Roads and parking lots in the United States cover more ground than the entire state of Georgia. And while proponents of sustainable transit often focus on getting people off the roads; they will remain at the heart of our transportation systems for the foreseeable future. In Creating Green Roadways; James and Matthew Sipes demonstrate that roads donrsquo;t have to be the enemy of sustainability: they can be designed to minimally impact the environment while improving quality of life. The authors examine traditional; utilitarian methods of transportation planning that have resulted in a host of negative impacts: from urban sprawl and congestion to loss of community identity and excess air and water pollution. They offer a better approachmdash;one that blends form and function. Creating Green Roadways covers topics including transportation policy; the basics of green road design; including an examination of complete streets; public involvement; road ecology; and the economics of sustainable roads. Case studies from metropolitan; suburban; and rural transportation projects around the country; along with numerous photographs; illustrate what makes a project successful. The need for this information has never been greater; as more than thirty percent of Americarsquo;s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition; more than a quarter of the nationrsquo;s bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete; and congestion in communities of all sizes has never been worse. Creating Green Roadways offers a practical strategy for rethinking how we design; plan; and maintain our transportation infrastructure.
#90710 in eBooks 2013-02-11 2013-02-11File Name: B00BEGC11A
Review
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful. Great read for anyone immersed in ancient AthensBy Patrick GarnerA breakthrough book by one of the finest authors working today in the archeology field. Connelly is also author of "Portrait of a Priestess"--if you dont already have it; find a copy; as it similarly reevaluates an area of ancient studies that was in need of a thoroughly unique analysis. Connelly; in both of these texts; reinterprets long-standing beliefs about Athenian thought. In addition to the "Parthenon Enigma" being an engrossing read; it becomes a sweeping look at the ancient Mediterranean world.I read it front to back in about 10 days; finishing it would a small "Wow." Im currently rereading the book. Highly recommended.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. An academic argument; a popularization; and a stunning narrative of discoveryBy Robert J. CrawfordIn perhaps one of every 20 academic books I read; I find a very very good crossover that will also appeal to a popular audience. Prof. Connelly not only offers a new interpretation of the Parthenon; but she explains Athenian culture and politics with an extraordinary and exciting lucidity. I felt like I was re-discovering Periklean Athens all over again: it was fresh; brilliant; and original.The object in question is the Parthenon; which is supposed to represent the birth of the West and the concept of democracy; according to its Enlightenment interpreters. It combines form with sculptural representation; though no one really knows what exactly most of the sculptures are supposed portray or even what the true purpose was. Many have assumed that the statues depicted recent events.Connelly begins with the assertion that - unlike monotheistic cultures that have a single; sacred text as an irrefutable canonic reference - the Classical Athenians turned to local ritual and architecture to embody the essence of the city states culture; ideology; and narrative. As such; the Athenians (and the others of classical Graeco-Roman world) lived in a more ambiguous world; where collective interpretations left much implied but unsaid; in part secret; in part assumed in conventions that remain mysterious to us. What Connelly does in this masterful book is offer an interpretation of this gestalt; as expressed in the Parthenon. (Keep in mind that Athens; and possibly Sparta; is only one of exemplar of a vast culture that was spread through the entire Mediterranean. Its enough to leave one awestruck - its why I majored in classical civilization in college; so this book is a return to my youthful inspiration.)According to Connelly; the sculptures begin by depicting King Erechtheus and Queen Praxithea; whose sacrifice of their daughters helped to found Athens as legitimate in the eyes of the Olympian Gods; a unique entity that sprung from the soil in mythic time. Also portrayed; Athena and Poseidon competed for the patronage of Athens; which the former won; creating a jealous enemy in Poseidon. They also sprung from the seed of Hephaestus; as scraped off of Athenas thoroughly uninterested thigh. Unique by this mandate; the Athenians went on to do great things: they believed in themselves; in their unique origin as spawn from the earth around Athens.Connelly develops this narrative into an interpretation of the experience of Athenians; who reinforced their sense of solidarity through rituals and celebratory festivals connected to the Parthenon. In her scheme; religion was inseparable from the politics and ideology of Athens; a sense of superiority that enabled them to dominate their allies in the Delian League and finance colossal expenditures on their behalf to beautify Athens; i.e. a repressive democracy based on unique privilege and naked self interest. If this sounds contradictory; it indicates how completely different the conception of democracy and citizenship was then: it was less about individual rights than contributing to the well being of an elite city that was destined to dominate its brothers in the Greek diaspora. Democracy was a duty to serve the community; which excluded outsiders by its very nature and sense of uniqueness.A narrative thread through the book is the steps of discovery that Connelly took; including a manuscript fragment by Euripedes to very technical archaeological excavations that demonstrated the use of paint on the statues. You get the story of the Elgin marbles; complete with the current controversy regarding their return to Greece. I found it a dazzling example of how classicists reason.Nonetheless; I have some caveats to add. First; like all classicists who focus exclusively on the West; Connelly takes for granted that it was superior. I would have like more context and comparisons with the other great empires; e.g. Persia and Egypt; whose architecture the Parthenon has been accused of copying. Second; many of her colleagues have criticized her new interpretation; perhaps it is too early; but I would like to hear her rebuttals.Recommended with the greatest enthusiasm. The text is pretty much at the undergraduate level.11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. Phenomenal Book; Brilliant ScholarshipBy Linda JohnsenA total eye-opener; this book brings ancient Athenian spirituality back to life in a way I havent experienced since Roger Lipseys "Have You Been to Delphi?" Connelly writes so lucidly; you can vividly feel yourself strolling through the Parthenon 2500 years ago. (Such skill in taking readers on a journey into the past is regrettably rare in archeological writing!) Connellys insights into the foundation myth of Athens are amazing and thoroughly convincing. Fascinating; readable; revelatory.