Overview and Challenges of Bogotá’s Transmilenio

Transmilenio was a revolutionary bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Bogotá, Colombia. Launch in 2000, it aimed to mimic the speed of a Metro in facilitating movement of people, but at a fraction of the capital cost. Despite its international acclaim and other cities trying to emulate the system, Transmilenio is not without its share of controversies and challenges. In the paper Bus Rapid Transit: Is Transmilenio a Miracle Cure? Alan Gilbert of University College London explores the background of the system and what crucial actions are necessary for Transmilenio to sustain its core missions of facilitating transportation, maintaining the general interests of poor people, and bringing public and private sectors together to “share responsibilities for the delivery of the service.”

Management was a huge issue in the old traditional bus system, where the various bus companies tried to obtain licenses to operate in the most profitable routes, leading to too many buses at the city center and too few in the outskirts. The competitive nature of the system meant poor bus maintenance and little regard for the well-being of other road users or the passengers. Transmilenio was born out of a desire to modernize the transportation infrastructure without paying the hefty amounts for a Metro. While the concept of BRT isn’t new, Transmilenio was revolutionary for its expansive network and high accolade during the first few years of operation. With dedicated bus lanes and quick loading time, a 2001 survey gave Transmilenio a rating of 4.64 out of 5, with general consensus of saved time and city’s improved cohesion.

Yet criticisms were inevitable, from decay of roads to overcrowding and eventual fare hike. One issue is that a trip on Transmilenio is more expensive than one on traditional bus. This is most pressing for the poorest, and together with overcrowding, has led to slow growth in passenger count. The central agency of Transmilenio, which receives no operating subsidy, has complained about the “unfair competition” from the traditional bus. Gilbert proposes that one solution is to reduce the number of old buses. Scrapping of old buses, in exchange for the license to run new buses, has been remarkably slow though, and many illegal “pirate” buses are still in operation. This is the core of Gilbert’s message that while Transmilenio is a great concept, “complementary changes have to be made in the rest of the sector” if the system is to be sustainable for the future, for Transmilenio by itself cannot solve the city’s transportation challenges.

Sources:

• Alan Gilbert: “Bus Rapid Transit: Is Transmilenio a Miracle Cure?"

Air Pollution in Mexico City

The papers Quantification of Local and Global Benefits from Air Pollution Control in Mexico City, Improving Air Quality in Megacities: Mexico City Case Study, and Air Quality Management in Mexico all looked into the issue of air pollution in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area, which increased its population 6-fold from 1950 to 2000, and presently is the largest urban agglomeration in the Western Hemisphere with population of more than 20 million While population affects many burgeoning cities in developing cities, it is especially problematic for Mexico City, which consumes more than 40 million liters of fuel daily, due to the surrounding topography, as mountains and frequent thermal inversions help to trap pollutants within the Valley of Mexico, which the capital sits. Since the mid-1980s, the government and citizens have recognized the serious concern of pollution, and regulations implemented in the 90s have helped to reduce the concentrations of various pollutants.

Currently transportation is the major source of pollution in the city, and one of the problems is that high-occupancy modes of transit have been declining as minibuses have gained popularity for their superior service and convenience, while existing formal high-occupancy systems, including the Metro, have not adequately adapted to the growing population trends. Antiquated fleet also contributes significantly to pollution, as the concentration of economic activities bring in much freight traffic. Regulation efforts have been put in to mitigate pollution. Vehicle inspection and maintenance programs, including no-driving days, began to be enforced, limiting the use of cars by one weekday starting in 1989. The policy has been remodeled to assign the ban depending on the vehicle’s emission levels. The country has also issued air quality standards comparable to those in United States. Natural gas began to replace fuel oil, and fuel quality has also been improved to reduce sulfur content and introduce unleaded gasoline. Furthermore, a low-interest loans to substitute old taxis have been implemented to improve fuel efficiency.

Despite the progresses, there are still potential pollution-mitigating projects with promising cost-benefit analysis from the standpoint of capital investment costs versus the decreased cost of health deteriorations. The project includes taxi fleet renovation, Metro expansion, hybrid bus introduction, liquid petroleum gas (LPG) leak prevention, and electricity cogeneration. The study finds that if all were implemented, the measures could save 100 lives, over 500,000 cases of minor restricted activity days (MRAD), and amount to $150 million (US) of local benefits per year. In particular, fuel savings would offset the cost of investment costs of taxi renovation, making this a particularly attractive economic investment. On the other hand, preventing LPG leaks would produce the greatest health benefit, compared to its size of investment costs, making this a high priority.

Sources:

• Instituto Nacional de Ecología: “Quantification of Local and Global Benefits from Air Pollution Control in Mexico City”
• L. Molina and M. Molina: “Improving Air Quality in Megacities: Mexico City Case Study”
• Adrián Fernández-Bremauntz: “Air Quality Management in Mexico”

San Diego - Tijuana Border and Flight Comparison

A proposed solution to San Diego's crowded airport is to build a pedestrian bridge to Mexico. Tijuana's General Abelardo L. Rodriguez International Airport (TIJ) is located just across the US-Mexico border, and the proposed bridge, about 20 miles away from downtown San Diego, would allow people to cross the border into the airport. Otay-Tijuana Venture, the project's developer, cites that of the "roughly 4 million people who fly into and out of TIJ each year, more than half cross the border one way or the other." However, crossing the San Diego - Tijuana borders on automobile involves notoriously long waiting times. Some prefer to cross by foot and then catch transportation on the other side. San Ysidro crossing between the two cities is the world's busiest port of entry.

