The Guardian

The roads were unusually clear but skies remained stubbornly smoggy in Beijing today at the start of an attempt to curb smog before the Olympics begin in three weeks.

The final stage of the programme, which began yesterday, saw half the city’s 3.3m cars banned from the roads each day, depending on whether their number plates end in an odd or even digit.

Clean Tech Blog

Article discusses an innovative technology that reduces emissions related to driving by implementing ‘smart’ technology to traffic lights that activate lights according to traffic patterns.

Miami, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Seattle and New York City were selected to participate in a new $848.1 million dollar federal initiative to fight traffic congestion.

“The program aims to cut traffic congestion using approaches like congestion pricing, transit, tolling, and teleworking.”

In 1995 Seattle’s traffic ranked 7th-worst in the United States, with drivers spending an average of 52 hours in traffic due to congestion. In 2005, Seattle drivers are spending an average of 45 hours, and rank 19th-worst.

Some think the roads and transit plan will improve commute in Pierce, King and Snohomish counties. However, some argue that it will not solve “traffic congestion in the short term, nor does it provide enough long-term relief to justify the financial and environmental costs.”

“It’s time for Toronto to give less priority to cars and more to other modes of transport, a senior Toronto official bluntly told the city’s works committee.”

Traffic congestion is getting worse in the King County area, and is forcing drivers to look for alternatives such as driving less.

A report says that Toronto has seen 440 premature deaths each year due to exhaust from cars, trucks and buses, giving the city a $2.2 billion health care bill.

Source: CITRIS

“CITRIS researchers at UC Berkeley are exploring new ways to use sensors to monitor our infrastructure—including water and traffic. The Lagrangian Sensor project, led by UC Berkeley Professor Alexandre Bayen, is developing new technologies for managing estuarial water systems like the Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta of Northern California.”