Streetsblog Network

It’s always interesting to see what mayoral candidates say about streets and transportation in a public debate. Who’s done their homework on transportation policy? Who understands in their gut why better streets for walking, biking, and transit are good for the city? Which candidates are willing to take a stand on these issues while making their case to voters? Most … Continued

Public meetings hosted by state DOTs can be very frustrating. People who want safer streets and take the time to attend are often deluged with highly technical excuses about why their suggestions won’t fly. Andy Singer at Streets.mn, known for his excellent cartoon work, says he’s done for good. He’s never attending another Minnesota DOT meeting after devoting “at least … Continued

A big part of reducing car traffic involves using cars more efficiently. Ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft are supposedly assisting in this transition by making car ownership less necessary. But even though both companies operate carpool-type services, most of their business still comes from single passenger trips. Other ride-hailing companies are all about shared trips. Network blog Cap’n Transit has … Continued

In a relatively short amount of time — a generation or two — the number of American kids walking or biking to school has plummeted. This isn’t the result of some natural law — it’s the product of public policy decisions about how to design streets and build schools. But here’s some great evidence that with intentional effort, cities … Continued

According to a recent analysis by the Century Foundation, during the recession and recovery Cleveland transit riders endured more bus service cuts than any other major system in the country. But just a few years later Cleveland transit riders are facing further cuts, and a fare hike to boot. A bad economy, an unfriendly state government … Continued

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced this week that U.S. DOT is seeking applications for $500 million in TIGER grants — the eighth round of funding since the program was launched in 2009. TIGER is small compared to other federal programs, but it has quickly become an important source of funding for projects like the Indianapolis Cultural Trail or Tampa’s Riverwalk … Continued

Missouri lawmakers are really grasping for ways to keep the highway money flowing, after voters rejected a regressive sales tax hike backed by road builders in 2014. Richard Bose at NextSTL points out that the key source of funding — the state gas tax — keeps losing purchasing power thanks to inflation. In the above chart, he contrasts the … Continued

Albuquerque is at a pivotal moment that could determine whether it becomes more a walkable and transit-oriented city. The mayor, a Republican, is backing a major bus rapid transit project called ART along the city’s main corridor, Central Avenue. The project was recently recommended for funding in the Obama administration’s budget proposal. The added momentum for the project … Continued

In almost every state, politicians beat the drum for hundreds of millions of dollars to “solve congestion” by widening highways. After spending the better part of a century doing this, we know that thanks to induced demand, soon after the asphalt sets on the new lanes, people will drive more and congestion will return. The whole exercise is a … Continued