How much cheaper is it to fly out of Tijuana instead of the San Diego area airports? The following are the costs of the cheapest flights, for one adult roundtrip, from Expedia retrieved tonight, departing on Monday, December 7th and returning Wednesday, December 9th:

Destination	San Diego	Tijuana
New York	$351.10	$972.59
London	$2,214.60	$2,282.60
Tokyo	$1,050.50	$3,932.80
Sydney	$1,577.80	$3,082.21
Cairo	$1,316.68	$3,930.00
Rio de Janeiro	$1,269.49	$1,540.55
Panama City	$800.40	$938.19
Mexico City	$342.59	$291.16
Cancun	$400.40	$371.04

For many of these cities, San Diego offers an enormous discount. Even for other Latin American destinations, San Diego offers cost advantage. It is only within Mexico that Tijuana offers cost advantages. The Tijuana flights to rest of Mexico are also more frequent and have fewer stops on average. Looking at just these results then, it would seem as though the pedestrian bridge serves to relieve those in Southern California traveling to various parts of Mexico by air. A positive externality would be slight relieving of the border crossing for those going to the airport.

Sources:

• http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303559504579196370226844190
• http://www.expedia.com/Flights
• http://www.tijuana.com/info.html

Time Difference: New York & Sydney

Calculating the time difference between New York and Sydney is tricky, not only because both cities observe daylight saving time, but they also are on the opposite hemispheres, so one city's summer is winter for the other. Sydney is GMT +1000 and New York is GMT -0500, yet the time difference between the two cities is rarely 15 hours.

For New York, DST is observed from the second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November. For Sydney, DST is observed from the first Sunday in October to the first Sunday in April. For the sake of convenience, the four relevant Sundays for 2013 are as follows: March 10, Nov 3, Oct 6, and April 7, respectively.

Sorting the dates by groups:

• Jan 1 to March 10: Sydney on DST, New York off DST --> 16 hour difference
• March 10 to April 7: both on DST --> 15 hour difference
• April 7 to Oct 6: Sydney off DST, New York on DST --> 14 hour difference
• Oct 6 to Nov 3: both on DST --> 15 hour difference
• Nov 3 to Dec 31: Sydney on DST, New York off DST --> 16 hour difference

In all, for only 56 days of the year is the time difference between New York and Sydney actually 15 hours.

Sources:

• http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/rules/usa/
• http://australia.gov.au/about-australia/our-country/time

Time Difference: New York & London

The time difference between New York and London is crucial, especially for the financial service sector. For most of the year, London is 5 hours ahead of New York. However, while both areas observe daylight saving in summer, the onset and ending dates aren't exactly aligned, causing a shift in the time difference for moments in the spring and fall.

In the United States, daylight saving begins on the second Sunday in March, and lasts until the first Sunday in November. In Britain, it begins on the last Sunday in March, and lasts until the last Sunday in October. So in all, daylight saving in London begins later, and ends earlier. During those gap periods, New York is only 4 hours behind London, as opposed to the 5 hour difference, when both cities are on daylight saving or when both cities are off. Because there isn't a moment at which London is on and New York is off daylight saving, the London - New York time difference will never be 6 hours.

In conclusion, the time difference between New York and London is as follows:

• First Sunday in November - second Sunday in March: 5 hour (both off DST)
• Second Sunday - last Sunday in March: 4 hour
• Last Sunday in March - last Sunday in October: 5 hour (both on DST)
• Last Sunday in October - first Sunday in November: 4 hour

Sources:

• http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/rules/usa/
• http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/info/bst.htm

Seattle at a Glance

The largest city of the Pacific Northwest region, Seattle is home to over 600,000 people in the city proper and with 3.7 million residents, the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue Metropolitan Statical Area (Seattle MSA) is the 15th largest in the nation. The population grew by 8% between the 2000 and 2010 Census. A notable characteristic of the Seattle demographics is the level of education. For people over the age of 25, 56% of the residents have Bachelor's Degree or higher, which ranks Seattle among the top of major cities in the United States. University of Washington, the largest employer in the city proper, has over 40,000 students.

Seattle MSA accounts for 1.93 million jobs and generates an estimated gross metropolitan product of $218 billion. Aerospace, largely due to The Boeing Company, accounts over 80,000 jobs and $32 billion in revenue. Information technology is another important sector to the economy of Seattle MSA, employing over 100,000 and with companies such as Microsoft and Amazon.com headquartered in the region. Other notable companies headquartered in Seattle MSA include Costco, Starbucks, and Nordstrom.

International commerce is crucial to Seattle, which is situated roughly equidistant from Tokyo and London. Washington State ranks first in exports per capita, with Mainland China, Canada, and Japan as the top trading partners. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the closest airport on the continental US to Asia and served 31.2 million passengers in 2009. Internally, King County Metro and Sound Transit combine to offer express bus, light rail, and commuter rail services for the region.

In terms of the cost of living, Seattle trails major Northeastern and California cities from Boston to Los Angeles, and is comparable to that of Chicago. In 2010, 2 bedroom /1 bath apartment rental on average cost slightly over $1,100. Average high temperature in July is around 75F, while average low in winter hovers around the freezing point. At 36.2 inches, the average annual precipitation is actually lower than that of New York; summer is the dry season, while light precipitation and partly cloudy skies dominate the winter months.

