Street Art, On View Through October (Abbie Fentress Swanson Photo)

On Friday, the New York City Department of Transportation unveiled a new temporary outdoor exhibit on a 50-foot corrugated fence under the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge at the junction of Vernon Boulevard and South Queens Plaza in Queens.

The show, called When it opens like this, up is not over, exhibits six large-scale color photographs by New York artist Rena Leinberger.

To make the works, Leinberger first shot photographs of scenes behind the fence along Vernon Boulevard, which is an area normally not open to the public. Then she suspended pieces of cut-up emergency blankets and blue latex gloves over the photographs and re-shot them, giving the works a confetti-like effect.

Leinberger’s exhibit is part of the Department of Transportation’s Urban Art Program and the International Studio & Curatorial Program, which is a non-profit, residency-based contemporary art institution for emerging to mid-career artists and curators.

When it opens like this, up is not over will be on view through October 31. Check out photos of the exhibition here.

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(Photo (cc) by Flickr user Ed Yourdon)

MTA officials are moving forward with plans to make cell phone service available at more subway stations.  The next two will be Times Square and Rockefeller Center.  Transit Wireless, the company creating the subway cell phone network, says engineering work has begun on both projects, and construction will begin in the spring, with service available by late July or early August 2012.

After those stations are cell phone accessible, Transit Wireless says 5 or 6 stations a month will be added after that.  In all, 30 stations will get cell phone service this year.  Cell service was first introduced at stations on the Seventh and Eighth Avenues at 14th street, and 23rd Street on the C and E lines.

While it would follow that broader cell phone service could lead to noisier subway cars, a spokesman for Transit Wireless says new data show that might not be the case.  Only a quarter of underground cell phone users actually use their devices to talk on the subway.  Most – 75% – use their phones for texting and data, like reading online.

Cell phones are becoming increasingly common in subways systems nationwide.

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Other insights:  the bill created the tea-party, no one had any idea which projects were stimulus projects, and no one noticed when their teachers weren’t fired.

And — the bill wasn’t nearly as effective as it could have been.

Check out the full segment.

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Expect a slew of car commercials during Sunday’s Super Bowl. No news there. Nor is it surprising that, along with beer companies, Doritos, Hulu, and other advertisers, automakers are shelling out, on average, $3.4 million for a 30 second spot.

However, this year, savvy advertisers have been especially keen to pre-release the best ads for Super Bowl 2012 to get buzz going early through You Tube and social media. So, if you’re willing to spoil your Sunday ad surprise, here’s a roundup of the car commercials created for the Super Bowl.

(Oh, and by the way, do women drive cars? See if you can spot any women in these ads driving (not sitting on a couch in their underwear.))

According to Ad Age — which has done some thorough tracking of NFL and Super Bowl ad trends — the big winner so far has been the teaser ad and later full release of present day Matthew Broderick living out some famous moments from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. Initially the teaser ad at the top of this post was “leaked” without attribution, leading to online speculation of what might be coming from Broderick. Then Honda dropped this full version of its CR-V ad with more than two dozen references to the ’80s film classic:

Like many of the other ads below, this strategy earned over 10 million views before the weekend even started. Here are the rest of the pre-released Super Bowl car commercials, our favorites on top.

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In his opening statement, House Ways and Means Committee Chair David Camp (R-MI) said:

“The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has recently estimated that the Highway Trust Fund will run out of money for highway projects in Fiscal Year 2013 and for mass transit projects in Fiscal Year 2014.  The bill before us today will provide stable funding for these projects for at least the next 5 years—without raising a dollar in new or higher taxes or adding a penny to the deficit.”

But transit advocates see it as a gutting of what’s been a reliable — if diminishing — source of funds for mass transit.  Instead of using a small fraction of the gas tax to fund transit, the bill pushes that funding over to the general fund — which means it would be subject to yearly appropriations, leaving its future uncertain.

In a letter signed by some 200 transit advocates, including the American Public Transportation Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Transportation for America, the signatories wrote:

“In place of gasoline tax revenues, the legislation would provide a one-­‐time  $40 billion transfer of General Fund revenues to the Alternative Transportation Account. Not only is this level of funding insufficient to fully fund the proposed authorized levels for the Alternative Transportation Account, but it would subject transit and CMAQ funding to the annual  appropriations process. This change will  make it  impossible for public  transit  systems  across  the  country  to  plan  for  the  future.  It  will  also  make  it impossible for the FTA to honor grant agreements.”

After the vote, David Goldberg, Communications Director for T4America, wasn’t shy about expressing his disgust:

“It is a cruel blow to the millions of Americans who use public transportation and to those who would like the option in the future,” Goldberg said. “Everybody can expect their air quality to get worse and will see no relief from congestions.”

