Streetsblog Network
Wisconsin Pilfers From the Scraps Earmarked For Walking and Biking
About $830 million in federal funds are set aside each year for walking and biking. That’s less than 2 percent of total federal transportation spending. Even this small provision of dedicated funds has been watered down by the GOP-controlled Congress. The current federal transportation law allows states to transfer half their allocation of ped/bike funds … Continued
September 12, 2016
Austin Plans a Bus Network Redesign of Its Own
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk7TFRsF6FE It’s hard to overstate the influence of Houston’s bus network redesign — an overhaul of the city’s bus routes that aimed to expand access to frequent service. Cities all over the country have taken note and many are reimagining their own bus networks. The transit agency in Austin, Capital Metro, is working on a … Continued
September 9, 2016
Rhode Island Gov Tries to Snuff Out Grassroots Push for Highway Removal
A movement has been building in Providence, Rhode Island, to replace the aging 6/10 Connector — an elevated urban highway — with an at-grade surface street that prioritizes transit and bicycling. It’s a solution that other cities have pursued to brilliant effect (intentionally or otherwise), with highway slabs giving way to walkable places. But Rhode … Continued
September 8, 2016
How Sprawling Development Worsened the Flooding Crisis in Louisiana
Thousands of people are still living in hotels and shelters following last month’s devastating floods in the Baton Rouge area. After nearly two feet of rain fell on central Louisiana, 13 people lost their lives and some 40,000 homes were damaged. In a post at Network blog The Urban Edge, Craig Colten, a professor at … Continued
September 7, 2016
One Senator’s Eye-Opening Walk Across Connecticut
It’s difficult to understand just how terrifying it can be to walk on America’s car-oriented streets unless you’ve actually experienced it. Unfortunately, too few people in decision-making roles ever find themselves in that position. That’s why U.S. Senator Chris Murphy’s walk across Connecticut is so refreshing. Murphy set out on foot for a 110-mile constituent … Continued
September 6, 2016
Cheap Gas, More Driving Make 2016 an Especially Deadly Year on U.S. Streets
The number of traffic deaths in America each year is so staggering, it almost defies comprehension — about 35,000 lives lost is the norm. But 2016 is shaping up to be even worse. Emma Kilkelly at Mobilizing the Region reports on newly-released data from the first half of 2016 showing a disturbing increase in traffic … Continued
August 26, 2016
Seattle Doesn’t Need a Highway on Top of Its New Underground Highway
The construction of Seattle’s budget-busting underground waterfront highway has been a great reminder of why car-based urban megaprojects are such a bad idea. The one advantage of the tunnel is that it would allow for better walking, biking, and transit connections on surface streets by the waterfront. The trouble is, Seattle is on track to … Continued
August 25, 2016
The Stress of Navigating Unwalkable Bus Stops With a Wheelchair
Pedestrian access to transit is important. A recent study by TransitCenter found that people who use transit most often tend to walk to the bus or train. But as our “Sorriest Bus Stop in America” contest highlighted, there are some very serious challenges on this front in American cities. The problem of lousy walking access … Continued
August 24, 2016
Earth to U.S. DOT: Streets Succeed When They Do More Than Move Cars
What makes a street successful? Does a street succeed when it’s economically productive, when it helps reduce carbon emissions, and when people can conveniently and safely get around using a variety of transportation modes, regardless of age, ability, or social status? Or does success boil down to moving as many cars as fast as possible? … Continued
August 23, 2016
Portland Will Connect Streets Over a Highway With a Car-Free Bridge
Here’s one way to heal some of the damage created by urban interstates. Jonathan Maus at Bike Portland reports that the city has won a $2.6 million state grant to help it complete a key bike route. To fill in the missing segment, Portland has to create a path across a big sunken highway. So … Continued
August 22, 2016