Sources:

• http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Research/Population_Demographics/Overview/
• http://www.cityofseattle.net/oir/datasheet/Datasheet2010.pdf

Principle World Cities by Time Zones

Here are the principle cities by time zones. This is not a comprehensive list of the time zones, as it excludes certain zones in the Pacific and Atlantic that do not have major cities. Most of North America and Europe utilize daylight saving time, as well as some of the major cities in South America and Australia. During the summer months, daylight saving time adds one hour forward.

• UTC -1000: Honolulu
• UTC -0900: Anchorage
• UTC -0800: Los Angeles, Vancouver, Tijuana
• UTC -0700: Denver, Calgary
• UTC -0600: Chicago, Mexico City, Winnipeg
• UTC -0500: New York, Toronto, Lima
• UTC -0430: Caracas
• UTC -0400: Santiago, San Juan, Halifax
• UTC -0330: St. John's
• UTC -0300: Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires
• UTC ±0000: London, Lisbon, Casablanca, Accra
• UTC +0100: Paris, Rome, Berlin, Madrid, Lagos, Zurich, Stockholm
• UTC +0200: Cairo, Johannesburg, Athens, Istanbul, Helsinki, Jerusalem
• UTC +0300: Nairobi, Baghdad, Riyadh
• UTC +0330: Tehran
• UTC +0400: Moscow, Dubai
• UTC +0430: Kabul
• UTC +0500: Karachi
• UTC +0530: Delhi, Colombo
• UTC +0545: Kathmandu
• UTC +0600: Almaty, Dhaka
• UTC +0630: Yangon
• UTC +0700: Jakarta, Bangkok
• UTC +0800: Beijing, Hong Kong, Perth, Singapore
• UTC +0900: Tokyo, Seoul
• UTC +0930: Adelaide
• UTC +1000: Sydney
• UTC +1100: Vladivostok
• UTC +1200: Auckland, Suva

Sandy Aftermath Pictures from Upper Manhattan

Here are some pictures taken today in Manhattan during a quick bike ride, one day after Hurricane Sandy tore through New York City and the Northeast region.

Southbound on Lexington Ave, around E. 79th: hardly looks different

Northbound on Central Park West, around W. 72nd: destruction aftermath in view

Central Park West, around W. 82nd: downed tree

Hudson Greenway: open for a stretch

Hudson Greenway: closed at around 79th

Cherry Walk was anything but cherry-like, rather all muddy

Southbound Henry Hudson Parkway closed due to cleanup

Even McDonald's on W. 125th & Broadway was closed

Most city parks remain closed

Southbound Riverside Drive, around W. 116th St: with southbound Henry Hudson closed, cars jam Riverside Drive

Frick Collection, Frisk House, Frick Mansion

See previous related post: Alpine, NJ 07620: Nation's Most Expensive Zip Code

The Frick Collection is an art museum located on Manhattan's Upper East Side, at the corner of 5th Avenue and East 70th Street. The Frick House houses the Frick Collection today. The Frick Mansion is the 30,000 square-foot house, listed for $68 million in 2010, across the Hudson River in Alpine, New Jersey, country's most expensive zip code. All of these entities relate to Henry Clay Frick, "the Pittsburgh coke and steel industrialist," who lived from 1849 to 1919.

Frick was an art patron who collected paintings and other art objects. The Frick House was built in 1913 at its present location, and was built with Frick's intention that he would eventually "leave his house and his art collection to the public." The Frick Collection opened to public in 1935, 16 years after the death of Frick himself, and presently contains over 1000 works of art, "from the Renaissance to the late nineteenth century." The Frick Mansion in Alpine traces back to an estate the Frick family built in the 1930s. In 2006, real estate investor Richard Kurtz paid $58 million to acquire the 60-acre estate, and built the 30,000 square-foot mansion on the property. Immediately after completion, Kurtz put it on the market. The Frick Mansion, located on a completely gated drive, contains "12 bathrooms, 19 bedrooms, a library, a ballroom, a main kitchen, a catering kitchen, a basketball court, a movie theater and an 11-car garage," and furthermore can be controlled from anywhere with a smartphone.

Sources:

• http://quintessence823.blogspot.com/2012/04/alpine-nj-07620.html
• http://www.frick.org/collection/history.htm
• http://www.businessinsider.com/most-expensive-smart-home-alpine-2012-1?op=1
• http://blogs.wsj.com/developments/2010/06/03/alpine-mega-mansion-most-expensive-home-most-expensive-zip-code/

Evaluating Cleveland RTA Park-and-Ride Locations

See previous related post: 10PM, Tower City Terminal

Having convenient and pleasant park-and-ride rail stations is the key to developing effective public transportation systems that reach out to those in the suburbs. In Cleveland, many stations come with free parking along the rail lines. Park-and-ride can save two types of costs: a fixed cost of parking, and the variable cost of driving, which includes gasoline and depreciation. Merely accounting for parking, even for two people park-and-ride is a cost-effective alternative ($9 round-trip) to most  parking garage rates downtown, particularly on event nights. However, the system doesn't serve all regions of the metropolitan area evenly.

