transportation-related economic stimulus spending, the need to solve the Twin Cities transit shortfall, the excitement of high-speed rail and new transitways, and some innovative transportation policy ideas. While there were a number of important steps taken to support cleaner transportation choices, there were several pieces left undone.
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