Why Looking at Crash Stats Alone Doesn’t Tell the Whole Story About Pedestrian Safety
Some intersections are riskier to cross than others, but looking at the number of pedestrian injuries alone doesn’t tell the whole story. A new study from Minneapolis combines crash data with pedestrian counts to deliver a more nuanced picture of traffic dangers for people on foot. Among the findings: There’s safety in numbers for pedestrians.
June 21, 2017
Virginia DOT Hopes People Will Enjoy Bicycling Next to a Noisy, Exhaust-Choked Freeway
When a bike path is added to a highway expansion project, it risks being an afterthought, resulting in a low-quality, high-stress route. Like this one, now in the works in Northern Virginia.
June 16, 2017
Parking Reform Has Big Implications for Sustainable Transit — and for Ride-Hailing, Too
Cities have traditionally eliminated parking requirements to encourage walking, bicycling, and transit. But it can also aid the rise of on-demand car services, two top parking policy experts say.
June 15, 2017
Media Draw Attention to Deadly Suburban Speedways in North and South Carolina
Newspapers in Greenville and Fayetteville examined hazardous conditions for local pedestrians -- and they did it without using the "J" word.
June 14, 2017
Judge Issues Restraining Order to Keep Baltimore Mayor From Erasing Protected Bike Lane
Pandering to NIMBYs, Catherine Pugh wants to rip out a protected bike lane that has been in the works for years and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to design and build.
June 13, 2017
In Sprawling Areas, Can the Bus Become Anything Other Than a Lifeline for the Poor?
Transit shouldn't just be for marginalized groups. Though it may be a long time before it's seen as an essential public service for everyone in Burlington, some are making exactly that argument.
June 12, 2017
Here’s a First: Hartford’s Downtown Now Offers Free Roadside Assistance for Cyclists
Bicyclists in downtown Hartford, Connecticut, have a new option if they need repairs on the go -- the area's business improvement district has launched a first-of-its-kind roadside assistance program.
June 9, 2017
Akron’s Getting Rid of a Downtown Highway. What Should Replace It?
For years, Akron, Ohio, has been planning to dismantle a nearly-empty highway through its downtown. Now that work is underway, the city has an open-door policy to figure out what to do with the land -- and Akronites are coming up with all sorts of ideas.
June 9, 2017
NACTO Wants to Find Out How Cities Can Design Better Streets, Faster
The National Association of City Transportation Officials, representing more than 50 urban transportation departments across the United States, is known for street design guides that prioritize walking, bicycling, and transit. Now the organization is turning its attention to the nuts-and-bolts of how city bureaucracies can implement these designs in a timely manner, so meaningful change can happen within our lifetimes.
June 8, 2017
Can Algorithms Design Safer Intersections?
Cities and tech firms are deploying new technology to gauge risks at dangerous intersections. These sensors, cameras, and machine-learning algorithms are promising, especially when it comes to measuring close calls that don't result in crashes - but cities are still figuring out how they can use this information. In the meantime, there's no reason to wait on designing safe streets.
June 7, 2017