Streetsblog

When she was a kid growing up in Minneapolis, biking was as natural to Alice Avidor as breathing the air. But as time went on, biking went from feeling carefree and empowering to something more like a hostile negotiation.

One of the biggest problems with a car-dependent transportation system is that cars are big space hogs. A single parking space occupies almost as much square footage as a small studio apartment. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie ordered all transportation construction in the state to be halted today after the state's Transportation Trust Fund went bankrupt last night. Despite Christie's attempts to point fingers, he really has no one to blame but himself.

When construction projects occupy sidewalks and bike lanes, many cities don't do anything to compensate -- forcing people to walk and bike in traffic or take long, unrealistic detours. But it's not that hard to put up safe, convenient alternate routes.

Here's a great example of a "virtuous cycle" in action: Center City Philadelphia has seen the number of parking spaces decline recently as population and jobs continue to rise at a healthy clip.

Earlier this year Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said he wants to help repair the damage done to cities by highways. And this week U.S. DOT took some steps to make that haappen, announcing the winners of its "Every Place Counts Design Challenge."

A late addition to the Streetsblog calendar that Hudson River Greenway users will want to squeeze into their schedules tonight: Community Board 7's Parks and Recreation committee will hear from the Parks Department about changes to the greenway in Riverside Park intended to reduce conflicts between pedestrians and cyclists. The greenway can get uncomfortably crowded on some sections at some times, but the Parks Departments tends not to produce the best ideas to address the problem. Turn out tonight if you want a safe, comfortable, convenient greenway route for everyone in Riverside Park.

If a driver strikes you while you're walking or biking in D.C., there's a good chance you won't be allowed to sue for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering under the law.

Rhode Island has been investing in commuter rail -- long distance service connecting Providence to Boston and towns in between. But lackluster ridership at a new park-and-ride rail station at the end of the line (by a Walmart!) is sapping support for much more useful investments, reports Sandy Johnston at Itinerant Urbanist.