A “Dutch Junction” With Glow-in-the-Dark Bike Lanes Now Exists — in Texas
It's America's first unsignalized "Dutch Junction" -- a type of intersection with protected space for cycling. It even has solar luminescent bike lanes. And here's the kicker -- it's in the heart of Texas.
October 7, 2016
Don’t Believe the Hype About a Boom in Freight Traffic
U.S. DOT estimates that total freight volume in the country will grow 45 percent by 2040. If that sounds like a reasonable guess that will help plan for the future, think again.
October 7, 2016
How Montgomery County’s Bus Rapid Transit Can Alleviate Suburban Poverty
Montgomery County, Maryland, just outside DC, is getting ready to do something that could set a precedent for American suburbs -- build a bus rapid transit network. The 82-mile system should offer a huge boost in job access, especially for people without cars.
October 6, 2016
Criticism Compels Uber to Pull Ad About Giving Up on the Subway
What do modern ride-hailing services mean for the future of transit?
October 5, 2016
The Feds’ Tentative Steps to Legalize Mixed-Use Housing Don’t Go Far Enough
For a long time, apartment buildings with ground-floor retail were the building blocks of America's cities and towns. Combining housing and commercial uses is also essential for walkability and affordability, enabling people to travel shorter distances for their daily routines and get around without driving. But in most of the country today, it's practically impossible to build or reinvest in this type of housing.
October 4, 2016
The Risks We Take By Not Letting Kids Walk to School
American kids don't walk and bike to school much anymore. Even after some modest progress in recent years, only about 20 percent of 5- to 14-year-olds walked or biked to school in 2012, compared to 48 percent in 1969, according to the National Center for Safe Routes to School.
October 4, 2016
The 4 Biggest Sins Committed By Reporters Covering Pedestrian Deaths
Each year, motorists on American streets kill nearly 5,000 pedestrians. The loss of life is enormous -- equivalent to 12 jumbo jets crashing with no survivors -- but the steady drumbeat of pedestrian fatalities doesn't register as an urgent public safety crisis. Maybe it would seem more urgent if the press covered pedestrian deaths as the preventable outcome of a broken system, instead of a series of random "accidents."
October 3, 2016
When Commuter Rail Has the Potential to Be Something More
American commuter rail lines tend not to draw many riders. That's what happens when service is limited and the line is set up to shuttle suburban park-and-ride commuters to an urban center in the morning and back home in the evening.
October 3, 2016
It’s Not Good Transit If the Streets Nearby Aren’t Good for Walking
All transit stops aren't created equal. The street environment around the station -- especially safe, convenient pedestrian access -- has a major influence on how people use transit.
September 30, 2016