Bypassing Downtown
If one is to stop at downtown but ultimately bypass it on the overall route, East 55th Street Rapid Station strategically has the best location for park-and-ride. It is located right off the junction of I-490 and I-77, offering quick access back onto the highway. Furthermore, all three (Blue, Green, Red) Lines go from E. 55th to Tower City, minimizing the expected wait-time to catch any of the trains. This quick stretch of 7 minutes is particularly unique in that heavy-rail (Red) and light-rail (Blue & Green) lines run side-by-side. Despite these advantages and its recent renovation completed in 2011, E. 55th Station does offer several important challenges. The parking lot is quite small, capable of holding fewer than 50 cars. The bigger challenge is the fact that maybe it's too close to downtown, with its inner-city location potentially deterring suburban riders who prefer stations in areas they may be more familiar with. Adding onto the problem, coming off I-490, the parking lot is not easily accessible. Bower Ave, which has direct access to the main lot on the eastern side of E. 55th, is restricted one-way lane. The easiest lot to get into is located across the street. Crossing the busy street requires a bit of walking to and waiting at the street lights.

From East Side
For those coming from the Southeast, the terminus of either Blue or Green Lines offer that opportunity. While both lines take around the same time getting to Tower City (approx. 30 min), and around the same distance to I-271, Green Line holds a slight advantage. The terminus of Blue Line, Warrensville, does not offer direct parking. Riders have to park at the adjacent Farnsleigh station. This would be fine, except that upon getting out of the lot onto Van Aken Blvd, drivers can only turn westbound. As a result, leaving the station is more burdensome than the terminus at Green Road. From the Northeast, only two stations: Superior and Windermere along the Red Line, both in East Cleveland, offer park-and-ride. Windermere Station, however, is over 2 miles off I-90 through East Cleveland. As a result, options are more sparse for those coming from the Northeast.

From West Side
Despite Red Line being the sole rail system west of Cuyahoga River, the West Side has more convenient choices. Every station from Brookpark to West Blvd has free parking exceeding 100 spaces, and the choice of station depends on whether one is predominantly coming along the direction of I-90 or I-480. Brookpark is conveniently located near the junction I-71 and I-480, offering the best alternative for those coming from the Southwest. From the Northwest, Triskett and W. 117th Stations are convenient due to their proximity to I-90, along the Cleveland-Lakewood border, and these stations are only around 15 min away from Tower City.

South?
With Lake Erie off to the north of the city, the RTA system currently leaves the South devoid of rail connection. For those predominantly coming from the direction of I-77, there is not an effective park-and-ride location. E. 55th would be the natural choice from the map, but given the reasons described above, may not be the ideal choice. Plus, going up to I-490 is almost going into downtown anyways; barely any money is saved on the gas. The RTA does have several Park-N-Ride routes using express buses. They originate from southern suburbs like Parma and Brecksville, but these programs only operate on weekdays, during rush-hours, and only in the rush-hour direction. As a result, they are not viable for night or weekend events. The current system favors West (whether Northwest from I-90 or Southwest from I-480) and Southeast the most, while Northeast and particularly the South don't get nearly as much benefit.

Sources:

• http://www.riderta.com/majorprojects/e55/
• http://www.riderta.com/pd_rapidtransit.asp
• http://www.riderta.com/parknride/

10PM, Tower City Terminal

On a Monday night at 10 PM, the RTA Green Line departs from Tower City Terminal, sending many fans, who had just witnessed the Cleveland Indians avoid a sweep in the hands of Baltimore Orioles, back home away from downtown. It is packed. It is loud. It is lively. Passengers who just barely made it to the train cannot find a seating spot. But at least, standing was better than sitting in a car jam trying to get onto the highway, right? The train goes on, and the speedometer on the iPhone measures it at over 45 mph during the peak. Barely anyone gets out of the train in the first few steps, during the inner-city portion of the track. At Shaker Square, the first station outside of the Cleveland city proper, a noticeable number of passengers leave. Then another bunch gets off at Warrensville Station, which houses a sizeable parking lot. Finally, just under 30 minutes since departure, the remaining people get off at the Green Station, the terminus.

Despite being named the best public transportation system in North America in 2007, RTA still remains far removed from many Greater Clevelanders who don't live within the city proper or inner-ring suburbs. A reaction I received recently, upon suggesting driving from the a western suburb and park-and-riding at one of the Red Line stations, was a candid "Cleveland has trains?" It was hard to blame that reaction. Unless ones goes along Shaker or Van Aken Blvd occasionally, or is truly interested in this field, it is plausible for suburbians here to not even know the extent of the rail system. Does anyone here know that Cleveland was the first North American city to have a direct rail line between the international airport and downtown? Speaking from experience, the journey on the Red Line from Case Western to Hopkins Airport is beyond comparison to heading to LaGuardia or JFK from Columbia University. But as population density usually dictates the usage of public transportation system, Cleveland is not New York. Rail lines are more limited, the trains less frequent, stations less crowded, seemingly reinforcing what introductory economics book would say, that public transportation is an inferior good; that is, the demand for it increases as wage decreases.

