Cities have good reason for optimism

This job just keeps getting better. Last month, I addressed transportation leaders from the States; today I get to address the National League of Cities. Just as I had good news for the states, today I can say there are many positives on the horizon for American cities.

Whether you're from a rural, suburban, or urban area, we all can agree that cities provide energy, diversity, and the capacity to drive economic activity. American cities are great innovators, and though times are tough in our cities right now, they will emerge from this challenge stronger and smarter, with new ideas and efficiencies that enhance the quality of urban life.

Because of the release of stimulus funds, cities will soon be humming with construction workers, engineers, and maintenance crews. You’ll see roads repaved, interchanges improved, and bus and rail systems repaired, upgraded, and expanded.

But, the stimulus is just the beginning. We need to find ways to keep people employed – and keep transportation healthy –after these recovery funds are expended. To that end, this administration is committed to strengthening and streamlining all federal transportation programs. As I told the National Bike Summit last week, we are absolutely committed to more livable, sustainable communities by reducing congestion, by building housing near transit, by supporting all modes of transportation.

Tomorrow, I will speak to a House Appropriations panel on our commitment to livable mobility. The era of one-size-fits-all transportation projects must give way to one where preserving and enhancing the qualities that make each community special, whether it’s rural or urban, is a primary goal rather than an afterthought.

The highways, airports, and transit systems of cities must provide the mobility needed to move people and goods as safely and efficiently as possible. One of the pleasures of this job is knowing that, working together, that's a job we can get done.

Comments

[James Taylor]

The New Interstate 5 Bridge crossing over the Columbia river from Portland Oregon to Vancouver Washington, infrastructure design should include, large scale electric power generation from Damless passive Hydrokinetic hydroelectric generation for Electrolysis.

Damless Hydrokinetic hydroelectric is a relatively new technology based on capturing the kinetic energy of rivers, without the need to construct dams. "Run-of-the-river" hydro installations usually are underwater.

"A better type of bridge pilings."
We find now we are forced to replace the old bridge. Age, construction type, capacity needs and national interests have given urgency to this project, so DUH, if we have to put a big piece of concrete in the middle of the mighty Columbia River so trucks can move goods, Have them make our electric power.

It can pay for the crossing bridge. Through this civil works project pairing The U.S. Department of Energy, and The U.S. Department of Transportation the I-5 Crossing can, create a rise of industry around the inexpensive electric and hydrogen, allow us to remove the power house at the Bonneville Lock and Dam, give us back our salmon

This is one way how:

The VIVACE Converter: VIVACE (Vortex Induced Vibration for Aquatic Clean Energy)
Marine Renewable Energy Laboratory
College of Engineering, University of Michigan

www.engin.umich.edu/dept/name/facilities/mhl/facilities/renewable_energy.html

This is another;

Isis Innovation, University of Oxford's technology transfer company
Oxford turbine, called THAWT
www.isis-innovation.com/licensing/3325.html

When most people think of hydro-electric power they probably think of large dam projects such as China’s Three Gorges Dam, India’s dams on the Narmada River, or closer to home (at least to my home) the Bonneville Dam. Perhaps needless to say, power projects like this can generate a great deal of power, but there is significant environmental trade off, like no salmon.

A less environmentally intrusive way is known as Hydrokinetic Power that describes run-of-river hydro as well as most terms:
Hydrokinetic power makes use of swiftly flowing rivers to turn or move turbines, or is our case Vortex Induced Vibration, which in turn generate electricity. Hydrokinetic power is distinct from traditional hydropower in that dam construction is not required. Typically, a Hydrokinetic turbine is submerged and secured to the riverbed, or is attached to infrastructure, such as bridge pilings
As no dam is required, it will dramatically reduce the major disadvantages associated with traditional hydroelectric systems. Like no Salomon.

These Damless hydro systems require little to no maintenance. The initial setup cost and environmental impact is minimal in comparison to the cost of building dams.
There is no risk of flash flooding caused by a breached dam, and no risks during construction of a dam.
The environmental benefits speak for themselves:
 No flooding of large catchment areas, resulting in no effect on the natural ecosystem in the river valley.
 No silt accumulation in the dam basin
 No need for fish ladders
 No additional greenhouse gases (Dams create greenhouse gases)

The development of damless hydro technology is being regarded very favorably by all concerned. It is likely that it will take the lead as the future choice for hydro electricity generation.

Based on current project proposals, experts predict that the country could be producing 13,000 MW of power from hydrokinetic energy by 2025. This level of development is equivalent to displacing 22 new dirty coal-fired power plants avoiding the annual emission of nearly 86 million metric tons of carbon dioxide, as well as other harmful pollutants like mercury and particulate matter. The avoided carbon emissions in 2025 would be equivalent to taking 15.6 million cars off the road. State and federal policymakers across the U.S. have taken notice of the potential of hydrokinetic energy, and have begun to support its development through legislative and monetary means;

Operating as an Independent Power Producer (IPP), the I-5 Crossing Project can sell the power generated by its hydro kinetic turbine via long-term, wholesale power purchase agreements (PPAs) to project equity partners, power marketing firms, utilities, cities and industrial interests.

In-stream hydrokinetic power projects will generate the lowest cost renewable power since water currents are predictable and available 24 hours a day, unlike solar, and have an energy density 850 times greater than wind.
River and ocean-based hydrokinetic projects will operate in baseload fashion, which is important for grid reliability, reducing the impacts of climate change and to better meeting our nation’s growing electricity needs
Hydrokinetic power projects, generate electricity exclusively from moving water (river currents, tidal currents and ocean currents) without having to construct dams, impoundment or conduits.

The next piece, Electrolysis
The Electrolysis process splits hydrogen from water.
Hydrogen Energy will be produced huge volume at this a large central facility, thereby lessening the need for the out dated Bonneville Lock and Dam and it’s Old, hydro-electric power station and it’s miles of high voltage transmission power lines.
Once this Hydroelectric-Electrolysis Columbia River Channel control complex is constructed, it will make Jansen Beach the world’s largest Hydrogen Refueling station. Well placed for serving hydrogen vehicles, cars, trucks, boats, planes, trains, and sea going ships, or space bound rockets.
PLUS,
Home fuel cells, also called micro combined heat and power (microCHP) and microgeneration and portable (Movable) fuel cell applications that are either used as micropower in consumer electronic devices to provide power or as portable power.
Ending Batteries in the landfill.

And O’ yea, it makes profit $ = JOBS

[Cheryl Richardson]

Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for the new policies this administration brings to the nation and for this blog.

As a long-time transportation advocate from Anchorage, Alaska, I encourage USDOT to require, even a few, measures to evaluate goals such as
- providing access to public transportation,
- building more homes near jobs, and
- investing in America's existing infrastructure.

Unfortunately, in Alaska, the stimulus spending is gilding the transportation lily, allowing continued spending on the state's first urban freeway connection and developing expensive commuter rail to serve sprawled exurbs, while the city's public transportation is cut once more and service remains below 1982 levels.

[Brian Tyler]

Please take a look at Switching Modes, http://switchingmodes.wordpress.com/. This site plots a new direction for transportation policy in the United States.

[Eyeglasses]

I wish public transportation was a little more "green" and a lot less smoggy. While I understand that it's mass transit- isn't there a way to reduce the carbon footprint it leaves?