Streetsblog Network

Impermeable surfaces like parking lots are terrible for the environment in several ways, including the water pollution that results when stormwater runoff causes sewer systems to overflow. In Ohio, the state’s highest court recently upheld a fee on parking lots to help mitigate the damage to water quality. Greater Cleveland, like a lot of older … Continued

Every once in a while you have to step back and gape at the sheer scale of the highway interchanges America has built smack in the middle of our cities. Branden Klayko at Broken Sidewalk is taking a moment to do just that with Louisville’s Spaghetti Junction, between downtown and the waterfront. This giant interchange is being expanded as … Continued

This video from the Minneapolis-based satirical site Wedge LIVE sends up the not-in-my-backyard resistance to infill development that could help alleviate the shortage of affordable housing affecting a growing number of American cities. Anton Schieffer at Streets.mn says the neighborhood where the much-feared 10-unit rental building would be built makes perfect sense as an area … Continued

Every so often someone (usually Joel Kotkin) tries to make the case that the rapid growth of Houston, as opposed to say, Chicago, is evidence that Americans love sprawl. There’s no question that Americans are moving to the Houston region in incredible numbers. But there are parts of Houston that are compact and walkable. And … Continued

Governors of the states surrounding the Great Lakes are considering a water policy case with big implications for land development throughout the Midwest. Waukesha, Wisconsin, a sprawling suburban area outside Milwaukee, has exhausted its water resources. Rather than cooperate with the city of Milwaukee to secure water, Waukesha spent years preparing an application to divert … Continued

Will the Obama administration prod state DOTs to abandon the destructive practice of widening roads and highways, or will it further entrench policies that have hollowed out cities and towns, increased traffic and car dependence, and made America a world leader in carbon pollution? That’s what’s hanging in the balance as U.S. DOT opens public comments on … Continued

Who is responsible for the safety of kids on the street? In Louisville, where the pedestrian fatality rate is higher than average, a city agency called Bike Louisville will be using grant funds on a safety education program that issues fake jaywalking citations to kids. Branden Klayko at Broken Sidewalk says the program may be well-intentioned but there … Continued

Here’s an idea whose time has come: Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney has proposed a tax on soda and other sugary drinks that contribute to obesity and poor health, and using the money to pay for public improvements, including bike trails. The soda tax was first proposed by Kenney’s predecessor, Michael Nutter, who encountered fierce opposition from beverage … Continued

Here is a truly heartbreaking story about the price we pay for prioritizing cars over people on our streets. This weekend in St. Louis County, a turning driver struck and killed 7-year-old Rachel Bick on Highway 109. She was trying to cross the street on her way to a father-daughter dance at Babler Elementary. As … Continued