Wednesday’s Headlines at a Discount

We talk a lot about how parking minimums drive up housing costs, but so do overly wide roads. Why not take away a lane or two and let people build on the land?

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on October 4, 2023

A road diet in Hillsboro, Va.

|Rethink 9

Shrinking roads creates more room for buildings, which lowers the cost of housing. (Fast Company)
Demonstration projects can help build support for permanent bike lanes, especially now that many cities like Washington, D.C. have already built the politically easiest projects. (Greater Greater Washington)
Widening I-35 through Austin will dump millions more tons of carbon into the atmosphere, but that doesn't seem to bother the Texas DOT. (CityLab)
Since heavier vehicles are more dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians, Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill to tax them at a higher rate, with the funding going toward safety projects. (Colorado Public Radio)
Colorado's abundance of off-street parking is driving up housing costs. (Newsline)
Philadelphia transit workers voted to authorize a strike if a deal on a new contract isn't reached by the end of the month. (Inquirer)
Des Moines transit needs a small property tax hike to avoid service cuts affecting its most vulnerable residents. (Axios)
A new plan for the Anchorage region envisions 130 miles of new biking and walking trails. (Daily News)
Spewing conspiracy theories about 15-minute cities (Wired) is probably not a great political strategy for Tories in the UK, where many voters have already seen the benefits of slow streets (The Guardian).
Amsterdam is trying to prepare drivers for the switch in two months to a 30-kilometer-per-hour speed limit. (The Mayor)
Glasgow has a free app that allows users to find bike parking, reserve it and pay for it. (Smart Cities World)