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What If Climate Hawks Fought Dirty Highways Like They Fight Dirty Energy?
American climate activists' single biggest achievement in recent years was the defeat of the Keystone XL pipeline. Nothing has unified and energized more people than the fight to keep dirty fossil fuels in the ground. Yesterday, the world watched members of the Standing Rock Sioux defend their tribal lands and water from armed police acting in the interest of companies building the Dakota Access Pipeline.
October 31, 2016
Will State DOTs Follow Through on Their Goals for Zero Traffic Deaths?
State DOTs aren't known for setting ambitious street safety goals. They're usually more interested in moving traffic than saving lives. But it looks like that's starting to change as states follow the lead of the federal government's "Toward Zero Deaths" initiative, which itself was inspired by the spread of Vision Zero campaigns among cities. Even states like Ohio are saying their goal is zero traffic deaths.
October 27, 2016
To Open Up Cities, Make Single-Family Zones More Flexible
As the number of jobs in Seattle explodes, the city is grappling with how to make room for all the population growth that's expected to follow. The city's "Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda" maps out a strategy to do so, focusing mainly on infill development in denser areas near transit. Most of the city, however, is zoned for single-family housing.
October 26, 2016
How Much Would Cyclists Pay to Cover Their “Fair Share”?
Cyclists should pay their "fair share" for streets -- it's a favorite complaint of newspaper commenters worldwide.
October 25, 2016
Tesla’s Vision for the Future of Autonomous Cars Should Scare Us
What impact will self-driving cars have on cities?
October 24, 2016
Center City Philadelphia Commuters Increasingly Arriving by Bike
Where bicyclists were once a trickle in Philadelphia, they are now a steady stream.
October 21, 2016
When People Aren’t Afraid to Walk in the Street With Cars
"Shared spaces" are streets where driving is allowed but walking and biking take priority. They are designed without curbs, signage, and other typical markers that separate cars from people on foot. The design cues are subtler. Everyone mixes together in the same space, and drivers travel slowly enough that they can make eye contact with pedestrians.
October 19, 2016
You Don’t Have to Trash BRT to Make the Case for Light Rail, and Vice Versa
In cities considering a light rail project, it's common for transit opponents to suddenly cast themselves as big believers in bus rapid transit. They don't really want to build BRT, they just want to derail the transit expansion. The light rail advocates then have to make their case not only on the merits of the project, but also in relation to the strawman BRT project.
October 18, 2016
Affordable Transportation and Affordable Housing Need to Go Hand-in-Hand
Rents continue to rise in cities across the U.S., and Pittsburgh is no exception. Noting the escalating housing costs in walkable neighborhoods, Alex Shewczyk at Bike Pittsburgh looks at how transportation and housing policy can coordinate to make places more affordable.
October 14, 2016
Does WMATA Have Enough Credibility to Avoid Doomsday Service Cuts?
WMATA, the DC region's transit agency, is in crisis.
October 13, 2016