America Builds Too Many Schools By Highways
One in 11 U.S. public schools are within 500 feet of a highway, exposing 4.4 million children to elevated levels of pollution, putting kids at elevated risk of developing asthma. But cheap land remains alluring to school districts, and America's system of school siting is not getting better.
February 22, 2017
A Six-Point Plan to Cut Traffic
Last year was the deadliest year on American roads in almost a decade -- more than 40,000 people lost their lives in traffic crashes. Tens of thousands of lives could be saved each year if the U.S. achieved per capita fatality rates comparable to countries like Sweden, the UK, and even Canada.
February 21, 2017
PeopleForBikes Wants Your Help to Rate Cities on Cycling
How well does your city work for bicycling? PeopleForBikes wants you to weigh in for a new city ranking that will be released in the fall.
February 17, 2017
America’s Traffic Death Toll Is a National Disgrace
More than 40,000 Americans were killed in traffic last year, according to new estimates from the National Safety Council, the worst toll in a decade. The U.S. transportation system claims far more lives each year than peer countries. If America achieved the same fatality rate as the UK, more than 30,000 lives would be saved each year.
February 17, 2017
Nashville Police Call Driver Who Struck Protesters a “Victim”
A 68-year-old man who ran his car through a group of protesters in Nashville not only won't be charged, but is being treated by local law enforcement as though he were the victim of a crime. And to make matters worse, a state legislator wants to codify legal immunity for drivers who strike protesters.
February 15, 2017
Q&A With Dongho Chang, a Traffic Engineer Who Stresses Safety Over Speed
Dongho Chang belongs to a new generation of transportation engineers who see their job as more than moving cars. His work with Seattle DOT has established the city as a national leader on designing multi-modal streets. We recently spoke to Chang about his work in Seattle and how the profession is changing.
February 14, 2017
Get a Glimpse of Barcelona’s “Superblocks” in Action
Barcelona is making headway on its "superblocks," clusters of nine city blocks where car traffic is restricted and public space is expanded. This BBC video shows how a superblock functions: Most of the street space is reserved for walking and biking, while motor vehicles are limited to narrow, indirect rights-of-way.
February 13, 2017
Downtown Seattle Added 45,000 Jobs and Hardly Any Car Commuters
Transforming from a car city to a transit city is no easy task. Just ask Denver and Los Angeles, which have spent billions to build rail systems but struggled to reduce solo car commuting rates. But Seattle shows it can be done: The share of downtown commuters who drive alone dropped from 35 percent in 2010 to 30 percent last year.
February 10, 2017
To Make Streets Safer, Seattle May Get Rid of Traffic Signals
Signalized intersections carry special risks. Drivers often accelerate during the yellow phase to "beat the light," for instance, leading to high-speed crashes. Federal officials warn that improperly placed signals can "significantly increase collisions." So Seattle is reviewing 10 intersections to see if traffic signals should be replaced with stop signs.
February 9, 2017
It’s Not Just Trump: House GOP Members Ramp Up Road-Building Campaign
Watch out: The leader of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is making a push for an infrastructure spending spree, even though the current federal transportation funding law doesn't expire for several years. Advocates will have to guard against a new road-building binge.
February 9, 2017
