Downtown Hartford Marries Parking Meter Reform With Car-Free Streets
Pratt Street is the latest street in the United States to go car-free, at least some of the time, as part of Hartford's first agreement to spend parking meter revenue on local streetscape improvements.
May 8, 2017
Can Memphis Turn Around Its Struggling Bus System?
The current level of transit service in Memphis is bleak. So a week ago, 11 Shelby County public defenders took part in Bus Rider's Day, which Commercial Appeal columnist David Waters called "an exercise in empathy and, as it turned out, endurance" to understand the transportation challenges facing their clients.
May 5, 2017
Only 6 Cities Deserve Rail Funds, Manhattan Institute Scholar Decrees
A new report from Manhattan Institute senior fellow Aaron Renn argues that the federal government should stop supporting new rail lines in cities across the country.
May 4, 2017
Milwaukee Street Safety Advocates Make Their Case With Reports for Each Council District
One of the most effective ways to get elected officials to pay attention to traffic safety is to spell out the dangers in their own districts. A new effort from a coalition in Milwaukee does just that, crafting reports for each of the city's 15 aldermanic districts on the eve of the Wisconsin Bike Summit.
May 4, 2017
Bike-Share and Open Streets: A Perfect Match
Open streets events, or ciclovias, give people a new way to explore their city's streets. Without cars on the streets, they're a natural opportunity for people who don't usually ride a bike to hop on two wheels -- and that's precisely why it's important to include bike-share systems in the mix, says Stefani Cox at the Better Bike Share Partnership.
May 3, 2017
House and Senate Decline Trump’s Request to Gut Transit Funding, For Now
Yesterday, Congress came out with a funding package that keeps the government operating until the end of September. Officially, it's known as the omnibus appropriations package for fiscal year 2017. Unofficially, it's a Republican Congress ignoring the wishes of President Donald J. Trump, and for transit projects around the country, it's what amounts to good news these days.
May 2, 2017
App-Based “Microtransit” Provider Bridj Closes Shop
Bridj, the premium app-based "microtransit" service that tailored routes and prices based on customer demand, has folded after exhausting its funds.
May 1, 2017
The Backstory and Aftermath of Philly’s Teen Bicycle Freeway Takeover
Perhaps you saw video on social media this week showing hundreds of teenagers riding bikes, popping wheelies on a Philadelphia expressway. It was an unauthorized freeway takeover that ought to have brought a smile to even the sourest face.
April 28, 2017
What Will It Take for Sacramento to Make Walking Safer in Poor Neighborhoods?
Police and city planners in Sacramento have come under scrutiny in the weeks since police were caught on tape assaulting Nandi Cain, Jr., a black man, during a jaywalking stop. Cain, who was legally using an unmarked crosswalk, has since filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city. Now, reporters are looking into why there are so few marked crosswalks in one of Sacramento's poorest areas.
April 27, 2017
Amazon Could Kill Car-Dependent Big Box Retail. Will It Also Kill Main Street?
Amazon is chipping away at the dominance of big box stores, which might warm the hearts of people who watched Walmart and other retailers ruthless suck the life out of walkable downtowns for years on end. But is it really a good thing?
April 26, 2017