But the scene aboard that Green Line Monday night told of a different story. These people, myself included, just didn't want to deal with hassle, not to mention cost, of parking and construction. It may have meant a faster journey overall, but the 30-minute ride was reasonable, coupled with the free park-and-ride system. Every year, there would be a few events, St. Patrick's Day most notably, that cause massive inflow of people downtown, leading to overflow of passengers on the RTA, that ultimately make the newspaper headlines. But this wasn't one of those nights. It was just another Indians game, and a pretty mediocre one too, in terms of attendance: 18,264. While the Indians haven't fared well in overall attendance, it truly is capable of drawing huge crowds: just three days later, over 34,000 fans attended the Thursday game against Detroit Tigers. This was also Monday night, not the most lively day-of-the-week when it came to downtown entertainment that drew crowds, such as the casino. Furthermore, this game on Monday night was before ODOT closed the Ontario Street ramp to westbound Interstate 90 for a year, causing potential havoc for drivers coming from Indians games. All these are to say that the scene on Monday night is by far from the busiest downtown Cleveland can see.

The passengers on the Green Line that night, most of whom got off at the park-and-ride stations in Shaker Heights, illustrated that the traffic was predominantly comprised of those who had driven from their home to the stations. Few took the train to get home directly. This is crucial in understanding the usage and service of the rail lines. They do indeed appeal to, even if still to a small portion of, the suburban residents. RTA recently initiated program to provide ticket discounts to families going to the games, trying to address the issue that carpooling will reduce the costs of driving. It may take more awareness, or continued frustration of parking downtown, to convince more suburbanites to ride the train. But until then, those who do enjoy the system got a glimpse, on what but an average Monday night, of what it has to offer. This may not be New York, and people aren't out at Public Square at midnight like they are in Times Square. But nevertheless, there is indeed an urban livelihood to be experienced.

Crowded Green Line train departing Tower City immediately following Indians game on 7/23/12

Sources:

• http://www.riderta.com/newsroom/releases/?listingid=1096
• http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=320723105&teams=baltimore-orioles-vs-cleveland-indians
• http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/07/ontario_ramp_to_i-90_west_clos.html
• http://www.riderta.com/indians/

I-490 Extension Debate in Cleveland

Anyone who lives in the southeastern suburbs of Cleveland driving to Case Western Reserve University or Cleveland Clinic knows this dilemma: there just isn't an effective highway route that connects University Circle to the suburbs. Even for those who don't directly work there, it's an important issue: Cleveland Clinic alone is one of the biggest employers in Northeast Ohio. The following map illustrates the issue:

 

The closest highway interchange is northward at I-90 and MLK Drive. While this actually is a pretty effective route for commuters coming from the northeastern (via I-90 westbound) and western (via I-90 eastbound) directions, it is not an efficient route for people coming from the southeastern direction. Taking I-271 northbound and transferring to I-90 westbound is an enormous detour. Taking I-480 westbound and transferring to I-77 northbound is still quite a detour. Instead, most commuters know to get off I-271 at Chagrin Blvd and drive another 20+ minutes on the local roads. Another option, getting off I-480 at Broadway, takes a bit less time, but most suburban commuters avoid it due to the long stretch of local roads in the Cleveland city proper. Either way, as shown on the map, there's the enormous area enclosed by I-77, I-271, I-480, and I-90 that lacks a highway.

Try to spot I-490. It's only 2+ miles, running west-east slightly south of downtown. It connects onto I-71 and I-90 on its western terminus, but ends abruptly at East 55th St at a grade crossing. Looking at the map, if I-490 continued eastward, it could easily connect University Circle and join I-271 to the north. That would be the ideal route for commuters coming from Beachwood, Gates Mills, or anything southeast of that, which covers notable communities like Orange, Solon, and Twinsburg. It's quite a portion of the Great Cleveland commuters. Alas, no such highway system exists. However, the idea of it has floated around before.

In fact, in the early 1960s, there was a proposal to construct the Clark Freeway that runs east-west through Shaker Heights and connect onto I-271. However immediately, criticism came in about the elimination of  homes and commercial properties that would result. In fact, this reaction was hardly confined to Cleveland. During the 60s and 70s, freeway and expressway revolts spread throughout the nation, as potentially affected neighborhoods voiced their concern of disruption. The unpopularity eventually resulted in the scrap of the proposed Clark Freeway. Instead, the Clark Freeway (I-490) merely stretched for 2+ miles it encompasses today.

Recently there has been rejuvenated efforts to stretch I-490 at its eastern terminus to University Circle, denoted the Opportunity Corridor. While there would be no eastern connection to I-271 and thus would not be the panacea for southeastern commuters, it would bring some relief to all. However, there first is the budget issue. With ODOT putting numerous projects on hold, the fiscal responsibility of the $200+ million project demands an answer. Furthermore, locals living in the path of the route would still be displaced. The area between University Circle and I-490 terminus is quite an economically lackluster region, and leaders hope that an infrastructure upgrade would also stir commerce in the region.

If Great Cleveland can learn something about infrastructure renovation, the recently completed Euclid Corridor has been quite a success. The $200 million development of rapid-bus route and transformation of Euclid Avenue, connecting Downtown Cleveland and East Cleveland while passing University Circle and Cleveland Clinic, has attributed to several billion dollars of new development. One can only hope that the Opportunity Corridor would one day bring similar results. University Circle would also be more easily accessible from highway, the airport, and commuters. Yet despite such, for the commuters coming from the southeastern direction, it doesn't look like they'll get their wish of connection from I-271. Those disgruntled can attribute the demise of a direct connection route to the nationwide phenomenon of freeway protests that rocked the country in the 1960s. That affected area is still heavily populated, and unlike the area affected by Opportunity Corridor that could benefit from revitalization,would likely still face great friction in pushing through any idea of freeway.

