Climate Transportation

New site shows how far public transportation will take you

Mapnificent lets you see how far you can get on public transportation in a set amont of time, in more than 60 metro areas worldwide. (Above: 15 minutes on bus and rail in Chicago.) It's a new way of visualizing how easy it is to navigate a city without a car. You can use it to check out places where you might want to live or visit, to get an idea of how far transportation will get you and how much of your day it might take up to get where you need to go.

Here's what 15 minutes looks like in a few more cities:

NYC cyclist gets doored by clueless cops

If you're riding a bike and get doored, it sucks no matter what. But what if, like Stephen Mann, you get doored by a cop?

Judging from Mann's account, it's even worse than getting hit by your run-of-the-mill inconsiderate driver.

How do you design a bike that will make people give up cars?

Oregon Manifest is a challenge, sponsored in part by Levi's, to bike designers and constructors to build "The Ultimate Modern Utility Bike." The bike must have features like built-in anti-theft devices, fenders, lighting, load-carrying capability, and kickstand. Bikes entered into the contest will be tested on a 50 mile course that covers city and dirt roads, asphalt, gravel, hills, and stairs. The winner receives a $3,000 prize.

In Baltimore, Zipcar users take fewer car trips

Baltimore is an old, industrial city with old, car-focused transportation infrastructure. But add a little Zipcar in, and Baltimore residents suddenly get a lot more gung ho about walking, biking, and taking the bus.

The Bike Factor: Disability and the ability to ride a bicycle

For many people with disabilities, cars don't just symbolize independence and freedom, they make them possible. But this isn't universally true

Bikes — and rollerbladers — beat plane in Carmageddon race

What happens when L.A. is debilitated by repairs on a 10-mile stretch of freeway? Some people hop on a 35-mile plane ride to bypass it. And others get on their bikes and make it there in half the time. 

Play chutes and ladders on public transportation

The designers of this "Transit Accelerator" in the Dutch city of Utrecht have the right idea about making public transportation fun: turn it into a board game, or recess. What other inspiration can public transit take from childhood? Personally I'd like to see merry-go-round train cars where you ride on My Little Ponies.

JetBlue offers $4 L.A.-to-L.A. flights for Carmageddon

Los Angeles is quaking in fear of "Carmageddon" this weekend, when 10 miles of heavily-populated Route 405 will be shut down. But never fear, Angelenos ... you won't have to spend even a single weekend not pumping out tons of carbon! JetBlue will let you fly from Burbank (just north of L.A.) to Long Beach (just south of L.A.) for only $4.

More density equals less driving: just an urban legend?

The National Household Transportation Survey suggests that only the steepest increases in density lead to reduced car usage.

Fight climate change by following the speed limit

Bay Area drivers could get a friendly push from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to fight climate change through "smart driving." This means: going easy on fuel consumption by avoiding sudden acceleration, keeping their tires inflated, ditching the golf clubs in the truck, keeping their cars tuned up, and most of all, following the goddamn speed limit.