New York Traffic: It's Not Just The Suburbanites

The New York Times has a story today on where the city's traffic comes from, and it turns out on weekdays the city contributes slightly more cars to Manhattan streets than do those driving in from out of town. The Times reports that this is surprising to some, especially when considering the city's reliance on mass transit, but one excerpt in particular sheds light on why many New Yorkers are driving:

When plotted on a map, the data make a striking picture, showing that some of the densest concentrations of auto commuters are from the outer fringes of Queens and Brooklyn, where access to subways is limited.

"The concentration of auto commuters is in areas that don't have direct subway service," [transportation consultant Bruce Schaller] said. "So the travel time advantage of driving is greater than it is in the rest of the city."

USA Today on the Allure of Streetcars

USA Today published a short article on Monday on cities bringing back streetcars. Systems featured included Tampa's TECO Line Streetcar System and Kenosha, Wisconsin's 1.7-mile loop.

MBTA Announces Plans to Improve Commuter Rail Fleet

The MBTA has announced plans to purchase roughly 38 new diesel electric locomotives and 75 bi-level commuter rail cars to improve greater Boston's commuter rail service. It's not clear how much the fleet will grow as the result of the purchase, as the MBTA hasn't indicated how much of their aging fleet they plan to retire as the new equipment is brought on-line.

More details are available from The Boston Globe and the Associated Press.