The bill now goes to the full House.  If it passes, it would need to be reconciled with a vastly different Senate bill.  An agreement must be reached — or an extension approved — by March 31.

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Photo by Gail Delaughter/KUHF

(Houston, TX — Gail Delaughter, KUHF)    Business leaders gathered in Houston this week to look at ways to position the region as the “Gateway to North America.”

Harris County’s International Trade and Transportation Conference focused on how goods are transported from the Port of Houston by truck and rail,  and what needs to be done to improve the system in terms of easing congestion and streamlining the flow of goods.  With a land mass larger than the state of Rhode Island, Harris County, Texas is the nation’s third-largest county, home to over four million people.  Sprawling Houston makes up much of the county, but you’ll also find refinery towns, rural areas, and pristine planned communities.

The event was organized by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, the county’s top elected official.

“It’s fine to talk about ships coming from overseas, but if the infrastructure on the land can’t handle the freight, then those ships will go somewhere else.”

The Port of Houston is a huge complex, with about 25 miles of docks and other facilities east of downtown. Ships travel to the port from the Gulf of Mexico via the Houston Ship Channel. Officials say business has been strong, and a lot of it has to do with steel pipe and other goods that are brought in to support increased drilling activity. Figures show the Port of Houston ranks first in the U.S. in handling foreign waterborne tonnage and second in terms of overall tonnage.  Officials cite a recent study showing the port has about a 118 billion dollar economic impact in Texas.  State and local sales tax revenues are pegged at close to four billion dollars.

Emmett is a former transportation executive and served on the House Transportation Committee while a member of the Texas State Legislature. As for particular challenges facing the region’s transportation system, Emmett cites as one  example the current rail network.  A steam locomotive is featured on Houston’s city seal to honor the role trains played in the region’s development, but Emmett says tracks that were laid out in the 19th century now have to accommodate  21st century transportation.

“We have a good railroad system, but the railroad system in the Houston area was really built a century ago, and we need to make sure it’s modernized, and grade crossings are eliminated and bridges are where they need to be.”

Another focus of the conference was truck transportation. Emmett says traffic jams on Houston’s extensive freeway system can be costly to transportation companies, and leaders have to find a way to keep big rigs from getting tied up in commuter traffic.

“You know, right now, containers are taken off of a ship and put on the ground, and picked up and put on a truck, and then they’re trucked to a rail head somewhere to an intermodal facility. We need to make those connections to intermodal facilities as seamless as possible.”

The conference also heard from shippers concerning what they need right now to do their jobs more efficiently. They say their immediate need is actually finding drivers to carry those loads.

“Today, unlike a couple of years ago,  when the economy was in much different shape, there’s a perfect storm brewing for factors affecting supply.”

That’s Brian Fielkow, president of the Houston shipping firm Jetco Delivery and a board member of the Texas Motor Transport Association.  As for why he’s having a hard time finding truckers, Fielkow says for one, it’s getting more expensive to buy a truck if you want to be an independent operator.  He says while a new truck cost around $80,000 a few years ago, that price is now up to about $120,000.

“That’s taken the used market right up with it. So from capital, to government regulations, however you want to measure it, the idea of, ‘Well let’s start a trucking company, that sounds like a good idea’ are gone.”

As for government regulations, individual safety scores for ground transportation carriers are now available on public databases through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, and Accountability program.  Databases include information on driver fatigue, driver fitness, drug and alcohol violations, vehicle maintenance, and cargo securement issues. You can see how many times a company has been put out of service, as well as results of driver inspections.

Fielkow says companies now have access to a lot of information and may be reluctant to hire a driver with a less-than-perfect score, even though that person may have a satisfactory rating.

“Think about the litigious world that we live in. So if we hire this guy, assuming he’ll get better, and then he has an accident, what is the first thing a plaintiff’s lawyer is going to pick up?”

Fielkow says while companies worry about the increasing cost of fuel, the focus needs to be on retaining drivers and training new ones as the older ones retire.

As for what Houston shippers can do right now, Fielkow says companies need to plan ahead and not assume trucks will always be available.

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(photo by Patricia Towne via flickr)

Yesterday’s markup of the five year, $260 billion surface transportation bill lasted 18 hours. Congresswoman Corrine Brown: “This has been the worst day of my life…This is the worst bill I have ever seen.” (Politico)’

And: the bill’s truck weight increase was killed. (The Hill)

Los Angeles Times on transpo bill: It’s a “legislative train wreck.”

And: the House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled today to debate and vote on ending the 30-year policy of devoting 2.86 cents of the 18.4- cent gasoline tax paid by U.S. motorists to public transportation. “The money would instead go toward keeping a U.S. account for road and bridge construction solvent.” (Bloomberg)

Meanwhile, after four years of wrangling and one shutdown, the FAA will soon get a bill of its own (NPR). Tweet from  the AP’s Joan Lowy: “What will aviation lobbyists do now?”

