Tanya Snyder

Want to live a long, healthy, prosperous life? Don’t live in sprawlsville.

Rep. Albio Sires has his New Opportunities for Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure Financing Act (HR 3978). Rep. Earl Blumenauer has his Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act (HR 3494). And now, Rep. Joe Crowley has unveiled his Pedestrian Fatalities Reduction Act.

The tax benefit for transit riders has zigzagged dizzily from parity with the car parking subsidy to second-class status. Currently, while drivers can pay for up to $250 in parking costs per month with pretax income, transit riders can't claim more than $130. Could it zigzag back up?

IPCC: Climate Change Is Even Worse Than You Thought (Slate) 12 Charts Tell You (Almost) All You Need to Know About U.S. DOT’s Latest Report (Journalists Resource) Obama Boosts Livability Champion Sen. Brian Schatz In Heated Democratic Primary (WaPo) Paul Ryan to Tee Up Yet Another Tiresome Budget Fight (Reuters) Rear-Visibility Technology to Become Standard … Continued

First, let me be clear: Tomorrow is April Fools, not today. This is real.

Unusually Harsh Winter Puts Extra Pressure on Scarce Funds for Pothole Filling (Forbes) Federal Funding Crisis Could Mean Colorado Doesn’t Get to Widen I-25 (Coloradoan) Teen Mom-Turned-Transit Guru: Maria Ayerdi-Kaplan Wills SF’s Transbay Center Into Existence (Examiner) Infighting Between DOT and MPO Could Cost Hawaii Millions (Honolulu Civil Beat) Suburbs Want Light Rail, Minneapolis Demurs … Continued

UPDATE: Though none of the coverage we saw mentioned it, the final law includes an amendment to ban all dedicated transit lanes -- not just in the center -- "on any state highway or state highway right-of-way unless the project to do so is approved by the legislative body of the metropolitan government and by the commissioner of transportation."

It was a dark and stormy day in San Francisco and Jeff Wood stayed dry in Woonerf studios, recording the Talking Headways podcast with co-host Tanya Snyder, who was bitter that days after the spring equinox, Washington, DC, was getting hit with another snowstorm.

Here's the rosy scenario of a future where cars drive themselves: Instead of owning cars, people will summon autonomous vehicles, hop in, and head to their destination. With fewer cars to be stored, parking lots and garages will give way to development, eventually bringing down the cost of housing in tight markets through increased supply. Pressure to expand roads will ease, as vehicle-to-vehicle technology allows more cars to use the same road space. Traffic violence will become a thing of the past as vehicles communicate instantly with each other and the world around them.

Don’t know what to make of the news that U.S. driving rates have dropped for the ninth year in a row? Looking for guidance about whether your state or city should be wantonly expanding roads or investing in transit, biking, and walking? The road lobby thinks you should turn to them for independent, unbiased analysis of these trends. Never fear, the road lobby says: Americans are driving more than ever. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. More lanes for everybody!