To Get More People on Bikes, Louisville Needs to Raise Its Game
Louisville is making an effort to build out its bike network, adding a number of buffered bike lanes and beginning a network of low-stress "Neighborways" along residential streets. It's a start, but peer cities like Indianapolis and Pittsburgh are doing more to make cycling an appealing way to get around. Here's what Louisville needs to do to catch up.
February 14, 2017
Get a Glimpse of Barcelona’s “Superblocks” in Action
Barcelona is making headway on its "superblocks," clusters of nine city blocks where car traffic is restricted and public space is expanded. This BBC video shows how a superblock functions: Most of the street space is reserved for walking and biking, while motor vehicles are limited to narrow, indirect rights-of-way.
February 13, 2017
Reversing Sun Belt Growth Model, Memphis Looks to Shrink Its Footprint
Like many Sun Belt cities, Memphis owes its population growth over the last several decades to outward expansion. Since 1998 alone, the city has overseen 15 annexations, occupying a larger footprint than Chicago. But now the city believes that some of its farthest flung territory is more liability than asset.
February 13, 2017
Downtown Seattle Added 45,000 Jobs and Hardly Any Car Commuters
Transforming from a car city to a transit city is no easy task. Just ask Denver and Los Angeles, which have spent billions to build rail systems but struggled to reduce solo car commuting rates. But Seattle shows it can be done: The share of downtown commuters who drive alone dropped from 35 percent in 2010 to 30 percent last year.
February 10, 2017
Today’s Headlines
Rahm Emanuel Plows Ahead With Express Rail to O’Hare (Chicago Tribune) Only 30 Percent of Downtown Seattle Workers Drive Solo to Work (Seattle Times) Florida DOT Builds Its First Protected Bike Lane in Tampa (WPTV) North Carolina DOT, Charlotte Install Pedestrian Counters (WCNC) Is Austin a “Big City”? (Statesman) CA Lawmaker Intros Bill to Kill Boondoggle 710 Highway … Continued
February 10, 2017
To Make Streets Safer, Seattle May Get Rid of Traffic Signals
Signalized intersections carry special risks. Drivers often accelerate during the yellow phase to "beat the light," for instance, leading to high-speed crashes. Federal officials warn that improperly placed signals can "significantly increase collisions." So Seattle is reviewing 10 intersections to see if traffic signals should be replaced with stop signs.
February 9, 2017
It’s Not Just Trump: House GOP Members Ramp Up Road-Building Campaign
Watch out: The leader of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is making a push for an infrastructure spending spree, even though the current federal transportation funding law doesn't expire for several years. Advocates will have to guard against a new road-building binge.
February 9, 2017
Boston Identified Its Most Dangerous, Degrading Bus Stops. Now What?
The MBTA is evaluating all 7,600 of its bus stops for safety and accessibility, and it will either improve or eliminate 200 of the worst ones.
February 8, 2017
How Racial Discrimination Shaped Atlanta’s Transportation Mess
Racist fears hobbled transit in Atlanta two generations ago. Is the region finally learning from its mistakes?
February 8, 2017
Today’s Headlines
NHTSA Steps Up Efforts to Block Drunk Drivers from Starting Cars (Legal Examiner) FTA Launches Civil Rights Probe Into Cleveland’s Public Square Closure; Mayor Obstinate (Plain Dealer) Curbed: By 2020, Car Ownership Could Decline in the U.S. Due to Automated Shared Fleets San Diego’s SANDAG Lied to Voters About How Much Money Tax Would Generate (Voice of San … Continued
February 8, 2017