The TDM Professional

Best of 2007 on CommuterPageBlog: Five Bad Ideas or Disappointments, Eight Things To Keep Our Eyes On and a Few Funny Stories

This is the last of three posts in a series looking at some of the best stories of 2007 from our sister CommuterPageBlog: The series includes:

1. Twenty Reports That Made Us Think, January 2
2. Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged, January 3
3. Five Bad Ideas or Disappointments, Eight Things To Keep Our Eyes On and a Few Funny Stories

For Washingtonians, there are two posts on CommuterPageBlog that pertain just to that area, they are:

1. A Dozen Good News Items in Arlington, December 28
2. Ten Good News Stories Around the Washington, D.C. Region, December 29

Today, we take a look at some bad ideas, some disappointments or setbacks, a few funny stories and a few things we'll need to worry about and keep our eye on. Enjoy the look back.

Five Bad Ideas or Disappointments, Eight Things To Keep Our Eyes On, a Few Funny Stories and Our Favorite Post

Five Bad Ideas or Disappointments

1. If you're going to extend Metrorail out to Dulles, shouldn't it a least be underground in Tysons and follow the Arlington model?
   How Sad to See Such a Major Mistake on Dulles Rail, June 23
2. This is one we didn't agree with. Big business and big interests won the day as the HOT (Lexus) Lanes were eventually approved. So let's make sure that when they build the HOT lanes that they protect the carpools and buses.
   Lexus Lanes Just Wrong, March 25
   Lexus Lane Plan Too Good to Be True?, April 18
   Common Sense Trumps Technology When it Comes To Protecting Our HOV Lanes, April 24
3. Thank goodness we only have one more year of these folks.
   Surprise! Feds Send Mixed Signals on Commuting Policy, August 16
   Uninformed: Transportation Secretary Says Bikes Aren't Transportation, August 21
4. Our sources at the Association for Commuter Transportation have recently told us that even providing the modest proposed amount of $25 per month for bikers was jettisoned from the Energy Bill. Sad...
   Tax Credits for Biking to Work in Virginia?, January 29
   Could Biking Soon Join Parking, Transit and Vanpooling as a Tax Free Benefit, June 22
   Hope for Bicycle Commuter ACT, July 2
   House Passes Energy Bill, Includes Bike Commuters, August 14
5. Another year, another lost opportunity to do the right thing. Don't hold your breath on this one either...
   Transit Parity With Parking at Last?, February 22

Eight Things to Keep Our Eyes On

1. This post received some of the most traffic and comments of the entire year. This issue is for the distant future, but something to watch nonetheless.
   Orange Crush Make for Blue Customers in South Arlington & Alexandria, August 1
2. We agree with the good Dr. that its a bad idea and hope VDOT sticks to its promise to end the hybrid exemption at the end of this fiscal year (June 30, 2008).
   The Dr. Says No to Hybrids in HOV Lanes, April 15
3. This nightmare is going to last years. Here's hoping State and local agencies can get a handle on this or everyone will suffer.
   Tysons Corner - What a Mess, January 28
   Construction Project Could Make Region's Congestion Worse, July 29
4. When it comes to reducing traffic or getting more people to ride the bus, we still have a lot of work to do.
   Easing Traffic Not So Easy, April 25
   Riding the Bus, Not Easy, April 10
   Are Printed Transit Information Materials a Significant Barrier to Transit Use?, August 23
5. Even Dr. Gridlock couldn't figure this out. This is something, I hope, we can work to improve.
   16? 2? 53a? &%**#!!, November 10
6. We'll have to wait and see whether or not one is better than two. We kinda liked having two. We wish the new Zipcar good luck!
   Is Carshare Merger a Sign of Progress?, November 1
7. Baseball and non-baseball fans alike will be rooting for the Nationals and the City to get the transportation situation at the gleaming new ballpark settled by Opening Day. Here's wishing everyone good luck!
   Dark Clouds Next Year Over the Nationals Parking Situation, August 31
8. This is the big one. Something that needs to be confronted at every level.
   Life -- After Cheap Oil, August 6, 2007

Three Funny Stories

1. Whether or not the series is really funny or not we hope it lasts a while because it demonstrates the benefits of carpooling with every episode. It's like free advertising.
   Carpoolers...Coming to a TV Near You, August 3
   Tune In To See How Much Fun You Could Have Carpooling, September 26
2. Oh the horror. Some people had to walk from their McMansion's all the way to their mailbox. The most absurd story of the year.
   Suburban Angst Caused By Walking To Get Mail, June 17
3. The funniest transportation commercial of the year (ad appears at top of post). Only the folks from the land down under could have pulled off something so edgy.
   A Different Approach To Combating Speeding, June 27
   

One Favorite Post

1. Our favorite post of the year. Okay, we liked it because Jim Bacon's article said so many nice things about our program and Arlington. Sorry but this one's a keeper...
   Vanquishing the Density Demon, August 13

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Best of 2007 on CommuterPageBlog: Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged

This is the second of three posts in a series looking at some of the best stories of 2007 from our sister CommuterPageBlog: The series includes:

1. Twenty Reports That Made Us Think, January 2
2. Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged
3. Bad Ideas, Disappointments, a Few Funny Stories and Some Things To Worry About or Work On

For Washingtonians, there are two posts on CommuterPageBlog that pertain just to that area, they are:

1. A Dozen Good News Items in Arlington, December 28
2. Ten Good News Stories Around the Washington, D.C. Region, December 29

Today, we take a look at ten good ideas, plus one, that emerged and were were covered on the blog during 2007. Enjoy the look back.

Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged

11. We think it's both.
Bike Parking or Art?, January 29

10. What an illuminating idea. Every biker should have these!
Bicycle Safety on the Side, October 31

9. Before heading out the door check out this handy website for a quick look at traffic.
Jamfactor8.5 Meters are in the Red, Check the Webcams!!, April 11

8. Are those folks from the land down under on to something here? Can you combine the best of carpooling and slugging and formalize it so even more people can share the ride?
Is a More Formalized Slugging in Our Future?, May 3
Flexible Carpooling - Coffee Included - Coming to the States?, August 24

7. Okay if they can even think about doing this in Los Angeles, shouldn't we study the idea around here?
Carfree Boulevards. Could it Work Here?, July 31

6. If our region is #1 in walkability than shouldn't we be making a better effort at becoming #1 in biking too? Here's an idea that could help build that culture where everyone participates.
Another Car-Free Idea from Mexico City, August 2
Could Bogota's Example Lead to Ciclovia: Metro Washington, D.C.?, December 8

5. From the people who brought you Zipcar, comes the next generation of ridesharing. Everybody GoLoco!
Ridesharing 2.0, April 25
Ridesharing 2.0 Revisited - GoLoco!, August 22

4. Who doesn't love Google and Google Maps? When you start combining that know-how with transit, good things are bound to happen.
Rail Stops and Google - It's Better than Chocolate, February 13
Google Transit, March 2
Google Maps Credited with Increase in Duluth's Transit Ridership, August 26
Google Transit Now Available in 19 U.S. Cities, October 7

3. My teleworking co-worker swears by this little gizmo which he uses daily. A must have for transferring files back and forth between home and work safely and quickly.
Teleworking's New "Toy", July 30

2. Our favorite little site for 2007. And of course it uses Google Maps.
How Walkable is Your Neighborhood?, July 18

1. The best idea since carsharing. We can't wait for DC and Arlington to start their bikesharing programs. It's so European!
Bike-sharing Arrives in Paris, July 18
Bikesharing Coming to the U.S., November 16

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.

Best of 2007 on CommuterPageBlog: Twenty Reports That Made Us Think

Today we bring you the first of three posts in a series looking at some of the best stories of 2007 from our sister CommuterPageBlog. Our series includes::

1. Twenty Reports That Made Us Think
2. Ten Good Ideas, Plus One, That Emerged
3. Bad Ideas, Disappointments, a Few Funny Stories and Some Things To Worry About or Work On

For Washingtonians, there are two posts on CommuterPageBlog that pertain just to that area, they are:

1. A Dozen Good News Items in Arlington, December 28
2. Ten Good News Stories Around the Washington, D.C. Region, December 29

Today we highlight twenty posts that were based on some interesting reports, studies or findings in the press. There's a lot of data here. Dive in and enjoy.

Twenty Reports That Made Us Think

1. American Drivers Drive Fewer Miles, January 31
2. Information, Information, Information, March 28
3. Extreme Commutes and Your Health, April 17
4. Is Taller Better, Another Call for More Density, May 2
5. U.S. News Explores America's War on Traffic, May 10
6. Cheaper Housing, Better Pay - But at What Price?, June 3
7. Pedestrians Faster Than Cars?, June 6
8. Can Transit Revive a City?, June 15
9. More Data on Congestion, June 29
10. Vanquishing the Density Demon, August 13
11. U.K. Report: Walk More and Lose Weight, Save the Environment, August 16
12. Are Printed Transit Information Materials a Significant barrier to Transit Use?, August 23
13. People-Oriented Cities are Cycling-Friendly Cities, September 4
14. Want to Fight Global Warming, Take the Bus, October 6
15. Build Places Where People Don't Need to Drive and Save the Planet, October 8
16. Is Sprawl Contributing to America's Health Problems?, November 3
17. Coincidence or Conspiracy?, November 9
18. 11 Most Bicycle Friendly Cities...in the World, November 14
19. Is Philly the Carshare Capital of the Country?, November 29
20. It's Official. More Walking = Better Health, December 19

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Chris Hamilton is the Commuter Services Chief for Arlington County, manager of CommuterPageBlog and The TDM Professional blog and is a biking/Metrorail commuter from Alexandria, Virginia just outside of Washington, D.C.