- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced new proposals that would include pedestrian safety features in safety ratings (The Verge). But that won't incentivize automakers to stop producing such heavy vehicles that are more likely to kill pedestrians (Streetsblog USA).
- Like building more highway lanes, more transit also induces demand because it reduces congestion, encouraging more people to drive. Congestion pricing could fix this. (Governing)
- On a related note, there's no such thing as a free freeway, even if we've been trained to think there is. Our current method of paying for road construction doesn't even pay for the construction, let alone the societal costs of driving like pollution. (U.S. PIRG)
- Encouraging people to go back to the office is not a good idea when gas prices are so high (Bloomberg). On the other hand, if stay-at-home workers continue to work from home, downtowns will suffer (CommonWealth). Hmm ... if only there were a way to get commuters to their jobs without driving ...
- In her first-ever interview, the backup driver of an autonomous car Uber was testing in Arizona when it hit and killed a woman crossing the street says she worried that it would be a setback for the whole industry. (Wired)
- Transit agency MARTA approved a $300 million plan for bus rapid transit in southwest Atlanta, although some continue to push for more expensive light rail. (AJC)
- Reducing speed limits to 20 miles per hour in Denver did little to actually slow down drivers. (The Denver Channel)
- San Francisco Mayor London Breed and key city agencies are backing a car-free JFK Drive. (Standard)
- Washington, D.C. mayoral candidates argued about streetcars during their first debate. (DCist)
- Getting around is difficult for a Louisiana State University student trying to navigate auto-centric Baton Rouge without a car. (Reveille)
- Ann Arbor is already one of just 35 gold-level bike-friendly communities in the U.S., and residents want to be even better. (Michigan Daily)
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday’s Headlines Walk Five Hundred Miles
Or at least, sometimes it seems like the other side of the street is that far away. And wider streets are more dangerous for pedestrians, Smart Cities Dive reports.
October 25, 2024
Opinion: Who Does Passenger Rail Serve?
"In short, passenger rail serves everyone – even the people who don’t meet the profit margins of airlines and car manufacturers."
October 25, 2024
Talking Headways Podcast: Urgency and Vision Zero
Vision Zero Network founder Leah Shahum on why it’s so hard to make change, the implicit biases around designing for cars and World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, coming up on Nov. 17.
October 24, 2024
Cycle of Rage: To NY Gov., Saving Lives is Important, But Not if It’s Too Expensive to Suburban Drivers
Gov. Hochul signed into law an expansion on New York City red light cameras on Wednesday, saying that she didn’t want to waste “any more time” before improving road safety — but when it comes to the safety benefits of congestion pricing that she once championed, she said they come at too high of a cost to drivers.
Why America Has So Much Road Safety Research, But So Little Actual Safety
Why does all this research not translating into solid guidance that actually saves lives?
October 24, 2024
