Today’s Headlines

I Some call it Columbus Day, but Streetsblog will take today off to honor the explorer's  victims — and to come back strong on Tuesday with some blockbuster stories.

I'm heading back from the National Association of City Transportation Officials convention in L.A., so here are today's headlines while I'm in transit (which is near Barstow, right?):

The National Association of City Transportation Officials convention is over, and by the time you read this, I'll be heading back to New York. But Los Angeles continues to impress me. Mark my words: By 2028, the City of Angels will be more bikeable, more walkable, and have a world-class subway system. And it'll still be one of the greatest culinary cities in the Western world.

I'm still at the National Association of City Transportation Officials convention in Los Angeles — and I'm still not using cars in any way — and I have to tell you, I love L.A. The food in this town. Man...

It's Day Two at the National Association of City Transportation Officials' annual conference in L.A., where I have still not used a car (I've been on the bus, used my feet and ridden a bike so far). On tap today? I'll be taking in a few plenaries, attending a few workshops and sitting in on a panel by New York City DOT legends Janette Sadik-Khan (emeritus) and Polly Trottenberg (current). I'll be the guy heckling in the back row (kidding!).

This week, I'll be at the National Association of City Transportation Officials convention in sunny Los Angeles, to report on street design innovations, to hear from the bus lane experts, and, of course, to get you all that good gossip from the Peoria DOT that you crave. Check back all week for updates on my effort to spend four days in L.A. yet never use a car.

I can't believe how many people were talking about non-street safety topics yesterday! But while America was going up in flames, I spent the afternoon schooling WABC Radio hosts Curtis Sliwa and Rita Cosby on why cars are bad, why bike lanes are good, and why politicians need to actually support public transit instead of talking about supporting public transit. The one-hour Curtis and Cosby "Tri-State Transportation Panel" is archived here. Give a listen.

We know what you'll be doing today, but if you want to listen to an entirely different history-making event, tune into WABC-77 today at 1 p.m. as I debate car-loving Curtis Sliwa and Rita Cosby on a broad range of transportation topics. All the info is here.

I'm sorry, but I've ridden the bus with many unsavory creatures over there years (looking at you, Curtis Sliwa!) but the story that there may be bedbugs on MTA buses is all I'm thinking about right now. Bedbugs. On the buses. Read all about it here. And here.