Wednesday News Roundup

Congratulations to Michelle, John, and James for identifying Monday’s sidewalk photo as East Market Street looking toward Clay Street in Nulu. Here’s a new sidewalk photo ready for guesses in the comments. Don’t forget to nominate your choice in our contest to identify the Best New Landmark of 2009 (there are prizes!).

Local News

• Wayside gets permit to open hotel, use kitchen at Broadway site (C-J, Wave 3, WFPL)
• Also hopes to make some extra money with event space, possible coffee shop (Wave 3)
• Unapproved adverti-benches under attack in New Albany, city to install new ones (N & T)
• Jefferson Forest adds 27 acres, new trail with latest property acquisition (C-J)
• Lou Downtown Mgmt District gets new neon green uniforms to reflect ‘going green’ (C-J)
• More on the grand opening of the Louisville Beer Store on East Market Street (C-J)
• 33rd Old Louisville Holiday House Tour set for Dec. 5-6, tickets on sale (louisville.com)
• Boone Gardiner, dating to 1899, wins 2009 Agribusiness of the Year (Biz First)

Transportation

• A few very cool crosswalks from around the world (Sidewalk Starts)
• Despite rainy weather, 2nd Car Free Happy Hour a success (Pedalaround)
• Does TARC need a real time system to warn of delays, arrival times? (louisville.com)
• How to design a great Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT), block by block (StreetsBlog)
• Check out these photos of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) system in Phoenix (TreeHugger)
• Chart: Correlating trips by bike and obesity rate of several countries (GOOD)
• Chart: 2008 commuting trends of major U.S. cities by car and transit (The Edit)
• In an accident? Software helps you reconstruct the scene (Super Colossal)
• Considering the future of infrastructure: Same old game or innovation? (NY Times)
• Distracted driving: startling poll results on the frequency of texter-drivers (ChiTrib)
• Counterintuitive? States ban texti-driving but send traffic updates via Twitter (ABC)
• Mayor ‘exploring the issue’ of banning excessive car idling for air quality (C-J, Mojo)
• Construction begins yet again on Harrods Creek Bridge on River Road (Fox 41)
• State lawmakers briefed on the incredible economic power of McAlpine Locks (WFPL)

Everything Else

• Can stabilizing abandoned buildings help to reduce crime in cities? (Smart Growth Am)
• Study: preservation is ‘almost always’ greener than building new (Urban Sust. via Twitter)
• Feds to promote regional planning to solve city problems across jurisdictions (GOOD)
• Feds subsidize big home builders who overbuilt suburbs in first place (NY Times via P-zen)
• Downtown Bardstown set for ped safety, traffic pattern improvements (Fox 41)
• New cooling system looks a lot like geothermal but with air instead of liquid (TreeHugger)
• Could simply taking a walk in the park improve your health? (WaPo)