Streetsblog

Friday’s Headlines Sing Unhappy Birthday

One hundred years ago this week, a roadbuilder's article in an engineering journal ushered in the era when streets became strictly for cars, not people.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EST on November 11, 2022

Friday’s Headlines Sing Unhappy Birthday

This is all Edward J. Mehren's fault.

The automobile age is officially 100 years old. In November 1922, road engineer Edward J. Mehren wrote an an influential article on how mixed-traffic streets should be redesigned for motorists alone. The result was our modern streets where allowing drivers go fast is the top priority, rather than cars being seen as the intruders. (Forbes)
The bipartisan infrastructure law will both reinforce incentives for driving and reduce tailpipe emissions while sowing the seeds for a paradigm shift. (Brookings Institute)
Many states are using their federal infrastructure funding to improve crumbling and dangerous rural roads. (Pew Stateline)
Steel bike frames produce fewer carbon emissions during manufacturing than titanium or stainless steel. (Cycling)
Voters supported 14 of 19 transit referendums that were on the ballot Tuesday. (Center for Transportation Excellence)
Indianapolis transit agency IndyGo is dusting off a bus route redesign it paused during the pandemic. (Star)
Santa Fe is considering a new transportation plan that would reduce auto dependency. (New Mexican)
Cincinnati’s streetcar surpassed 100,000 passengers last month for the first time in its six years of existence. (Enquirer)
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson created a new position to coordinate Vision Zero efforts. (Urban Milwaukee)
Washington, D.C. is creating a “mobility innovation district” as a way to experiment with things like transportation subsidies and on-demand shuttles. (Government Technology)
Lots of people want to close one Richmond retail district to cars — but not the local merchants. (Richmond Magazine)
The mayor of a Louisiana town was killed in a car crash on Election Day. (ABC News)
As part of a push for renewable energy, France is requiring that all parking lots over 80 spaces be covered in solar panels. (Electrek)