RAND: Transportation and Infrastucture: Documents Available Online 2009-11-09T09:55:44Z Copyright (c) 2007-2008, The RAND Corporation Bricolage RAND Corporation urn:uuid:7991F2B4-41D4-11DB-A3BD-CE1F1D4D57CE Rebuilding Affordable Housing on the Gulf Coast: Lessons Learned in Mississippi from Hurricane Katrina urn:uuid:8F2804A4-D1BC-11DD-B759-51C038788F35 2009-01-08T11:18:00Z 2009-08-06T15:26:02Z To support development of affordable housing for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina and for the region's newcomers, researchers from the RAND Gulf States Policy Institute studied Mississippi housing and made recommendations for policymakers. Policy Insight, Volume 2, Issue 5, December 2008: Getting America Back on Track: U.S. Public Policy on Railroads urn:uuid:78055CFE-C5EB-11DD-8E26-52C038788F35 2008-12-23T09:53:00Z 2008-12-24T09:41:00Z Discusses whether and how policymakers should invest in expanding U.S. rail infrastructure to help accommodate projected increases in freight traffic. Assessing a Coal-to-Liquids Fuel Industry in the United States urn:uuid:21CF4D8E-C070-11DD-9BDD-E7D738788F35 2008-12-10T00:02:00Z 2009-01-14T09:12:00Z Government actions to gain early experience in producing liquid fuels from coal offer major energy security benefits but also raise important economic governance, and environmental issues. Producing Liquid Fuels from Coal: Prospects and Policy Issues urn:uuid:9C608FE4-B7CF-11DD-B95A-51C038788F35 2008-12-10T00:01:00Z 2009-01-14T09:12:00Z Government actions to gain early experience in producing liquid fuels from coal offer major energy security benefits but also raise important economic, governance, and environmental issues, as addressed in this book. Improving the Safety and Security of Freight and Passenger Rail in Pennsylvania urn:uuid:487F1A1C-B248-11DD-8FC7-4DC038788F35 2008-11-24T09:00:00Z 2008-11-24T14:41:58Z Reviews Pennsylvania's statutory and regulatory authority over rail, recent studies and actions regarding rail safety and security, and actions taken by other states, and includes a qualitative analysis of risks to rail infrastructure. How Would Relaxing the Mailbox Rule Affect Public Safety and Security? urn:uuid:C9BE3BC4-ACC8-11DD-A856-51C038788F35 2008-11-14T10:53:00Z 2009-08-06T15:26:01Z This research brief assesses the potential public safety and security implications of relaxing the U.S. Postal Service's Mailbox Rule, finding that doing so could have a moderate negative impact. Balancing Environment and Development: Costs, Revenues, and Benefits of the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan urn:uuid:F678ADD2-9F64-11DD-A779-51C038788F35 2008-11-03T10:07:00Z 2008-11-03T13:01:00Z A large habitat-conservation reserve is being created in western Riverside County to mitigate development effects on threatened and endangered species. This monograph examines the plan's costs, revenues, and effects on the permitting process. Improving Cost-Effectiveness and Mitigating Risks of Renewable Energy Requirements urn:uuid:C4573560-99E4-11DD-9710-58C038788F35 2008-10-22T15:15:00Z 2008-10-27T11:11:29Z Assesses the social welfare implications of a policy of requiring 25% of electricity and motor vehicle transportation fuels supplied to U.S. consumers to come from renewable energy sources, such as wind power and ethanol, by 2025. The Role of the United States Postal Service in Public Safety and Security: Implications of Relaxing the Mailbox Monopoly urn:uuid:6C1A40EE-96F7-11DD-88BD-58C038788F35 2008-10-14T12:00:00Z 2009-08-06T15:26:01Z The United States Postal Service has a statutory monopoly to deliver mail to mailboxes, but there are arguments to relax that monopoly. This study assesses the public safety concerns of doing so and makes recommendations to address these concerns. Reducing Traffic Congestion in Los Angeles urn:uuid:7E6A9D84-7AA5-11DD-AED9-3C3839788F35 2008-10-02T03:02:00Z 2009-08-06T15:26:01Z This research brief identifies key factors determining L.A. transportation policy needs and makes 