John Robert Smith Discusses Why He Left His Hometown For Washington, DC
Reconnecting America's CEO and co-chair of Transportation has grandson's future in mind as he works on reforming federal transportation program.
John Robert Smith, CEO of Reconnecting America and co-chair of Transportation For America, discusses why he left his hometown of Meridian, MS, where he grew up in the house his grandfather built, a home he had lived in all of his life, to come to DC and work on reforming our country's federal transportation program. [video]
(February 12, 2010)
Conservative Argument For Rail
William Lind, co-author of Moving Minds: Conservatives And Public Transportation discusses arguments for light rail in Streetfilms video
At the Rail~Volution conference in Boston this year (see this article) Streetfilms caught up with William Lind, the co-author of Moving Minds: Conservatives And Public Transportation. The book, which you can buy here, was co-published by Reconnecting America and the Free Congress Foundation and gathers together studies by conservative transit advocates Paul Weyrich and Lind. (Click on Full Story to watch video)
(November 13, 2009)
Privatizing The Cost Of Transportation
Are we driving to the poorhouse in an automobile?
In this video, recorded at a national streetcar workshop in Los Angeles last year, Scott Bernstein, president of the Center for Neighborhood Technology, talks about why affordability isn’t just about housing costs anymore: In the early 1920s when every US city of more than 5,000 residents had at least one streetcar line, households spent an average of just 3 percent of household income on transportation. Today families spend an average of 19 percent.
(April 24, 2009)
Streetcar Economics
Michael Powell explains why he’s become “evangelical” about streetcars
In this 17-minute video, Michael Powell of Powell’s Books talks about why he led the effort to convince property owners in Portland’s Pearl District to tax themselves to build a streetcar line, and what that streetcar has done for economic development in Portland.
(March 27, 2009)
Now We Know Change Is Possible
DONATE to Reconnecting America: Help Us Make Change Happen
Now more than ever Americans realize change is possible, that we can act together to set this country on a new course that better responds to today¹s realities. At Reconnecting America we believe we can provide affordable, convenient, healthy lifestyles for Americans of all ages and incomes in diverse and human-scaled communities. Reconnecting America is well-positioned and working hard to make this 21st Century American Dream a reality.
(December 17, 2008)
Janette Sadik-Khan Reinvents the Streets of New York City
She garners lots of attention since taking over as commissioner of NYC DOT
Since taking over as New York City's Commissioner of the Department of Transportation last year, Reconnecting America Board President Janette Sadik-Khan has garnered worldwide attention for her aggressive agenda to make streets friendly to all users and not just cars. She's creating public space for pedestrians where there was none, is adding miles and miles of bike lanes all over the city, and is creating special lanes for buses all with the goal of providing enough transportation options that private auto use can be reduced in the most congested parts of town.
Watch a short Streetfilms video she talks with Mark Gorton, executive director of the nonprofit Open Planning Project.
(December 17, 2008)
The Human Scale
Reconnecting America’s first video about the role of walkable, transit-oriented, mixed-use neighborhoods
The "The Human Scale" is Reconnecting America’s first video about the role of walkable, transit-oriented, mixed-use neighborhoods in addressing the enormous challenges Americans face today. This country’s national transportation policy has barely changed since the 1950s, when gas was 20 cents a gallon. The world today is a very different one and it demands a 21st century transportation policy. Reconnecting America is a core partner in the Transportation For America campaign, www.t4america.org.
(September 16, 2008)