Sources:

• http://chuh.net/chhistory/features/freeways.html
• http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/07/post_498.html
• http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2011/05/post_465.html

Alpine, NJ 07620: Nation's Most Expensive Zip Code

When New Yorkers brainstorm of expensive areas in the Metropolitan region, the following answers are common: Upper East Side, Greenwich Village, Riverdale, Hamptons, Westchester County, etc. While all of those area do feature expensive real estate properties, the New Jersey borough of Alpine tops the list as the nation's most expensive zip code, according to Forbes in October 2011. Situated at the northernmost tip of Bergen County along the Hudson River, only about 10 miles north of George Washington Bridge, Alpine maintains a much quiet feel with its community of 2,500. Topping the extremity in Alpine is the Frick Mansion. Listed at $53 million, it features over 30,000 square feet of space in its gated privacy.

What exactly is Alpine like? "This is the kind of place where people come not to be known," according to a local real estate agent. Little commerce exists; in fact, there is not even a high school or mail delivery, which helps to lower the tax rates. Wealthy individuals have chosen Alpine for its privacy. Notable residents include Chris Rock, P Diddy, and CC Sabathia. In such a high-privilege environment, there is a high demand for services like landscape. Mowing one's own garden is "almost unheard of."

Yet to an outsider traveling through the city, Alpine seems fairly typical. On Closter Dock Road, near the intersection with Route 9W, a typical gas station ran by working-class men operates quietly. The most consistent noise comes from the Palisades Parkway that runs along the Hudson River, connecting Alpine to the GW Bridge. On sunny days, cyclists ride along the popular Route 9W. At the borough intersection, a plain "Entering Boro of Alpine" sign welcomes motorists and cyclists.

Despite the wealth, the market isn't booming in Alpine. The Frick Mansion used to have an asking price of $68 million. Overall, prices dropped 23% in 2010. "For Sale" signs are seen across town. Nevertheless, 07620 has consistently ranked among the nation's most expensive zip codes, cherished for its duality of quietude yet proximity to New York City.

Sources:

• http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/sep/11/alpine-most-expensive-place-america
• http://www.businessinsider.com/alpine-new-jersey-richest-zip-code-photos-mansions-2011-10
• http://www.businessinsider.com/frick-mansion-new-jersey-photos-2011-7
• http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2011/10/12/americas-most-expensive-zip-codes/

Population Density Comparison: Manhattan and Greenland

When it comes to population density, Manhattan and Greenland represent the two extremities. Manhattan, with population nearing 1.6 million in slightly less than 23 square miles of land, the population density is 69,467.5 / square mile, according to the US Census Bureau. Now onto the other end, Greenland's land area is 2,166,086 square km, according to the CIA World Factbook. According to the same source, the latest population estimate is 57,695.

To first convert to the same units, Manhattan's population density is 26821.55 per square km. For Greenland, the same figure will be 57,695/2,166,086 = 0.0266355999 per square km. The difference then is 1,006,981.26 or 7 orders of magnitude. To put that into perspective, since Manhattan's population is 1.6 million, under Greenland's population density, slightly fewer than 1.6 people will be living in entire Manhattan. Wouldn't that solve the city's congestion issues?

Sources:

• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/gl.html
• http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36/36061.html

Halfday Trip to Western Cleveland

This trip is best suited for those in the southeastern suburbs of Cleveland, and takes maximum advantage of Cleveland RTA's 2.5-hour free transfer, to quick exploration of Edgewater Park and Westside Market, both on city's west side. To start out, pick a day with weather like today's: sunny and low 70s. For this trip, bring these items and drive to the Van Aken Blvd (or Green Road) rail terminus.

• 5-ride RTA pass
• book to read
• scooter (optional)

While the 5-ride pass is $11.25, it's ideal if there's plan to use it in the future before the expiration date. The one I bought today doesn't expire until start of 2014. A book to read is ideal for the train ride there and back. Unlike the New York City Subway, there will very likely be available seats, particularly in non-rush hours. Scooter may assist in getting around after getting off the train.

From Van Aken Blvd station, ride the entire length of the rail-line to Tower City. It isn't until here that one needs to swipe the RTA pass and the 2.5 hour period begins. Hop over to the Red Line and go westbound for 3 station to West Blvd, in the neighborhood area of Cudell/Edgewater, a community that "[has] the appeal of a suburban community, but offer convenient proximity to downtown, and have churches and entertainment within walking distance." Walk/scooter for about 10 minutes down to the beach northward via West Blvd. Surely enough, the stretch on West Blvd is a quiet area with apartments and single-family houses.

A day like this is the best to soak up the sun at the beach. Afterwards, head back to the rail station. Ride 2 stations eastbound to W. 25th Street and arrive at the historic West Side Market, whose origins date back to 1840 and present attract nearly a million visitors annually. On this date, watermelon was available, although in scant quantities and selling for as high as $12. Nevertheless after a quick meal there, a quick ride back to Tower City and transferring onto Blue (or Green) line takes back to the start.

In all, the trip consisted of 5 different rides and 2 different destinations. But thanks to the unlimited transfer within the 2.5 hour period, all of the rides fell within the one $2.25 fare.