In other news…when will New York State release the names of the bidders for the Tappan Zee Bridge project? (Wall Street Journal)

NJ lawmakers — still fuming over last year’s toll hike — released four bills from committee intended to rein in and open up the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. (Star-Ledger)

California’s legislature restored $248 million for school bus transportation that was particularly crucial for small and rural school districts. (Los Angeles Times)

Madison’s buses set a ridership record in 2011. (Wisconsin State Journal)

Is there a NYC ticket blitz? (NY Times)

Carjackings in Newark rose for the third straight year in 2011. (Star-Ledger)

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Richard succeeds Thomas Umberg, who abruptly resigned that post last month.  Umberg  will remain on the board as an active member.

Here’s Richard’s bio, from the CAHSRA press release:

Dan Richard of Piedmont, has been a principal of Dan Richard Advisors since 2010. He was managing partner and co-founder of Heritage Oak Capital Partners, an infrastructure finance firm, from 2007 to 2009 and was senior vice president of public policy and governmental relations at Pacific Gas and Electric Company from 1997 to 2006.

Richard was an elected member of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District from 1992 to 2004, where he served twice as president of the Board. At the Bay Area Rapid Transit District, Richard led efforts to secure $4 billion in capital for system rehabilitation projects, the transit system’s expansion to the San Francisco Airport and seismic retrofit programs. 

Richard was a principal at Morse, Richard, Weisenmiller & Associates from 1986 to 1996, a firm serving the independent power industry and project finance lending community. He was vice president of Independent Power Corporation from 1983 to 1986. Richard served as Governor Brown’s deputy legal affairs secretary from 1982 to 1983 and deputy assistant for science and technology from 1978 to 1979.  He was advisor to the chairman of the California Energy Commission from 1978 to 1982.

Richard began his career at National Aeronautics and Space Administration, where he was an assistant to the deputy associate administrator from 1972 to 1978. Richard received his Juris Doctor degree from McGeorge School of Law.  

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MTA App Winners (NY MTA photo)

A company that created an app to find transit directions that can be used in subway tunnels won the NY MTA’s competition for the best Smartphone software app for riders

Embark NYC, can help NYC subway riders plan trips, see schedules for their particular route, and use an interactive map of the subway system.

David Hodge and Ian Leighton of Embark worked with two others to create the free application.  “It even works underground, while you’re in the subway,” said Hodge.

The second prize was awarded to Free NYC Subway Locator, created by Jordan Hill of Flatiron Factory.  His app lets users find the nearest subway stop to wherever they are.  But it only works on the iPhone.  Still, Hill said it took months to complete. “I’ll spend next summer developing the Subway Locator for the Android,” joked Hill.

The contest also featured winners voted on by the public.  The top spot for the popular choice award went to CityMaps, and app developed by Christopher Winfield.  It combines real-time information about local businesses with subway information about how to reach them.

One of the honorable mention apps, called Art by Subway NYC, lets iPhone or iPad users discover commissioned artworks within the subway system.  Another one, Annadale Apps links iPhone users with the Staten Island Ferry and Staten Island Railway schedules so that they become one seamless entity. All forty-two new apps can be found on the website http://mtaappquest.com/

Winners received anywhere from $5-thousand to $500-dollars, and get to keep their intellectual property.  They were fêted at a ceremony at Grand Central Terminal.  But MTA Chairman Joseph Lhota  said: “It’s pretty clear who the real winners are: all of us—the riding public—the 8.5 million people who use our system every single day and now have more tools to make those trips easier and more rewarding,” said Lhota.

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The New York Post, citing anonymous sources, reported that the MTA had caved in to costly union demands. The paper said the agency would give subway operators three paid days off when they hit someone. Current policy only gives workers time off if a person is killed by a subway car.

But MTA chairman Joseph Lhota said that article is patently false. “The MTA has agreed to nothing,” said Lhota. He went on to accuse the newspaper of “damaging” the negotiation process. Lhota made the comments in New York City’s Grand Central Terminal, at a press conference announcing new subway apps.

The Union’s been working without a contract since January 15^th. Key areas of contention between the two sides are wages and healthcare costs.

Transport Workers Union Local 100 President John Samuelsen halted talks two weeks ago, after accusing the MTA of negotiating in the media. The MTA then charged the union of doing the same.

Still, Lhota is hopeful. “John Samuelson and I have had very constructive discussions and I look forward to continuing negotiations with John,” said Lhota.

The MTA is pushing the union to accept a five year contract with no wage increases for the first three years; the union is vying for cost of living wage increases each year and a shorter, three year contract.

Officials on both sides say there’s no threat of a transit strike at this time.

The last transit strike was in December of 2005 and lasted 3 days.  TWU Local 100 represents about 34,000 workers.

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