Streetsblog · Page 27

As the climate crisis spirals further out of control, Joe Biden has two months left in his historic presidency. In that stretch, he still holds the levers of some of the most powerful tools in the world to fight climate change, lower costs of living, and save…

We’re not going to sugarcoat it; most sustainable transportation advocates on our timeline seem pretty devastated by the results of last night’s presidential election, with many too stunned by the result to make significant public statements on Wednesday.…

No matter who wins the presidency, Strong Towns has a to-do list. On it: stop widening highways, focus on street safety and build more housing. Housing costs are sky-high, but that’s just part of the story — transportation is a huge cost for many…

On Nov. 5, New York City author Nicole Gelinas published “Movement: New York’s Long War to Take Back its Streets from the Car” (Fordham University Press), an extensive, decades-long look at how America’s greatest city went from a pedestrian and transit…

Note: This article was published before the results of the 2024 presidential election were known. But it makes relevant points about campaigns, regardless of who won. Every four years, economists come out of the woodwork to remind us of one metric that could…

This post is sponsored by Ride Illinois. There was a false alarm on Monday, October 28, when at least one aldermanic newsletter announced that the City’s Smart Streets pilot program would be starting that day. The initiative, spearheaded by the Chicago…

There are at least 21 referendums on local and state ballots across the country today that, if passed, could provide up to $59 billion in funding for transit. Streetsblog USA has a rundown on some of the key votes. Donald Trump outsourced a good chunk of his…

Elections are supposed to be about choices — and this Election Day offers a clear one on sustainable transportation. No, the movement to end car dependency and give Americans the freedom to move on multiple modes hasn’t exactly been a front-line campaign…

The Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is under attack as its critics exploit the public’s concerns about gas prices to undermine one of California’s most effective climate programs. As these attacks grow louder, policymakers must reject the cynical voices…

Vote like your transportation future depends on it. A coalition of climate, disability and labor organizers are urging the next president to adopt a transportation agenda that helps accomplish goals from all of their movements — by taking action to end car…

A think tank director suggests congestion pricing, tripling gas taxes and charging a vehicle delivery fee to encourage more efficient vehicles, discourage driving and fund infrastructure. (Bloomberg Tax) Living in a small town without a car is challenging, but…

National pedestrian advocacy organization America Walks reminds people that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a new rule on vehicle safety standards and that there is an opportunity right now to weigh in on it. The…

Denver’s e-bike rebate program is extremely popular and a model for the rest of the nation. And it did bring in new riders who would not otherwise be commuting by bike, but it also somewhat papered over the city’s lack of safe bike routes. (CityLab)…

While the media is focused on Trump and Harris in the days leading up to the general election, communities across America are also casting their votes on something else important: their public transportation future. And it didn’t just start in November. Of…

A diverse group of elected officials, transit industry professionals, disability and environmental justice advocates, labor leaders, academic researchers, and students convened in San Jose this week to share thoughts about how Bay Area transit could work for…

The last time Billy Corgan, leader of the Chicago alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins, made local streets-related headlines, it was for good news. In May 2022, his wife Chloé Mendel Corgan bought him the classic 1930s neon sign for Orange Garden Chinese…

This week on Talking Headways we’re listening in on a one-on-one conversation between Julie Eaton Ernst, Climate Resilience Practice Leader at HNTB and Dr. Cris Liban, Chief Sustainability Officer at LA Metro. They chat about the co-benefits of…

The statistics truly are frightening: Drivers are 10 times more likely to hit a young child with their car on Halloween than on any other night of the years. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) When it comes to transportation, the cost is a bigger concern for the public…

Every year on Oct. 31, I post up on the front porch of my 19th-century duplex and hand out candy to hundreds of trick-or-treaters. My neighborhood is a mixed-income former streetcar suburb a 15-minute bike ride from St. Louis’s Gateway Arch, so it’s a…

Why is this night different from all other nights? For the third Halloween in a row, the Department of Transportation will close some road segments across the city to motor vehicle traffic to add pedestrian space and ensure children can trick-or-treat safely.…