Highways are, of course, an essential part of our national transportation system. Trouble is, at least in urban areas, they seem to go right through the areas that you would rather not see them go through. For instance, Seattle's Puget Sound coastline. Now, I've been to Seattle, and while I was there, I stayed in a hotel about a block away from the bustling waterfront, busy shopping areas and active nightlife. The only thing between me and the sights was a giant, towering road known as the Alaskan Way Viaduct. It's elevated, so getting across it wasn't a problem. That's not the point. It's big - about five stories. It's loud. It's a mass of bright lights at night. And, if it weren't there, I would've be able to see across Puget Sound from my hotel room.

Thus, you can imagine my delight when I discovered that the Alaskan Way Viaduct is, in fact, number one on the Congress for the New Urbanism's "Freeways Without Futures" - a list of the top ten freeways in North America that we really could just do without. And they're not roads that people are just running around complaining about - these roads actually have pleasant, viable alternatives that would free up valuable urban real estate and drive economic growth. Check out the article for the full list of roads, and if you live in one of those areas, consider adding your voice to the growing number of people calling for reasonable alternatives.

(Via Wired Magazine)

When television reporters try for their moment of glory by standing outside in the midst of a hurricane, there is usually a palm tree being whipped by the wind in the background. Hurricanes are known mainly as a tropical phenomenon. But not always. Hurricane Kyle battered Nova Scotia yesterday. Meanwhile, the neighboring US state of Maine issued the first hurricane warning in 17 years. Winds of 96 miles per hour were reported when the category one storm made landfall.

While rare, hurricanes in Canada are not unheard of. Hurricane Juan caused two fatalities when it hit Canada's Atlantic coast 5 years ago. No deaths have been reported during Kyle. However, trees and power lines were downed.

The worst-ever storm to hit Canada was Hurricane Hazel, which killed 85 people in 1954 and left large parts of Toronto flooded. Kyle is the 6th hurricane and 11th tropical storm of the season. Storms this year have been particularly bad for Caribbean nations.

Canada's VIA Rail next summer will introduce a new class of service for the traveling public on its flagship route between Vancouver, BC and Jasper, AB. It's called the Concierge-class, and offers a rather unprecedented number of amenities to the most likely well-off passengers. To start, you get two double bedrooms converted into one large suite, with a queen-size bed and two (!) separate sinks and vanity areas. (I'm not really sure why you would need two separate vanity areas for two occupants, but, hey, I'm not here to judge.) There's private seating available in a Concierge car with coffee and tea service, regional cuisine served with Canadian wine in the dining car, and access to the ultra-exclusive glass-walled Dome observation car on the rear of the train.

On top of all that, you get a welcome-aboard wine tasting and flowers with a VIA gift basket, upgraded toiletries, enhanced room service, breakfast in bed, and complimentary beverages of any kind. (Yes, any kind.) The service will debut on June 1, 2009, running through Oct. 21 for the summer travel season. Unfortunately VIA's website does not have Concierge class available for selection yet, so I couldn't figure out how much this little journey would cost. However, a round trip on the 19-hour train in just one double bedroom costs upwards of $1500, so I shudder to think of what a ticket in a suite with free booze will run.

(Via Trains Magazine)

Okay, listen up. If you are getting on an airplane and you get an inkling that something is not quite right, that perhaps you are off course, PAY ATTENTION to that feeling and double check.

If you want to head to Sydney, Australia but something seems amiss, ASK, for heaven's sake. Otherwise you could be like Monique Rozanes Torres Aguero who boarded an airplane in Buenos Aires, Argentina with visions of taking in the Syndney Opera House, perhaps, and trying out phrases like "G'day Mate," only to land in another city--another Sydney, a town in Nova Scotia that does not have one tourist attraction listed on its Web site, according to this article in the Sydney Morning Herald. It does have the largest Ceilidh Fiddle in the World, though.

This amazing shot of Mount Robson in British Columbia, Canada, was taken by MarkHout. For a detailed explanation of how this photo was made, go here and read the photographer's explanation. I confess to not exactly knowing what HDR photography or grad filters are, but I'm satisfied just to sit back in ignorant wonder.

Want your photo considered for Gadling's Photo of the Day? Go here and submit your heart out.

