Small train stations are experiencing a rebirth in France, where the fast intercity trains have ruled of late. Renewed service in small towns is a response to higher demand.

An array of news stories related to energy and climate uncertainty from the British Isles - and a few other isles.

A panel of national and state experts focused on the role of transportation in a future marked by steeply rising energy costs, global warming and economic uncertainties at a "Transportation 2035" symposium on June 26, sponsored by the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (NJTPA). Daniel Lerch was among the panel speakers.

Cities like Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio are deciding that now is the time to install or reinstall streetcar systems - both because of their revitalizing effect on downtowns, and because fuel and project costs will continue to rise into the future.

After my presentation to the Anchorage (Alaska) Municipal Assembly last week, I chatted with a local businessman who gave me a piece of surprising news: local airline industry reps recently came out against an expansion at Anchorage International Airport.

Washington, D.C. has installed the first high-tech public bike-sharing program in the United States. SmartBike DC will rent 120 bikes at 10 self-service racks mostly in the downtown area, including near the Gallery Place, Shaw and Judiciary Square Metrorail stations.

Last year, the city of Ventura, Calif. pledged to cut its fuel use by 5 percent this year and 10 percent by June 2010. Putting this pledge into action is requiring a lot of adjustments, some small and some larger.

Schools are starting to encourage students to use other, human-powered modes to get to and from school. The many benefits of this development may seem clear, but what does it mean for, say, school buses? Does a movement toward walking and cycling really pose a challenge to the yellow icon of our school system?

BYPAD (Bicycle policy audit) is an instrument for evaluating local and regional cycling policy and improvement of its quality. BYPAD has been developed, applied and continuously improved since 1999, with support from the European Commission. Meanwhile more than 100 cities and regions in 20 European countries are evaluating and improving their cycling policy, supervised by 34 certified auditors from these countries. BYPAD has become a European quality standard for cycling policy and a vital European network.

An unprecedented cutback in driving is slashing the funds available to rebuild the nation's aging highway system and expand mass-transit options, underscoring the economic impact of high gasoline prices. The resulting financial strain is touching off a political battle over government priorities in a new era of expensive oil.