Infrastructure
How protected bike lanes can combat discrimination
A new report from PeopleForBikes and Alliance for Biking & Walking has yielded some fascinating insights about cycling. “Building Equity: Race, ethnicity, class, and protected bike lanes: An idea book for fairer cities,” focuses on how transportation can be a great equalizer through the use of protected bike lanes. The report draws on the a […]
Study links walkability with higher property values, longer lives, lower crime
Better health is just the beginning of walking’s benefits. Walking can also improve neighborhoods, raise housing values and even reduce crime. A recent study, “Does walkability matter? An examination of walkability’s impact on housing values, foreclosures and crime,” from John I. Gilderbloom, William W. Riggs and Wesley L. Meares, examined the link between sustainability and […]
The top 10 trends in sustainable urban development
Mobility, environmental protection, housing: Around the world, countries are aiming for sustainable urban development (SUD) that encompasses these, and more, vital segments of daily living. A new study, “Toward the sustainable development of urban areas: An overview of global trends in trials and policies,” from Abbas M. Hassan and Hyowon Lee, pinpoints what’s trending now […]
Bike share program launches in newly bike-friendly Pittsburgh
Historically car-centric Pittsburgh is becoming cyclist-friendly. The city’s bike share program launched its Healthy Ride program on May 31, stocking stations with public-use bikes that will reach and connect 11 of the city’s neighborhoods to encourage exercise, and to reduce both traffic and pollution. While the launch didn’t go quite as smoothly as possible (some […]
Are toll roads the answer?
The debate over toll roads, which is making headlines and begging questions over who is financially responsible for maintenance and construction, may seem a recent one. But the concept actually has a storied past in the U.S.: with origins in colonial America’s turnpikes, tolls were banned in 1921 from being implemented on federally-funded highways, and, […]
Housing costs depriving U.S. economy of billions
Regulations on new housing — and the resulting shortfall in supply — are costing the U.S. economy billions each year. How? A new study, “Why Do Cities Matter? Local Growth and Aggregate Growth” by Chang-Tai Hsieh of the University of Chicago and Enrico Moretti of UC Berkeley, finds that income disparity in metro areas is […]
Delays inhibit transportation infrastructure
Construction problems, project delays, and soaring price tags are inhibiting transportation infrastructure in the U.S. Consider the latest: Southwest Light Rail Transit, Minnesota’s largest transportation project, now requires a budget of $2 billion. The Silver Line Metro extension in the D.C. area is 13 months behind schedule and $226 million over budget. Transportation infrastructure, as we’ve written about […]
Atlanta BeltLine transforms racial and economic rifts
Could transforming miles of abandoned railroad tracks tear down some of the racial and economic boundaries in Atlanta? That’s the hope, reports the National Journal. The Atlanta BeltLine is the city’s “most comprehensive transportation and economic development effort ever” and one of the largest projects of its kind in the U.S. It will provide 33 miles […]
Sprawling Phoenix transportation plan awaits voter approval
Phoenix, Arizona’s $31-plus billion transportation plan is dependent upon voters’ appetite for a sales tax increase. As The Republic reports, the city’s sales tax would be raised from .4% to .7%, which, with the help of other funds, would support “a comprehensive transportation vision” with light-rail and bus expansion and street improvements. Detractors are questioning the amount […]
Safe Route to School has huge impact on child safety & walking rates
It may be widespread from Minnesota to Georgia now, but the Safe Route to School program (or SRTS) was first pioneered by California back in 1999. A recent study out of Berkeley, “Examining Long-Term Impact of California Safe Routes to School Program: 10 Years Later,” takes a look at the impact of the program on safety and on […]
Ailing infrastructure: do we lack funding, or just leadership?
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is hopeful that politicians can agree on long-term infrastructure funding. “I think there is a moment that is shaping up here for something good can happen,” Foxx said in a speech to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in Washington. “It needs to be a long-term bill that […]
