Tuesday’s Headlines Pick the Low-Hanging Fruit

Greg Shill argues that if a transformative road redesign isn't possible, it's time to talk about second-best strategies.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on May 7, 2024

Bollards might not be the best solution, but they’re cheap and easy to install.

|Creative Commons

Rather than try for ambitious but unreachable reforms, transportation safety advocates should sidestep obstacles and go for easy wins, even if they're not the best solution, one law professor argues. (CityLab)
The Urbanist embarks on a four-part series about using land use policy to fight climate change.
Mixed-use development isn't enough to make a neighborhood walkable. The businesses have to be "useful" ones that provide daily necessities. (Next City)
The Eno Center for Transportation quoted Streetsblog in a piece about how e-bikes are saving financially precarious bikeshares.
New York City's much-watched congestion pricing program could generate $15 billion to modernize aging transit infrastructure — if lawsuits don't derail it. (NY Times)
With six new appointees out of nine, the Houston Metro's board of directors now seems intent on scrapping three voter-approved bus rapid transit lines. (Houston Public Media)
Combining Chicago's transit agencies seems like a no-brainer, but the Tribune editorial board thinks it's more complicated than that.
A California bill provides a funding mechanism for freeway caps to "stitch" back together minority communities divided by freeways. (Axios)
Having thus far failed to achieve Vision Zero, San Francisco is now trying to solve the problem of traffic deaths with more cops. (SFBay)
The Colorado Senate watered down a bill eliminating minimum parking requirements in many areas. (Newsline)
A second Amtrak line and the opening of a train store points to a bright future for St. Paul's Union Depot. (Star Tribune)
Sri Lanka agreed to resume work on a $1.5 billion Japanese-funded light rail project, a sign it's moving away from alliance with China. (Nikkei Asia)
Sadiq Khan fended off a motorist-focused challenger to win a third term as London mayor. (Forbes)