Orphan Road

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has asked people to "give your car the summer off" by using alternative means of travel, with walking being a top alternative. But across Seattle, many say that with current neighborhood conditions the mayor's "walk more" plan is not a feasible, or safe, option.

Faced with soaring diesel-fuel costs, school districts are forcing students to use the old-fashioned way to get to class: on their own two feet. Many schools are eliminating or reducing bus service because fuel had jumped to $4.50 per gallon, 36 percent more than a year ago, and is busting budgets.

As gas prices have hit $4 a gallon and more, the idea of reducing tire "rolling resistance" to improve vehicle gas mileage is gaining traction. After 12 years of blocking any such standard, Congress has ordered a consumer information program by next year to inform buyers on what to expect from tires on fuel economy.

Electric vehicles are legal in Oak Bay today. The municipality, famous for being somewhat slow-moving, became the first community in Canada to allow the innovative zero-emission vehicles on all its streets.

Consumers in the South Sound area of Olympia are buying the two-wheeled vehicles in greater numbers as gasoline prices remain near record highs, state officials and scooter dealers say.

Urban planners love to hate the suburbs, but what's going to become of them? Will Bellevue eventually become a post-carbon ghost town or a new urban hybrid? Some reflections on the urban/suburban debate.

Federal authorities charged with protecting endangered salmon have warned that a new Interstate 5 bridge over the Columbia River could promote sprawling development that pollutes streams crucial to the fish. The National Marine Fisheries Service said it wants more detailed study of development and other potential impacts to endangered species.

Saving fuel will help in the short term and, eventually, there will be alternatives to gas-powered vehicles. But for now, slowing down, legally and for the good of the nation, is the logical next step.

The surging cost of gasoline and a desire for a greener commute are turning more people to electric bikes as an unconventional form of transportation. They function like a typical two-wheeler, but with a battery-powered assist. Bike dealers, riders and experts say they are flying off the racks.

Federal authorities are concerned about the environmental impact that a new Interstate 5 bridge between Portland and Vancouver might have on endangered salmon. More study is needed about the impact of nearby development, bridge construction and stormwater runoff, according to the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Strip malls and low-rise office parks dominate the landscape of northern San Jose, but a long-term redevelopment plan could make over large swaths of the area along decidedly more urban lines. Over the next three decades, the city wants to add more than 30,000 new homes and 80,000 jobs within walking distance of a Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority light-rail line on North First Street.

Portland is a veritable transit utopia where light rail goes to the airport, parking restrictions increase public transit use and free streetcar service benefits downtown businesses. It also has a 20-year head start on planning.

With the price of oil still above $100 a barrel, everything from wood chips to chicken fat is being scrutinized as an alternative to traditional fuel. But when it comes to airplanes, finding the right mix poses a special challenge.

When guests at Portland's studiously hip Ace Hotel want to break away from their bedside turntables for urban exploring, they can borrow a Dutch-designed cruiser and a cycling map laced with hints: Do steer clear of train tracks and yield to pedestrians; don't blow through red lights or ride while using a cellphone. "And remember," the map cautions. "Drinking and smoking while riding is for professionals only. Do not attempt!"

Oregon's land-use system should give rural communities more control over development and focus statewide regulation on significant farm, forest and natural resource land, a special task force says. The changes would give rural counties the same sort of regulatory discretion cities have, advocates say.

A race to grab land in developing countries and exploit food supply fears and payments to conserve forests could spark conflicts in areas of land disputes, development and civil rights groups say.

The unofficial acronym for the South Lake Union Trolley has generated a year's worth of jokes, with SLUT references appearing in media both hither and yon, and SLUT T-shirt sales brisk. The story is that officials made haste to change the train's name from "trolley" to "streetcar" too late, after missing the obvious public relations gaffe. Reminds me of the old story about Chevy trying to sell the Nova in Mexico without realizing that "no va" conveyed to Spanish-speaking people that the car would not run.

Political and business heavyweights are rolling out the green carpet in hopes of convincing a Chinese electric car manufacturer to set up shop in the Portland area.

It seemed at the time, like such a good thing for the planet. In the winter of 2005, I turned in my red, gas-hungry Jeep Wrangler for a near-new, diesel-burning Volkswagen Beetle. Inspired by a number of pioneering friends, I would fill my little green slug Bug with a nontoxic, sweet- smelling fuel made from vegetable matter called biodiesel.

Problems continue to mount for Imperium Renewables, the Seattle biodiesel producer that opened a 100 million-gallon refinery in Grays Harbor County one year ago this week. In the latest blow, the company has lost a key contract to supply about 18 million gallons of biodiesel annually to Royal Caribbean Cruises. The cruise line also sold its 7 percent stake in the Grays Harbor plant, raising questions about the future of the $78 million facility.