As just about everyone knows, the United States is way behind the curve on developing high-speed rail transport. Most of the developed countries of Europe and Asia have high-speed rail networks tying their cities together, while this country has only one such line that just barely qualifies. Some of those other countries, most notably China and Japan, are also investing in magnetic levitation, the next generation of superfast rail travel. To date, proposals to build a maglev line in America have not advanced past the “vaporware” stage, but that’s about to change, now that the Federal Transit Administration has released a preliminary review of a plan to build a 40-mile maglev line connecting Washington and Baltimore, the first leg of a possible maglev line connecting all the cities of the Northeast Corridor.
Bike- and scooter-share systems across the country may soon be eligible for the federal transit dollars they need to remain a stable and thriving element of our transportation landscape, if advocates succeed in getting a hard-fought bill through Congress.
Last week, Congressional Bike Caucus co-chair Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and co-sponsors Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) and Vernon Buchanan (R-FL) re-introduced the long-stalled Bikeshare Transit Act, which would amend federal code to include micromobility projects under the umbrella of transit improvements that may get USDOT funding. Right now, transit agencies can use federal money to build parking for privately owned bikes at stops and stations, but not for micromobility hubs that riders could use to complete the last mile or two of their journey.
Date Time
Firearm injury study and violence prevention, intervention program aim to break cycle for at-risk populations
Firearm injury continues to plague our country, with more people suffering nonfatal firearm-related injuries than firearm deaths. While much research has been done on fatal gun injuries, less is understood about nonfatal firearm injuries and interventions.
But that is about to change, thanks to a recent study from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Committee on Trauma (COT) and a new hospital and community violence prevention and intervention program at MUSC Health, led by Ashley Hink, M.D., assistant professor of surgery in the College of Medicine and an acute care specialist.
The Saratoga blog By Wendy Liberatore on January 18, 2021 at 4:09 PM
Saratoga Bariatric Surgery and Weight-Loss Program, a service of Saratoga Hospital, has once again been awarded the Blue Distinction Center designation as part of the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program.
The designation, from BlueShield of Northeastern New York, is reserved for nationally accredited programs that meet rigorous, objective standards for quality of care, patient safety and outcomes.
“Our Blue Distinction status is a source of pride for everyone on our team,” said Dr. Dmitri V. Baranov, medical director of the program. “Even more important is the message our Blue Distinction designation delivers to our patients that they can count on us for the highest quality care and the best possible outcomes throughout their weight-loss journey.”
Richmond’s bike share expansion braked for pandemic but rolling again
BizSense file)
Two years after it got underway, a long-planned expansion of Richmond’s bike share program has been further prolonged by the effects of the pandemic which has likewise shifted the program’s usage to a lower gear.
But recent funding commitments from the city to keep the program going are providing a clearer road ahead to seeing the expansion through.
Launched four years ago, RVA Bike Share has long been lined up for a second implementation phase that would double the size of its fleet to 440 bikes and 40 dock stations. That $1.5 million expansion started rolling out in 2019. But two years later, the program’s station count remains around 20 with two of those stations currently closed due to damage or other issues.