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Barcelona’s Superblocks: A “New Urban Model” to Reclaim Streets for People
In the U.S., the term “superblock” conjures up the excess of urban renewal and the breakdown of walkable street grids. But in Barcelona, a different type of superblock is making streets more hospitable and humane.
May 3, 2017
The Backstory and Aftermath of Philly’s Teen Bicycle Freeway Takeover
Perhaps you saw video on social media this week showing hundreds of teenagers riding bikes, popping wheelies on a Philadelphia expressway. It was an unauthorized freeway takeover that ought to have brought a smile to even the sourest face.
April 28, 2017
A Simple Change to Make the Walk to Transit Feel Within Reach
Sometimes, high-quality transit is within a walkable distance, but people just aren't used to walking to the train. New signage in St. Paul, Minnesota, funded through a local challenge from a national foundation, aims to help people get over that mental block and walking to the nearest Green Line station.
April 26, 2017
Oslo’s Journey to a Car-Free City Center
In 2015, the new city government in Oslo, Norway, announced its intention to make the downtown car-free by 2019. I immediately put it on my list of places to check out for Streetfilms. Last fall I made the trip, not knowing exactly what I'd find.
April 13, 2017
Mexico City May Abolish Its Parking Minimums
Mexico City Mayor Miguel Mancera is pursuing a sweeping overhaul of the city's parking policy that's expected to do away with minimum parking requirements and generate revenue for transit and affordable housing. If enacted, the reforms could set an important precedent for cities in North and South America.
April 12, 2017
Denver Is Your 2017 Parking Madness Champ!
Denver's monster parking crater is a classic of wasted urban potential: a huge swathe of land close to downtown, served by three light rail stations, and overwhelmed by massive parking lots for sports stadiums that barely get used much of the year.
April 11, 2017
Who’s Gonna Get Stuck With the Bill for Seattle’s Highway Tunnel Misadventure?
Seattle's massive downtown highway tunnel, originally slated at $3.1 billion, is now expected to cost at least $4 billion when all is said and done. Who's going to pay?
April 7, 2017
Is Portland Losing Its Resolve Against Highway Expansions?
In the 1970s, some American cities revolted against highway expansion and kept the worst excesses of the interstate construction spree in check. Those cities tend to be the most walkable and transit-oriented places in the nation today. But in Portland that legacy is in jeopardy.
April 5, 2017
Atlanta’s I-85 Collapse — Another “Carmaggedon” That Wasn’t
When a heavily-traveled section of Atlanta's I-85 collapsed in a fire last week, the traffic predictions were dire. But the highway disruption appears to be another case of "carmaggedon" that never materialized.
April 4, 2017
Seattle Campaign to #GivePedsTheGreen Would Do Away With “Beg Buttons”
A petition in Seattle is calling on the city to do away with "beg buttons" and automatically give pedestrians a walk signal at every traffic light in its "urban villages" -- areas that are walkable and transit-oriented.
March 24, 2017
