I’m fairly optimistic about the future of public transportation – if we take action now
As Mark Twain might have said, reports of the death of transit have been greatly exaggerated, but we do need to take decisive action to make buses and trains a more reliable and appealing option.
November 4, 2021
What should drivers do to avoid blocking bikeways – especially bike-share workers?
When the person clogging the bikeway is employed by a city-owned bike-share system, an entity whose entire purpose is to make bicycling easier, this kind of blockage can feel like a betrayal.
October 25, 2021
Chicago Offers Free Rides on 1st Day of School, Muni pilots All-Year Free for Youth
Launching a free fares pilot for schoolchildren would be a great way to start improving transportation equity in Chicago, helping us catch up with peer cities that are way ahead of us in that department.
August 13, 2021
If you want a safer transit system, support better mental health services
Rather than adding more guns to the system, a better way to prevent crime without increasing the potential for minor infractions to escalate into bloodshed is to follow the Bay Area’s lead by deploying unarmed transit ambassadors.
July 8, 2021
“School of Rock” drummer Kevin Clark is second cyclist killed at Logan/Western within 13 years
According to the Chicago Police Department, on Wednesday, May 26, at about 1:20 a.m., Clark was bicycling west on Logan. At Western Avenue, the southbound driver of a silver Hyundai Sonata sedan struck him. The cyclist “sustained trauma throughout the body” and was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital. Clark was pronounced dead at the hospital at 2:04 a.m.
May 28, 2021
LaSpata’s ordinance would remove references to traffic “accidents” from Municipal Code
Words matter. In the mainstream media, it’s common to refer to crashes where drivers injure or kill people as “accidents,” implying that these are unfortunate, but unavoidable incidents, when the reality is that it’s possible to dramatically reduce serious collisions through better roadway design and public policy.
April 6, 2021
Taking an Amtrak + bike camping trip during the time of the coronavirus
During the COVID-19 pandemic I’ve tried to do my part to stop the spread by avoiding spending time indoors with non-household members. The main exception has been occasional use of public transportation, but studies indicate that transit isn’t a major source of transmission, thanks to the fact that most people are masked and there’s generally decent ventilation.
April 5, 2021
New draft of the MUTCD is still way too car-centric
The Federal Highway Administration is currently working on the 11th edition of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, the national guidebook of standards for traffic signs, road markings, and signals.
March 16, 2021
Study: Speed cameras save lives
March 8, 2021
Could a network of Slow Streets circuits speed pandemic recovery?
January 29, 2021