Sources:

• http://www.livecleveland.org/cudellEdgewater
• http://www.westsidemarket.org/about.html

High Population-Density Areas

A recent New York Times articled entitled "How Many People Can Manhattan Hold?" discussed the population and capacity of Manhattan. While only 1.6 million people call Manhattan home, population in the city more than doubles and may reach as high as 3.9 million during the weekday, and during special events like Thanksgiving Day Parade, may reach as high as 5 million. While Manhattan and New York City may easily be the densest place in the United States, how does it compare to other metropolises of the world?

Initial look at ranking charts reveals that predominantly Asian cities top the rankings for the most dense cities. However, comparison with other metropolises eclipses the fact that Manhattan's figure is much greater than that of New York City, and worldly comparisons usually take into account of the entire city proper. With over 8 million residents and spanning over 300 square miles, New York City has about 27,000 people / square mile. However when Manhattan is solely focused, the 1.6 million people in land area of around 23 square miles corresponds to about 70,000 people / square mile. That figure eclipses the population densities of metropolises like Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta. However, caution should be noted that while Manhattan is simply a dense enclave of New York City with population around 1.6 million, the figures for the Indian metropolises include the entire city proper that has 5 to 10 million people.

A discussion of high population density cannot go unfinished without mentioning Kowloon Walled City. A former Chinese garrison area and a residential area in Hong Kong before demolished in 1993, Kowloon Walled City had about 33,000 people living in the 6.5 acre area, corresponding to over 3 million people / square mile. At that density, 65 million people could be jammed into Manhattan. Even if "the current streets and parks were left intact," about half of that, or the population of California could fit into Manhattan.

Sources:

• http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/realestate/how-many-people-can-manhattan-hold.html
• http://www.forbes.com/2007/12/14/cities-pollution-asia-biz-logistics-cx_tvr_1214densecities.html
• http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/36/36061.html
• http://chom.hubpages.com/hub/The-densest-living-place-in-the-world-Hong-Kong-Kowloon-Walled-City
• http://www.tofu-magazine.net/newVersion/pages/KWC.html

Staten Island: Highest Per Capita Road Tolls

Residents and visitors of New York City continuously face higher toll fees compared to the rest of the nation. While the southbound toll on Golden Gate Bridge is $6 for cash users, fees on any of the eastbound Hudson River crossing recently increased to $13 for cash users. In 2000, while the United States collected $6.6 billion in tolls, $2.0 billion came from New York state alone, while $711 million came from neighboring New Jersey. While tolls can be burdensome for commuters and tourists, nowhere is the burden heavier than on Staten Island, the city's "forgotten borough."

First, consider the tolls on bridge and tunnel crossings into Manhattan for standard cars. Note that fees vary depending on the timing and other circumstances (E-ZPass and residency discounts). Let's just consider peak-hour fees for cash payers without residency discounts, the worst-case scenario. For entering Manhattan:

• George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel, Holland Tunnel: $12
• Henry Hudson Bridge (crossing Harlem River): $4
• 9 other Harlem River crossings: free
• RFK Bridge, Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, Queens Midtown Tunnel (all crossing East River): $6.50, although tolls are charged in both directions
• Brooklyn Bridge, Manhattan Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, Queensboro Bridge (all crossing East River): free

Now under the same conditions, for entering Staten Island:

• Verrazano–Narrows Bridge: $13
• Bayonne Bridge, Goethals Bridge, Outerbridge Crossing: $12

Not only are the tolls on bridges coming into Staten Island more expensive on average, but there are also fewer (none, to be exact) alternatives. New York state collects about $105 in road tolls per person each year, which is over four times the national average of $23.45. But the burden is even more concentrated in Staten Island, which pays nearly $293 per person. The effects aren't just felt by the residents. Staten Island suffers competitive disadvantage, as business location decisions are largely influenced by tolls.

While some may point at the free Staten Island Ferry to Manhattan, public transport is still more inconvenient for commuters and impractical for businesses. The ferry completes the 5+ mile journey in around 30 minutes. Furthermore, the Staten Island Railway (SIR) only has one line situated along the southern portion of the city. With a population of nearly 500,000, Staten Island would be a mid-sized city in the country if separated. However, its 14 miles of rail service is shorter than service in a smaller city like Cleveland. The situation is not improved when residents remember that they are officially part of New York City, which boasts the nation's most sophisticated rail network. As a result, more residents have turned to cars, but they then face the highest per capita toll in the nation. The transportation situation in Staten Island strongly reinforces the mindset of its residents that they are part of the "forgotten borough" of the city.

Sources:

• http://www.cunyspsc.org/files/papers_o/p_TRA_2010_SI_Toll_Burden_White_Paper_v3_o.pdf
• http://www.mta.info/mta/pdf/approved_bandt_tolls.pdf
• http://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/tolls.html

Booming Growth yet Homelessness in North Dakota

Related previous post: Economic Growth in North Dakota

North Dakota is back on the news again with its strong economic growth. With the recent discovery of ways to tap the oil fields around Bakken Formation, demand has been high to hire not only skilled labor in the field, but also people from all sectors of the industry necessary to support the infrastructure of the business. From restaurant waiters to truck drivers, companies have not only been seeking to hire multitudes, but also offering lofty compensation in hope to entice people to come to oil boom-towns like Williston, ND to work. Truck drivers can make an average of $70,000 to $80,000 a year, and some fast-food restaurants have double their wages. While the numbers certainly look great, there is a severe shortage of lodging in the area. Where six-figure salaries are offered, homelessness has become a burden.

