Zachary Elgart

Dedicated to innovative planning concepts that promote active transportation and complete mobility solutions. I am also increasingly interested in the promotion of positive urban development strategies and the rejuvenation of disused urban space. My goal as a professional is to influence and oversee the design, creation and implementation of urban concepts that encourage healthy lifestyles and recreational endeavors while enabling equitable accessibility and economic enhancement.

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The experts agree, a gas tax is dated and has no future. Now, let's get on with fixing things already!

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The take-home message from all this is that it’s critical to strategically deploy vehicle automation technologies according to their strengths and weaknesses. At some point, Level 5 automation will be achieved and driverless taxis will become feasible – but it’s important to think beyond just driverless taxis. To create the best possible mix of urban transportation options, it’s essential to consider the advantages and disadvantages of a range of potential automated vehicles and services – including buses, driverless taxis, and low-speed vehicles. Even more important, there's no need to wait for a Level 5 world with fully-fledged driverless taxis to appear before reaping the benefits of automation – and transit agencies have an opportunity to take the lead.

http://www.humantransit.org/2015/06/guest-post-driverless-taxis-driverless-buses-and-the-future-urban-mobility-mix.html

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Congress, I’m taking a stand for #transportation. Are you? #SU4T http://bit.ly/1xk6duG http://thndr.it/1G6DTxp

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Great idea!

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I am co-sponsoring Rep. Blumenauer’s bill because we need a first-rate transportation system and the responsible thing to do is pay for it,

Now that makes sense!

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Eric Jaffe breaks down AASHTO's recent work looking at alternative funding mechanisms for US transportation, highlighting the concept of a nation wide road user fee as the most lucrative. Now, if we could only figure out how to convince decision-makers/voters...

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Forget the association with a simple lifestyle and the picturesque nature of farm and ranch land. Texas needs to prioritize the maintenance of such spaces to avoid worsening the current drought and to continue to provide for its massively growing population. Maybe a system of balancing land use at a regional or state level should be enacted by the legislature? Or, maybe there is currently such a system I don't know about. Does anybody know more about planning and land use in Texas that could share some info on this? (via How Skyrocketing Development in Texas Could Suck the State Dry - CityLab)

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A great way to explain legislation! However, on first blush (I have not researched this further) this particular proposition seems like a short-term solution to a long-term problem that could prevent future innovation. (via Animation: What is Proposition 1? | The Texas Tribune)

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About 18 percent of Pennsylvania’s bridges are structurally deficient, which means deterioration of at least one component puts the bridge at risk for weight restriction and eventual closure. The national average is less than 8 percent. But beginning next year, at least 500 of the Keystone State’s more than 4,000 structurally deficient bridges will be rebuilt under the Pennsylvania P3 Act. Absent the act, the bridge replacements would take 15 to 20 years, according to Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) spokeswoman Erin Waters-Trasatt.

Sounds like a very efficient and forward-thinking way to solve a major transportation problem.

A Cost-Effective Way to Rebuild 500 Bridges

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The U.S. experience illustrates that national transportation planning is best conceived as two systems — one inter-metropolitan and one intra-metropolitan — and that the institutions, goals, methods, and financing instruments for those two systems should differ.

Imagine what our transportation system could be like under this type of policy!  What the Interstate Highway System Should Have Looked Like - Eric Jaffe - The Atlantic Cities

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the Los Angeles Public Library is now adding another innovation to this lengthening list: It's planning to offer high school diplomas. The library announced Thursday that it will work with a private online education company to offer classes for high-school credit with in-person support at individual branches. The program is geared toward adult drop-outs, who would ultimately receive a diploma, not a GED.

A brilliant idea!  

The L.A. Public Library Is About to Start Offering High School Diplomas - Emily Badger - The Atlantic Cities

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If only the price for curb space in this deal was appropriate and market driven.

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(via Watch the Dramatic Makeover of New York's Streets - Sarah Goodyear - The Atlantic Cities)

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The NYDOT continues to impress me with their forward thinking and inclusive actions.  (via A Before-and-After Guide to Safer Streets - Eric Jaffe - The Atlantic Cities)

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I'll have to read the paper to know for sure, but this sounds brilliant at first blush.  A P3 that pays local citizen investors!

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I wish we did more of this! (via Can a Highway Median Become an Alluring Public Space? - Nate Berg - The Atlantic Cities)