TR NEWS NUMBER 242 JANUARY–FEBRUARY 2006 3 New York City’s Subway Century: Rail Transit’s Role in Growth and Development 3 Thomas R. Jablonski October 2004 marked the centennial of New York City’s first subway line. This account of the first 100 years shows how the subway enabled the city’s development and sustained its economic growth by improving the quality of life for a range of citizens, by spurring commercial development and the creation of the skyscraper skyline, and by increasing real estate values and broadening the city’s tax base. 8 The Renaissance Man of New York’s Subways: William Barclay Parsons, Transportation Engineer Extraordinaire Tom Malcolm Best known for his work designing the New York City subway system more than 100 years ago, William Barclay Parsons also was a renowned military engineer, a prolific author, a respected community leader, and a consultant for transportation systems around the world. He modeled his belief that the complexity of designing and building 16 modern infrastructure demanded engineers who were managers as well as technicians. 14 POINT OF VIEW Developing Around Transit: Challenges for Cities and Suburbs Robert T. Dunphy Much of the interest in new transit investments is occurring in places where transit is a novelty, yet many established transit markets are struggling to maintain services. Reinforcing a strong market with consistent public policies can produce successful transit districts, this author maintains. The project must be attuned to the real estate development market, and developers must appreciate the special opportunities of transit. 16 Laboratories for Addressing Critical Issues: State Departments of Transportation Test Out Solutions— Reports from the Transportation Research Board’s 28 2005 Field Visit Program State departments of transportation and other transportation organizations are actively addressing the challenges identified in TRB’s latest edition of Critical Issues in Transportation. The 2005 field visits by senior program officers in TRB’s Technical Activities Division yielded many examples of how transportation organizations representing a variety of disciplines and modes are testing out solutions. Institutional Issues, 17 Data and Information Technologies, 19 Aviation, 20 Freight Systems, 21 Highways, 22 Marine and Intermodal, 25 Rail, 26 Public Transportation, 26 COVER: Marking the 100th anniversary of the New York City subway system, October 27, 2004 (in center window, left to right:) New York Lt. Governor The latest edition of Critical Issues in Transportation, assembled by Mary Donohue, Metropolitan Transit TRB’s Executive Committee, is included in this magazine as a special Authority Chairman Peter S. Kalikow, and Mayor Michael Bloomberg ride pull-out insert between pages 20 and 21. an antique subway car through the restored City Hall station, the original system’s first stop. (Photo by Mike Segar, Reuters) TR NEWS features articles on innovative and timely 28 SIGNALS research and development activities in all The Dramatic Failure of U.S. Traffic Safety Policy: modes of transportation. Brief news items of interest to the transportation community are Engineering Is Important, Public Policy Is Crucial also included, along with profiles of transpor- Leonard Evans tation professionals, meeting announcements, Until the mid-1960s, the United States was the world leader in traffic safety, but by summaries of new publications, and news of 2002, the nation’s ranking had dropped from 1st to 16th place in terms of deaths Transportation Research Board activities. per registered vehicle. If the focus of U.S. traffic safety policy would shift from vehicle factors to such road-user behaviors as speeding, alcohol consumption, TR News is produced by the traffic law violation, and belt wearing, the number of fatalities could be reduced by Transportation Research Board half, this researcher and safety expert argues. Publications Office Javy Awan, Editor and Publications Director Patricia Spellman and Erika Hunter Lloyd, Assistant Editors ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: Jennifer J. Weeks and Jennifer Correro, Photo Researchers Juanita Green, Production Manager 32 Research Pays Off Michelle Wandres, Graphic Designer Bikeways to Prosperity: Assessing the Economic Impact of Bicycle Facilities TR News Editorial Board Neil F. Hawks, Chairman Judson J. Lawrie, Thomas P. Norman, Mary Meletiou, and Sarah W. O’Brien Walter J. Diewald Frederick D. Hejl 34 Profiles Timothy Hess Mark R. Norman Transportation attorney Michael E. Tardif and transportation policy Stephan A. Parker adviser John Mason Barbara L. Post A. Robert Raab 36 TRB Highlights Transportation Research Board Robert E. Skinner, Jr., Executive Director 38 Bookshelf Suzanne B. Schneider, Associate Executive Director Mark R. Norman, Director, 40 Calendar Technical Activities Stephen R. Godwin, Director, Studies and Information Services COMING NEXT ISSUE Anthony N. Mavrogiannis, Director, Administration and Finance Robert J. Reilly, Director, How can researchers find the fast lanes on the transportation information super- Cooperative Research Programs highway? Articles in the March–April TR News offer practical pointers and new Neil F. Hawks, Director, Special Programs directions. Photographic highlights and summary reports from TRB’s 85th Annual TR News (ISSN 0738-6826) is issued bimonthly by the Meeting round out the issue. Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001. CABLE RISDON Internet address: www.TRB.org. Editorial Correspondence: By mail to the Publications Office, Transportation Research Board, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, by telephone 202-334-2972, by fax 202-334-3495, or by e-mail [email protected]. Subscriptions: North America: 1 year $55; single issue $9.50. Overseas: 1 year $75; single issue $13.50. 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Trade and manufacturers’ names appear in an Millar, American Public Transportation Association; Gary Ridley, Oklahoma Department of article only because they are considered essential to Transportation (DOT); Gloria Jean Jeff, Michigan DOT; Robert E. Skinner, Jr., TRB; Secretary its object. Mineta; John C. Horsley, AASHTO; and T. Peter Ruane, American Road and Transportation Printed in the United States of America. Builders Association. Copyright © 2006 Transportation Research Board. All rights reserved. EUTERS , R EGAR S IKE M HOTO BY P NEW YORK CITY’S SUBWAY CENTURY Rail Transit’s Role in Growth and Development THOMAS R. JABLONSKI The author is Deputy he subway has shaped New York City. Forging a Vision Chief Planner, More than any other public works pro- New York City’s rapid transformation into the leading Department of Capital gram or municipal project, the subway has metropolis of the United States was linked inextricably Program Management, shaped the city’s development and sus- to improvements in the transportation infrastructure Ttained its global competitiveness over the past 100 that overcame a challenging geography. An urban arch- 2006 TR NEWS 242 JANUARY–FEBRUARY New York City Transit. years. The subway’s profound impact on the city’s ipelago, New York capitalized in the early 19th century growth and development—particularly in the outer on an unusually good system of rivers and bays to grow boroughs—surpasses that of the city’s other widely from a settlement of 60,000 clustered in southern Man- acclaimed infrastructure projects, such as the Brook- hattan to a booming port city of almost 3.5 million by lyn Bridge and Robert Moses’ highway network. 1900, when it was second in the world only to London. The innovative, early 20th century transit system Establishing itself as the nation’s leading financial (Photo above:) Subway still serves the 21st century metropolis well—a trib- center and a magnet for business and employment, train prepares to leave ute to visionary planning and advanced engineering New York faced a troubling paradox. The most con- Times Square 42nd Street design. The October 2004 centennial of New York’s gested and populous city was attracting ever-increas- station, October 27, 2004—the 100th first subway line provides an occasion to look back at ing numbers of immigrants. Yet at the same time, the anniversary of the how dramatically the city was transformed in the years waterways that had spurred the city’s initial success system’s opening. that the subways were built. had become the most serious impediment to sustained 3 P ARSONS introduced by the underground, electrically powered B subway system, which began operating in 1904. The RINCKERHOFF first