<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="Street"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="address"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PersonName"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="country-region"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> Submittal guidelines for international contributions to National Journal Transportation Panel:<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The National Journal in Washington, DC, has created an expert blog in which they've invited a couple dozen "transportation insiders" (in their words) in order to provide counsel and guidelines to be transportation team of the incoming Obama administration.  You can see all about it at <a href="http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/transportation-beyond-our-borders.php">http://transportation.nationaljournal.com/2009/01/transportation-beyond-our-borders.php</a> .<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The idea is that each week the editors are asking the expert panel to respond to a question in the hope that some interesting ideas will appear there and make their way into the discussions and considerations of the incoming team at the Department of Transportation. The question to which I would like to draw your attention here is:<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “What lessons can <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> learn from the rest of the world in terms of <st1:PersonName w:st="on">transportation</st1:PersonName> developments that are safe, efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable?<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> “We Americans often think of ourselves as sitting at the very top of the social, economic, technological, entertainment, and political pyramid.  After all, we invented human flight, the Super Bowl, the <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on">Interstate Highway</st1:address></st1:Street>, the transcontinental railroad, and Rock ‘n’ Roll.  But perhaps we’re not as advanced as we like to think.  Perhaps innovations in <st1:PersonName w:st="on">transportation</st1:PersonName>, land use, and energy consumption are much more evenly distributed around the world than we ever thought possible.  Indeed, perhaps <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> is closer to the middle or bottom of the pyramid when it comes to <st1:PersonName w:st="on">transportation</st1:PersonName> investments.  What lessons can <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place> learn from the rest of the world in terms of <st1:PersonName w:st="on">transportation</st1:PersonName> developments that are safe, efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable?”<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Since the editors originally invited me to join this panel, I guess in part because they think I have something to say from an international perspective, I have had a bit of a role in getting this question onto the agenda.  As those of you who know me can well imagine, I think I have something to say on this . . . however I think I have an even better idea than that, so let me share it with you.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Specifically, I would like to offer you the chance to respond to this question terms of the following routine, if you agree:<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <![if !supportLists]>1.     <![endif]>Please address ONE AND ONLY ONE IDEA OR TOPIC either to me privately via <a href="mailto:eric.britton@newmobility.org">eric.britton@newmobility.org</a>, or if you feel it will be of interest to the group as a whole to the New Mobility Caf� at <a href="mailto:NewMobilityCafe@yahoogroups.com">NewMobilityCafe@yahoogroups.com</a>   (if you do this, kindly conserve the above Subject line).<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <![if !supportLists]>2.     <![endif]>Closing date for submittals:, 19 February 2009 <o:p></o:p> <![if !supportLists]>3.     <![endif]>Start with a short topic statement/summary (ten words or less)<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <![if !supportLists]>4.     <![endif]>Kindly make your point in less than 400 words.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <![if !supportLists]>5.     <![endif]>Sign it in a succinct matter with your name, institutional affiliation, country, and e-mail.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <![if !supportLists]>6.     <![endif]>Allow me to edit it on the understanding that I will not denature your commentary.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Finally, let me invite you to have a look at the latest addition of the report in progress which you can find by clicking to <a href="http://www.messages.newmobility.org">www.messages.newmobility.org</a>.� I think that the report itself is the best guide to what we are trying to achieve, and you will find some additional guidelines in the first two pages as well as examples of the contributions.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Just below you have a list of countries thus far covered -- if your country there?� Do not you think it should be?� -- and the authors who have thus far joined the project.� In addition to hoping to get contributions from further countries, we are very interested to have more contributions from the Global South, both from the vantage of what the developing countries have to demonstrate and teach transportation planners and policymakers in the United States (quite a bit I would say) as well as expressing your need for more appropriate model for sustainable transportation from the United States which is an important reference for people in the developing world wishing to Institute meaningful transportation reforms.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> I very much hope that this will be of use to you and look forward to hearing what you have to suggest.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> With all good wishes,<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Eric Britton<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> PS.� A quick word on future plans for this collaborative project.� First, we will be making the final submittal of report to the National Journal and its readers at the US Department of transportation and other agencies on 26 February.� Second, we intend to publish a revised and extended version of report as a special number of the Journal of World Transport Policy and Practice in April.� Third, we are looking into organizing our first international video and audio working session which will be open to all of our colleagues at no cost sometime early this spring.� Additional information will be provided on this as soon as things firm up here.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Austria, Australia, Canada, Estonia, Europe, France, Germany, Global South, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Poland, Singapore, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States of America<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Robert Anderson, Alexander Berthelsen, Eric Britton, Dave Brook, Martin Cassini, Julien Chantefort, Colin Clarke,� Andrew Combes, Philippe Crist, Andrew Curran, Todd Edelman,� Paul Fenton, Geoff Gardner, Jan Gehl, Marie Danielle V. Guillen, Ann Hackett,� Peter Hotz, Adhiraj Joglekar, Jeff Kenworthy, Murray King, Martin Kroon, Morten Lange, Roy Langston, Zvi Leve, David Levinger, Michael Lewyn, Todd Litman, Sabine Lutz, Margaret Mahan, Karel Martens, Rory McMullan, Paul Minett,, Mikel Murga, Peter Newman, Pascal van den Noort , Richard Oram, Carlos Felipe Pardo, Joanna Parr, Anthony Perl, Gil Penalosa, Ian Perry, Mark L. Potter, Gordon Price, Danijel Rebolj, Per Schillander, Robert Smith, Gladwyn d'Souza, Joseph Szyliowicz, Dino Teddyputra, Marek Utkin, Chu Wa, Conrad Wagner, Paul White, John Whitelegg, Peter Wiederkehr, Peter Wilbers, Paul Wren, Gus Yates, Michael Yeates<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </body> </html>