Around the Block
Streetsblog Basics
Transit Advocates Launch Call to Action Against Disastrous Trump Budget
Dozens of transit projects across the nation -- as well as walking and biking projects that count on funds from the TIGER program -- are under threat unless Congress scraps the hardline budget outline proposed by the White House. Transportation for America is urging people to contact their representatives and oppose the cuts.
March 22, 2017
Soon DC Employers May Pay People to Not Drive to Work
With a "parking cash out" policy, employers who provide employees with parking benefits also give the equivalent value in cash to workers who don't car commute. Now a version of that idea has been introduced in the DC Council by members Charles Allen, Mary Cheh, and Brianne Nadeau.
March 21, 2017
Why Is Transit Ridership Falling?
Transit ridership took a turn for the worse in 2016. In all but a handful of cities, fewer people rode trains and buses, and it’s not just a one-year blip, either. In many American cities, the drop in transit ridership is an established trend. The big question is why.
March 20, 2017
Think of Trump’s Budget as an Attack on Cities
Yesterday Donald Trump released a budget outline that calls for severe cuts to transit. The budget threatens dozens of transit projects cities have been planning for years and which, in many cases, voters have approved by large margins. Meanwhile, no such cuts are planned for federal highway funding.
March 17, 2017
If You Want to Know Trump’s Infrastructure Priorities, Focus on His Budget
Donald Trump's big infrastructure plan is still more of a rumor than an actual plan. But we don't have to wait for major new legislation to get a clear sense of what the White House thinks is important.
March 15, 2017
Reimagining Miami’s Waterfront Speedway as a Street for People
Miami's Biscayne Boulevard is eight roaring lanes of traffic cutting off downtown from the waterfront. But maybe not for long. In what could be a transformative project, the city is looking to convert this surface speedway into a walkable boulevard.
March 14, 2017
As Fewer Kids Attend Neighborhood Schools, Transportation Challenges Mount
The more kids get driven to school instead of walking, the more chaotic the drop-offs and pick-ups become.
March 10, 2017
The Big Beneficiaries of Rhode Island’s Plan to Cut Car Taxes Would Be Rich People
Rhode Island political leaders say they want to cut the state's car tax because it's "regressive." But what they're proposing is a windfall for people who own expensive cars.
March 9, 2017
Street by Street, DC Builds Out a Center-City Protected Bikeway Network
Bike advocates from all over the country are in Washington right now for the League of American Bicyclists' annual Bike Summit. Among other things, it's a chance for out-of-towners like Jonathan Maus at Bike Portland to appreciate the city's progress on bike infrastructure. There are now nearly 16 miles of protected bike lanes in Washington, DC.
March 8, 2017
Truck Crash on Freeway Paralyzes Traffic. Seattle Times: Ditch the Bike Lanes!
Last month, a truck crashed on a major Seattle freeway, paralyzing traffic for miles. The whole episode demonstrated the fragility of the freeway system, and the need for more resilient transportation networks. But the Seattle Times had a hotter hot take. The real culprit, according to the paper's editorial board? Bike lanes.
March 7, 2017