Of Course the GOP Transportation Platform Is a Catastrophe
In the past few years, Congressional Republicans tried and failed to turn the federal transportation program into a highways-only affair. Still, the GOP isn't giving up on eliminating federal funds for transit, walking, and biking.
July 21, 2016
Portland’s Long-Awaited Bike-Share System Gets Off to an Impressive Start
Tuesday was a very exciting day in Portland, as the city celebrated the launch of its long-awaited bike-share system, Biketown. The network makes 1,000 bikes available in an eight-square mile area of the city.
July 21, 2016
Report: As Cities Add Bike Lanes, More People Bike and Biking Gets Safer
The more people bike on the streets, the safer the streets are for everyone who bikes. This phenomenon, originally identified by researcher Peter Jacobsen, is known as "safety in numbers." And that's exactly what American cities are seeing as they add bike infrastructure -- more cyclists and safer cycling -- according to a new report from the National Association of City Transportation Officials [PDF].
July 20, 2016
Vox Pulls Back the Curtain on “Scam” to Save Lives With Red Light Cameras
You can usually count on Vox for accurate, research-based explainers of public policy issues. That's why the new Vox video on red light cameras is so monumentally disappointing.
July 19, 2016
Focusing Only on Commutes Overlooks Women’s Transportation Needs
Commuting accounts for only about 15 percent of trips in the United States. But when planners make transportation infrastructure decisions, they often base them on commuting patterns, not other types of trips.
July 18, 2016
A 50-Year-Old Cartoon Satirizing Car Culture Still Rings True Today
If aliens came to Earth, who would they assume is in control -- people or cars? Cars, of course. That's the premise of this 50-year-old animation dug up by Alex Ihnen at NextSTL.
July 15, 2016
No, Driverless Cars Won’t Make Transit Obsolete
When driverless cars hit the market (which may not be as soon as advertised), nobody denies that they will change transportation planning.
July 14, 2016
When Will the Feds Stop Outlawing Railcars Used By the Rest of the World?
The removal of 115 railcars from service in Philadelphia last week was the latest example of the troubles American commuter rail agencies face when purchasing rolling stock. Thanks to cracks in a critical component of the railcars, riders are looking at severe service reductions for at least the entire summer. While U.S. DOT floated a regulatory change that could prevent similar failures, it's been tied up in the federal bureaucracy for three years.
July 13, 2016
The “Choice” vs. “Captive” Transit Rider Dichotomy Is All Wrong
The conventional wisdom about transit often divides riders into two neat categories: "choice" riders -- higher-income people with cars -- and "captive" riders -- lower-income people who must use transit because they don't own cars.
July 13, 2016
Pokémon Go — Americans Are Walking Again Because of a Video Game
Hundreds of reporters -- and all of your Facebook friends -- are talking about Pokémon Go, the "augmented reality" game that lures people to go outside and explore in search of virtual critters.
July 12, 2016