What’s Your City’s Ratio of Places to Non-Places?
Here's a really interesting way to look at cities. Andrew Price at Strong Towns has developed a graphically compelling way to break down developed areas into what he calls "places" and "non-places."
October 15, 2014
Here’s Why No One Shoots Engagement Photos in the Suburbs
Nothing says unbridled passion like a treeless cul-de-sac, right? That's what Nathaniel Hood, who writes for Streets.mn and Strong Towns, and his new bride-to-be were thinking when they shot these engagement photos as a gag.
October 14, 2014
Portland Shows How to Get More Bang for Your Traffic Safety Buck
State DOTs like to justify hugely expensive highway-widening projects, like Milwaukee's $1.7 billion Zoo Interchange, partly on the grounds of safety. But if we really want to get a big bang for our transportation safety buck, fixing city streets makes a lot more sense.
October 14, 2014
After Traffic Count Drops Off a Cliff, Albuquerque Rushes to Widen Road
Given limited budget resources and competing demands, what makes some transportation projects rise to the top of a city’s wish list? Dan Majewski at Urban ABQ says that in his hometown of Albuquerque, there doesn’t seem to be much sense to it.
October 13, 2014
Ad Nauseam: Use Any App You Want While Driving — Because Safety!
Here’s the latest in wishful thinking about distracted driving. A new application called “Drivemode” wants to make it easier for you to use all your mobile apps while you’re behind the wheel — but don’t worry it’s safe! Because, at least theoretically, you don’t actually have to look at your phone.
October 10, 2014
Progress on Parking Reform Could Make DC More Walkable and Affordable
A few key changes to the DC zoning code could help make housing more affordable, streets more walkable, transit more convenient, and healthy foods more accessible. Years of debate and delay have watered down the reforms somewhat, but they still represent substantial progress. And now it looks like they will pass.
October 10, 2014
A State DOT Designing a Protected Bike Lane? It’s Happening in Kalamazoo
A tipster in Chicago sent over these images of an impressive street redesign planned for downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan. The treatment shown above -- a two-way parking-protected bike lane with planted pedestrian islands -- will apply to about a mile of Michigan Avenue, near Western Michigan University. Protected lanes would continue north on Rose Street and east on Water Street, linking up to the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail.
October 9, 2014
How the Lure of “Free Money” Leads to Highway Boondoggles
Why do transportation agencies spend so much money building new highways while letting their existing roads and bridges fall apart?
October 9, 2014
Suburbs in the Twin Cities Feel Persecuted — Here’s Why They’re Not
Suburban leaders in the Twin Cities region are angry. They believe too much money is being spent on transit in the city and not enough is being spent on highways in the region's outer reaches.
October 8, 2014
The 10 Best and Worst Cities to Catch a Bus to Work
It’s been called “the geography of opportunity.” And David Levinson is trying to make a science of it.
October 7, 2014