United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has agreed to add Amsterdam’s famous canal belt to the World Heritage List, the Dutch government said on Sunday.
Tags: Amsterdam, Canal Belt, Dutch, Dutch Government, Netherlands, North Holland, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, United Nations Educational, World Heritage List, World Heritage Site
Expanding its effort to use infrastructure investments to spread its influence, the Chinese government has agreed to a $10 billion commitment to upgrade a series of intercity rail lines in Argentina and improve urban transit systems in Buenos Aires and Cordoba. Funds come from the China Development Bank and will require a 15% match from the Argentinian government.
Tags: Argentina, Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Subway, Cardobo, China, China Development bank, China invests in Argentina's Rail network, Infrastructure, Latin America, People's Republic of China, Rail, Rail transport, South America, Transit, United States
Posted by transportgooru on July 12, 2010 in
Economy,
Energy,
Finance,
Freight,
Governance,
Highways,
Infrastructure,
Marine/Waterway,
Ports,
Research,
Society/Social Issues AASHTO released its latest report, Unlocking Freight, at a national news conference in Des Moines, Iowa, and at two regional news conferences in Tennessee and Pennsylvania on July 8th. The report includes new data, state examples of urgent capacity needs, and solutions to solve the pending transportation crisis in America’s freight system. The reports shows that investments are well below what are needed to maintain – much less improve – the movement of freight in this country. As a result, according to this report, the transportation system that supports the movement of freight across America is facing a crisis.
Tags: AASHTO, Commercial Shipping, CVO, FMCSA, Freight, Gridlock, Interstate Highway System, Transportation Planning, Transportation Reboot, Unlocking Freight
The Taiwanese-flagged former tanker named the “A Whale” is the length of 3 1/2 football fields and stands 10 stories high. It just emerged from an extensive retrofitting to prepare it specifically for the Gulf, where officials hope it will be able to suck up as much as 21 million gallons of oil-fouled water per day.
Tags: A Whale, BP, Gulf Coast Oil Spill, Louisiana, Oil Skimmer, Oil Spill Cleanup, Oil tanker
Posted by transportgooru on January 4, 2010 in
Aviation,
Energy,
Environment,
Freight,
Governance,
Infrastructure,
Marine/Waterway,
Ports,
Public Policy,
Research,
Society/Social Issues I came across this excellent report, Aviation and Marine Transportation: GHG Mitigation Potential and Challenges, via an article on Washington Post and felt compelled to share with you all. This report published by The Pew Center on Global Climate Change examines growth projections for emissions from both aviation and marine transportation and options to reduce those emissions. Aviation and marine transportation combined are responsible for approximately 5 percent of total GHG emissions in the United States and 3 percent globally and are among the fastest growing modes in the transportation sector. Under business-as-usual forecasts, CO2 emissions from global aviation are estimated to grow 3.1 percent per year over the next 40 years, resulting in a 300 percent increase in emissions by 2050.International marine transportation emissions are estimated to grow by 1 to 2 percent per year, increasing by at least 50 percent over 2007 levels by 2050. Controlling the growth in aviation and marine transportation GHG emissions will be an important part of reducing emissions from the transportation sector.
Tags: Airline Industry, Aviation, Aviation and Marine Transportation: GHG Mitigation Potential and Challenges, Carbon Emissions, Green House Gases, Marine Transportation Emissions, Pollution, The Pew Center on Global Climate Change
“It is designed with a service life of 120 years. It can withstand the impact of a strong wind with a speed of 51 meters a second, or equal to a maximum Beaufort scale 16 (184 to 201kmph),” said Zhu Yongling, an official in charge of the project construction. “It can also resist the impact of a magnitude-8 earthquake and a 300,000-tonne vessel.”
Tags: China Infrastructure Development, Chinese Road Infrastructure Project, Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, HZMB, World's Longest Sea Bridge
Posted by transportgooru on October 15, 2009 in
Automotives,
Energy,
Environment,
Governance,
Hybrids,
Infrastructure,
Marine/Waterway,
Opinion Columns,
Pedestrian & Bicycles,
Ports,
Public Policy,
Rail,
Research,
Society/Social Issues,
Special Events,
Transit,
Travel You may ask what difference does it make by simply dropping a blog post on Climate Change? The possibilities are endless. Your one post can inspire someone else to write about this issue. The more people write about, the more people will get to read, and thus we create an awareness about the on going problem. In the cacophony of today’s world, too many people have no time to even stop and think about this very important issue that threatens our very existence on this planet. If your blog can divert the attention of someone – a friend on Facebook, or a random reader from Timbuktu who has subscribed to your blog’s RSS – even for a moment and make them think how they have contributed to this generations effort to save the planet, you have done your bit. Trust me — that’s how we all make a difference in this world – in our own little ways.
Tags: Blog Action Day, climate change, Environment, Environmental Degradation, October 15, Planet Earth, Pollution
Posted by transportgooru on October 3, 2009 in
Automotives,
Economy,
Education,
Energy,
Environment,
Freight,
Highways,
Hybrids,
Infrastructure,
Ports,
Society/Social Issues,
Special Events,
Travel The first exhibit of 56 large-scale color landscapes from Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky chronicling the impact of oil made its debut Saturday at Washington’s Corcoran Gallery of Art — less than a block from the White House. The show, chronicling the world’s predominant energy source, can’t help carrying a political zing.
Tags: Corcoran Gallery of Art, Crude oil, Edward Burtynsky, Edward Burtynsky:Oil, Oil, Photo Exhibit, Photo Gallery
Posted by transportgooru on September 30, 2009 in
Aviation,
Economy,
Education,
Events,
Finance,
Governance,
Highways,
ITS/Telematics,
Infrastructure,
Marine/Waterway,
Ports,
Public Policy,
Society/Social Issues,
Tolling/ETC,
Transit [ November 16, 2009 to November 18, 2009. ] Funding of transportation-related infrastructure is at a crossroads. Traditional funding mechanisms, such as general and specific tax revenues, are proving to be insufficient to maintain existing facilities and fund expanded capacity. Infrastructure providers and operators are looking to users to make up for the shortfall. Transport-related infrastructure offers an exceptional opportunity for raising funds to establish and/or sustain such infrastructure while providing an attractive return on investment to both public and private investors. Key to achieving such returns are the prices charged to users. But how should user charges be set?
Tags: Congestion Pricing, Publi Sector Infrastructure Development, Return on Investment, Road User Fees, Transportation Infrastructure Pricing, User Fee
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich has a rather curious new addition built in to his latest oversized yacht. The 557-foot boat Eclipse, the price tag of which has almost doubled since original plans were drawn to almost $1.2 billion, set sail this week with a slew of show-off features, from two helipads, two swimming pools and six-foot movie screens in all guest cabins, to a mini-submarine and missile-proof windows to combat piracy.
Tags: a great white castle on water, Blohm + Voss German shipyard, Eclipse Yacht, Laser-shield, Papparazi-Proof, Roman Abromovich, ThyssenKrupp AG