Have you ever wanted to embark on a little train-centric joyride around Canada? Now may be your chance! If you purchase VIA Rail tickets online between September 15 and 22 for travel between September 22 and December 14 (with Oct. 10-13 as blackout days), you can request a special e-coupon for 50% off travel anywhere on the Quebec City-Windsor corridor in Comfort class (read: coach). The Quebec City-Windsor corridor is VIA's most heavily-traveled route and includes destinations such as Toronto and Montreal. (If you want to set your sights outside Canada as well, then Amtrak offers US rail connections to VIA at both Toronto and Montreal via New York City.)

Car Free Day is an annual event celebrated every year on September 22 by over 100 million people, according to the CNW Group press release - although Wikipedia notes that no one has really been able to verify that particular statistic. At any rate, the event attempts to highlight our world's dependence on the automobile and the issues that entails - including carbon emissions, stress and safety - as well as emphasizing the need for additional public transportation. Sounds like a good cause to me.

Since Wednesdays are always long, thought I'd post this video of one of the longest footbridges in the world. Trust me, as someone who had to cross too many of these things mucking around in the Himalayans a couple months ago, I know these bridges are quite scary up close--especially when there's a strong wind and a pack of mules behind you waiting to cross.

More pics here.

Passengers on Canada's low cost carrier WestJet might be in for a bit of a surprise if they are traveling to Prince George in northern British Columbia. During September, the airline will not be relying on their fleet of Boeing 737s to make the trip. Instead, passengers will find themselves boarding one of two Bombardier Dash-8 turboprop planes that have been leased by the airline.

WestJet's fleet is made up of 737s. So why the change?

In the days of airline budget cuts, you might be surprised to know that the turboprop flights are not the beginning of a new cost-cutting strategy.

Construction on the main runway at Prince George's airport will necessitate the use of a shorter runway, which is not long enough to accommodate the Boeing 737. The airline chose to continue service with the prop planes rather than taking Prince George out of the picture for a month. The Dash-8 will be able to safely land on the shorter runway.

Flights to Prince George might take a little longer during the month of September, but passengers will be able to use prop plane experience as a conversation starter at happy hour.

Successfully hydrating on airplanes has recently become difficult; as an adult you can no longer bring beverages aboard. And apparently even babies have the same problem, or at least it seems so after an incident concerning a mother breast-feeding her child last week on WestJet.

The Vancouver woman says that she was asked to cover up while breast-feeding during a recent flight, and that the incident has led her to consider filing a human rights complaint. After "discreetly" lifting her shirt to breastfeed her son, a flight attendant offered the woman a blanket to cover up. She declined twice, but the flight attendant insisted
"She said that some men find the sight of a bare breast quite offensive," said Ms. Tarbuck. According to the report, she wasn't even bothering the people around her; the only other people in the row were her husband and two children.

Despite what your beliefs are on breastfeeding, let me just put it this way: traveling with children is difficult, maybe we should cut these mothers some slack. Do you really want to be enduring the sounds of a hungry, crying baby during the duration of your flight???

Another story to be filed under "What's wrong with people?"

Wednesday night, a 40-year old man aboard a Canadian Greyhound bus traveling from Edmonton, Alberta, to Winnipeg stabbed and then decapitated a fellow passenger, USA Today reports. He was arrested at the end of the whole thing, in case you were wondering.

This story has gotten extensive coverage all over the world. People have been quoted as saying they'll never take the bus ever again, until safety regulations on buses are in place. I don't know. Can you really draw conclusions from one weird case?

In case you haven't heard exactly what happened, here is a glimpse, according to fellow passengers interviewed by Associated Press:

The victim, who appeared to be about 19, was sleeping with headphones on when his seat mate suddenly began stabbing him as the bus traveled a desolate stretch of the TransCanada Highway, a dozen miles from Portage La Prairie. He stabbed him about 40-50 times.

The bus stopped and the passengers tried to get away while the attacker allegedly began calmly and methodically carving up the man's body. Unbelievable.

Passengers disembarked and braced themselves against the door to prevent the attacker from leaving while they waited for police to arrive. The attacker went back and brought the head to the front and dropped it on the ground in front of the passengers.

Well, this is a good time to ask the question, I guess. Would you take a Greyhound anytime soon?