In order to sustain this economic growth, adequate housing is necessary to sustain the population growth. Unfortunately, the pace of housing has not caught up to the pace of jobs. Only about 2,000 new housing units have been built in the past year. Fortunate people have found space in "man camps" that the oil companies have built. But many have resorted to desperate measures to lodge in their cars, claiming parking lots as their street addresses. The situation is far from ideal, but the lucrative pay nevertheless has drawn many willing to sacrifice basic living conditions.

There have been efforts to invest in this area. First Millenium Construction is building a 500-person man camp in Watford City. Jarvis Green of the company expects a "200% to 300% return on the multi-million dollar investment." The investment opportunity certainly looks bright, as the discovery and the growth around Bakken Formation have only recently begun . But while the real estate growth currently lags behind the influx of people looking to take advantage of the boom, people in the oil-towns of North Dakota live within a seemingly incongruous juxtaposition: economic prosperity and homelessness.

Sources:

• http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Americas-Boomtown-North-cnnm-1424053087.html
• http://money.cnn.com/2011/09/28/pf/north_dakota_jobs/index.htm?source=yahoo_hosted

Congestion Charge Plan in Beijing

Earlier this month, officials in the Chinese capital said that congestion fees will be introduced on some roads to combat the notorious traffic woes in the city. The idea isn't novel; some European cities already have the practice, and New York City has also considered the plan. Beijing currently has 4.8 million registered vehicles. Measures have taken to curb that growth. Since 2008, certain vehicles have been barred from the streets depending on its license plate and the day of the week. Furthermore starting January, cap has been placed on new car registrations at 20,000 per month.

The goal of the congestion fee is to encourage public transportation usage. A senior municipal official is quoted to say that "by 2015, our goal is to have public transportation handling 50 percent share of traffic volume inside the Fifth Ring Road." However, strong measures have been taken in the past to encourage public transportation usage. The Beijing Subway has enormously expanded within the last decade to climb to worldly ranks of 4th in track length and 5th in ridership. Furthermore in 2007, the fares were reduced to a flat-rate of 2 RMB with unlimited transfers. The municipal government took on the deficit to encourage public transportation usage. While ridership has increased, so has the ownership of cars with the rise of middle-class who can afford personal vehicles.

Transportation service is an inelastic demand. An environmental activist in Beijing is quoted to say that "imposing the toll itself won't change that people have to travel long distances from their homes to work." The convenience offered by cars still exceeds that from mass transit. To truly encourage public transportation usage, mass transit simply needs to be more convenient, by exploiting the pitfall of vehicle usage, congestion. If mass transit can be much faster and more reliable, it could potentially be more convenient. A key to make faster trains is to build express lines. Currently, neither the Shanghai and Beijing Metro has express lines running parallel to local lines, as they do in some parts of New York City's Subway. Instead of focusing on express, both of the Chinese cities are currently expanding lines to new areas. While that encourages more mass transit usage from outer, suburban areas, it still leaves traveling within the city center somewhat inconvenient. By investing in express lines that could take a person from Point A to Point B faster than a car could in the normally congested streets, citizens may truly see public transportation as more convenient.

For the growing middle class, money may not be the ultimate incentive. Despite higher parking prices and other costs associated with driving, they still buy vehicles in bulks and become angered when they can't get the vehicle registration under the current quota. Lowering the costs of public transportation fares may be a miniscule amount to them. Instead, making them more convenient may be the best way to tap into their incentives and get into the heart of the congestion problem in Beijing, and other crowded metropolises.

Sources:

• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14761711
• http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2011-09/03/content_13610318.htm

South Sudan: Birth of a Nation

Yesterday, South Sudan became the newest country when it officially seceded from Sudan. After decades of bloody civil war that left 1.5 million dead, a 2005 peace deal allowed autonomy within South Sudan. A referendum in January of 2011 showed that close to 99% of the population voted for independence. On July 9th, South Sudan finally raised its own flag, and was immediately recognized by its norther neighbor Sudan, as well as a group of Western countries. While encouraging signs were shown to ease the transition, critical concerns must be addressed to ensure peace in the fragile region.

In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. To this date, less than half of United Nation members formally recognize Kosovo; Serbia doesn't recognize Kosovo. South Sudan, on the other hand, has seen numerous recognitions, including the first from Sudan. The marking of the independence in South Sudan was attended by Omar Hassan al-Bashir, the President of Sudan who had tried to keep Africa's largest nation united. His presence was a "key gesture of goodwill," and al-Bashir reinforces his concilatory stances by remarking that "the will of the people of the South has to be respected."

Yet challenges remain for South Sudan, both internal and external. It is one of world's least developed countries with the worst maternal mortality rate. Security is also a challenge, as there are active rebel groups within the country. On a broader perspective, border and citizenship issues with its new neighbor Sudan have yet to be determined. Dividing oil wealth is another huge challenge. Although South Sudan comprises only around a third of the former Sudan, it possesses about three quarters of the oil reserves. Although a huge step was marked in the progression toward peace with the independence of South Sudan, important new issues must be addressed diplomatically in order to avoid a renewal of warfare in the region.

Sources:

• http://news.yahoo.com/south-sudanese-dance-celebrate-independence-030414204.html
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14095681