Streetsblog

Wednesday’s Headlines Are Thriving

There never was an exodus from cities during the pandemic, and even if there were, it's reversing. So let's stop fretting about remote work, OK?

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on April 5, 2023

Photo: Wikipedia

The death of cities after the COVID-19 pandemic has been greatly exaggerated, according to new Census data (Marketwatch). Eleven of the 15 largest U.S. metro areas saw population gains or smaller losses last year (Washington Post), and the original estimates showing population declines from 2020-2022 may have been wrong to begin with (Vice). So it’s pretty safe to say remote work isn’t something to worry about (Curbed).
Streetsblog NYC is publishing a three-part expose on New York City drivers who use illegal temp tags from shady out-of-state dealers to evade traffic enforcement, sometimes with deadly consequences. Read Part I and Part II here.
CNN takes a futuristic look at “smart streets”…. but still lacks the imagination necessary to envision streets without so many cars.
Republicans in the Ohio state legislature are trying to push through a new I-71 interchange in Cleveland by bypassing the local and regional planning process. (Plain Dealer)
Black residents drawn to Beaumont, Texas, by oil industry jobs are now left to deal with a housing, climate and environmental crisis that industry created. (Capital B)
Houston activists are calling for better signage on bike trails after a cyclist died on a trail under construction that abruptly closed. (Chronicle)
The North Carolina DOT is threatening to shut down Charlotte streetcar lines unless the local transit system hires enough people to operate them safely. (WFAE)
The recent e-scooter referendum notwithstanding, Paris has led the way in promoting walking, biking and transit while evicting cars from the city center (Slate). France is even providing universal cycling training (Next City).
Australian cyclists have found that a new multiuse path is being sabotaged with nails and other tire-puncturing obstacles. (Bicycling)
A Brussels plan to limit car traffic downtown sped up transit riders’ trips by an average of five minutes. (The Mayor)