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The U.S. Made Cars Safer, and It’s Past Time to Do the Same for Streets
If you have a well-worn copy of Ralph Nader’s seminal “Unsafe at Any Speed” on your bookshelf -- and who doesn’t? -- you know that in the mid 20th century U.S. auto companies were hostile to the idea of designing safer cars. Introducing basic features like padded dashboards and collapsible steering columns, the thinking went, would be tantamount to acknowledging that driving is dangerous.
August 12, 2015
50,000 Portlanders Turn Out to Preview the Car-Free “People’s Bridge”
On Sunday residents of Portland got a preview of Tilikum Crossing, a.k.a. the "Bridge of the People," described by Michael Andersen of BikePortland as "the first bridge in the United States to carry buses, bikes, trains, streetcars and people walking but no private cars."
August 11, 2015
An Experiment in Driver-Cyclist Interaction, Powered By Christmas Lights
When you're on a bike getting passed by motorists going 20 or 30 mph faster than you, it can feel like one act of deliberate aggression after another. And in many cases there is real, seething hostility and complete disregard for other people's safety at work. But a lot of the time, people drive fast because that's the message the street design is sending, and they don't know any better.
August 10, 2015
Metro Goes Off the Rails, and DC Streets Grind to a Halt
No one was hurt when a Metro train derailed in downtown DC yesterday, but the incident wreaked havoc on the morning commute -- for transit users and motorists.
August 7, 2015
Before “Accident,” Deadly Driving Was “Homicide By Automobile”
In the early 20th century “chauffeur” was synonymous with “motorist,” and by 1906 Life Magazine had had enough of them.
August 6, 2015
Pennsylvania Rep Wants to Mandate Reflective Clothes for Biking at Night
Today in bad ideas, Bike Pittsburgh reports that Pennsylvania State Representative Anthony DeLuca wants state traffic code to mandate that anyone riding a bike at night wear reflective clothing.
August 5, 2015
The Dutch Have a Strong Car Culture — and Stronger Bike Infrastructure
We wrote a couple of months back about how Amsterdam prioritized people over cars only after ceding city streets to motor vehicles. Today, David Hembrow at A View From the Cycle Path has more on that subject.
August 4, 2015
Washington Governor Jay Inslee Preserves Transit and Street Safety Funding
Washington Governor Jay Inslee isn’t taking the pill.
July 30, 2015
Data-Driven Parking Policy Pays Off in Seattle
Seattle is set to improve upon its successful street parking program by setting meter rates based on demand.
July 29, 2015
If Walmart Urbanizes Its Headquarters, What’s Next for Its Stores?
The Washington Post reports that Walmart, the retail behemoth whose name is synonymous with big-box sprawl, is looking to attract young people to work at its headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. To make that happen, the company is investing in amenities to make its hometown -- population 40,000 -- more urban.
July 28, 2015