Thursday, January 01, 2009

Pyongyang did not make the cut

This Forbes piece cites research by Jeff Kenworthy on the cities with the World's 10 Best Commutes. They are (in David Letterman order, with the last being best): Berlin, Krakow, Mumbai, Beijing, London, Osaka, Dakar, Chennai, Tokyo, Hong Kong. I have only been to six of these cities, but I do not buy it.

Economics professors like to warn their students that measuring inputs is not a good substitute for measuring outputs. The Kenworthy study looks at the percent of people using bicycles and public transit, estimated energy costs, etc.

As we embark on programs of infrastructure/stimulus spending, our leaders will be looking everywhere for "good" ideas. That's the problem.