Streetsblog

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.

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.

What do modern ride-hailing services mean for the future of transit?

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.

Last year DOT unveiled a redesign of 111th Street, a dangerous speedway that separates Corona residents from Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. The DOT plan -- for fewer car traffic lanes, expanded medians, new crosswalks, and a two-way protected bike lane adjacent to the park -- was developed in response to a grassroots campaign. It has the backing of Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, but Queens Community Board 4 has failed to endorse the project, and Assembly Member Francisco Moya is determined to torpedo safety improvements for the street.

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.

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.

Drive-through services at restaurants and stores can be a real headache for pedestrians. They generally require multiple curb cuts across the sidewalk and generate a lot of conflicts with motor vehicles.

Summer is barely over but this much is already clear: Traffic safety on American streets is taking a big step backward in 2016.