Sidewalks are made of concrete, right? Well, according to The Infrastructurist they are, but that’s not necessarily the way it has to be. Concrete has its good points: it’s cheap, solid and durable. But it’s also bad for the environment to produce, susceptible to cracking and, well, kinda ugly (especially when people spit their gum out on it).   The other alternatives that have existed historically – brick, cobblestone, granite and marble – may be more attractive but come with their own set of downsides, namely the expense. Rubber sidewalks – made from recycled tires – maybe be the most viable alternative to concrete in the future.

It seems like a story like this comes out about every month,  confirming what we already know, but here goes: L.A. has the worst traffic congestion in the country! Surprise! What’s more, it’s worst at afternoon rush hour, when commuters leaving downtown Los Angeles can expect to blast down the freeways at a blistering six miles per hour. Research also shows that commute times have increased since 2008.

Motorists, it may be time to consider getting a TAP card – according to the San Jose Mercury News gas prices are poised to jump up soon. The reasons? Californians are driving more because of the improving economy, new regulations mean California is switching to a cleaner burning but more expensive gas and, of all things, a refinery strike in France. Expect gas prices to peak this summer.

The rest of today’s headlines, compiled by the Metro Library, after the jump.

Alongside LaHood In L.A., Boxer Talks Timing For The Next Transport Bill
DC StreetsBlog

Building A Smart Transportation System Means Jobs And Clean Air (Antonio Villaraigosa writes about LaHood and Boxer joint appearance at Metro)
Huffington Post

Companies To Build High-Speed Rail Cars In The US: With A High-Speed Passenger Rail Network Proposed For The US, Companies Are Gearing Up To Build The Equipment On American Soil
Christian Science Monitor

East LA To Get Grand Slammed (“real estate boom” credits the building of the Gold Line Eastside Extension for attracting retail chains)
Eastsider LA

Freeway Messages Stir Outrage In Some Drivers
San Diego Union Tribune

Gas Prices Expected To Jump In Coming Weeks
San Jose Mercury News

Has The Golden State Gone Bust?
San Francisco Chronicle

L.A. Traffic Congestion Is Worst In U.S. (new data shows traffic peaks on Thursdays between 5-6 P.M.)
ABC-7
Other Findings, Including Worst Bottlenecks In The Nation

Mayor Pushes For Subway To The Sea, “Regional Connector”
Los Angeles Daily News

Measuring The Olympic Legacy
The City Fix

Metro Committee Approves Study Of New Regional Connector Plan
Rafu Shimpo

Moving Through The Recession, Part 2: Service Cuts Continue
The City Fix

MTV’s “The Buried Life” Knocks On My Door
U.S. DOT Fast Lane Blog

Multimedia For Road Commuters? (airline-style in-seat entertainment and internet access for business travelers designed for bus, taxis, metro railway systems)
Emirates Business

Port Pressured To Hire Laid Off City Workers
Cunningham Report

The Power And Pleasure Of Grids
Human Transit

Should TIGER Grants Be The Model For A New Surface Transportation Law? (panel of experts weight in)
National Journal Transportation Blog

The Sidewalks Of Today And Tomorrow: Is Concrete Our Only Option?
Infrastructurist

Under-Taxed Americans Are Too Broke To Finance Sustainability Infrastructure
Huffington Post

U.S. Vehicle Miles Traveled Rose In 2009
Wall Street Journal

You Build Some, You Wait Some (Part II): The Latest Information On 114 Downtown Projects
Los Angeles Downtown News