13 recommendations that together could reduce congestion -- arguably the worst in the country -- substantially within five years. Moving Los Angeles: Short-Term Policy Options for Improving Transportation urn:uuid:39F010A4-75C2-11DD-B087-58C038788F35 2008-10-01T03:15:00Z 2009-08-06T15:26:01Z The authors of this book recommend strategies for reducing traffic congestion in the Los Angeles area that could significantly enhance quality of life, reduce economic and environmental costs, and improve social justice within about five years. Options for and Effectiveness of Internet Self- and Co-Regulation urn:uuid:7694F55A-863F-11DD-8F1A-58C038788F35 2008-09-26T10:16:00Z 2009-05-22T12:24:48Z Places these developments in the European policy context, considers existing varieties of arrangements, analyses the conditions for their success and failure, and derives impact assessment guidelines that take self- and co-regulation into account. The State of U.S. Railroads: A Review of Capacity and Performance Data urn:uuid:F5A606C2-63AD-11DD-8633-DAEA38788F35 2008-08-19T00:02:00Z 2008-12-23T09:54:00Z U.S. railroads have improved their productivity, but increasing freight volume threatens to cause performance-degrading capacity constraints. This report describes the current state of railroad capacity and performance for freight transportation. RAND Review: Vol. 32, No. 2, Summer 2008 urn:uuid:322E31A2-6320-11DD-8ECF-DAEA38788F35 2008-08-15T13:46:00Z 2009-08-14T14:44:52Z The cover story contains 11 essays that forecast 11 ''issues over the horizon''; other articles discuss the invisible wounds of war, visions of the future, colleges in prisons, and nuclear deterrence for the modern age. Challenges of Applying Risk Management to Terrorism Security Policy urn:uuid:01A29742-4117-11DD-840E-E1BD38788F35 2008-06-24T14:00:00Z 2008-07-15T11:02:42Z Testimony submitted for the record to the House Homeland Security Committee, Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection on June 24, 2008. The Maritime Dimension of International Security: Terrorism, Piracy, and Challenges for the United States urn:uuid:BAAF177A-16AA-11DD-813C-E1BD38788F35 2008-06-05T00:01:00Z 2009-04-20T14:16:24Z Piracy and sea-borne terrorism have been on the rise since 2000. While the United States has spearheaded several initiatives to improve maritime security, policymakers should consider four additional measures to safeguard the world's oceans. Piracy and Terrorism at Sea: A Rising Challenge for U.S. Security urn:uuid:970DB73C-1771-11DD-853F-B40839788F35 2008-06-05T00:01:00Z 2009-01-05T16:33:17Z This research brief summarizes RAND's analysis of recent trends in piracy and maritime terrorism, which pose a significant threat. The United States has taken only limited steps to enhance maritime security; broader measures are required. RAND Transportation Researcher Guide urn:uuid:EC7CFCFC-28F4-11DD-B739-E2BD38788F35 2008-05-29T10:26:00Z 2009-01-15T10:45:41Z Transportation researchers at RAND address financing and new technology; reducing greenhouse gas emissions; land use; social patterns; the mobility of the elderly; safety; congestion; regulation; and federal research and development allocation. Timely Assistance: Evaluating the Speed of Road Home Grantmaking urn:uuid:7284A288-1D37-11DD-A068-E1BD38788F35 2008-05-27T11:00:00Z 2008-05-27T11:18:38Z After hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the federal government made available $8.1 billion to help Louisiana reconstruct its housing stock. This documented briefing assesses whether the Road Home grantmaking process has performed in a timely fashion. Road Home Program Leaves Many Homeowners Waiting urn:uuid:301B90D8-2731-11DD-8DC2-E1BD38788F35 2008-05-27T11:00:00Z 2008-05-27T11:03:00Z This research brief reports on a study of the Road Home program's timeliness in making grants to homeowners after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The authors recommend focusing on stalled applications and coordinating efforts to speed the process.