Friday’s Free-Range Headlines

Bad drivers and giant trucks are ruining our children's childhoods, and more parents are speaking out.

By Blake Aued

12:12 AM EDT on August 15, 2025

A thing of the past?

|Seattle Municipal Archives

Parents who grew up riding their bikes around the neighborhood now feel like it's too dangerous for their kids. And they're right: vehicles are bigger, speeds are faster, and drivers are more distracted and aggressive. The lack of independence is harmful for children, and it may make drivers even worse because they're not used to seeing cyclists. (Washington Post)
People who move from unwalkable to walkable cities take 1,100 more steps per day and are twice as likely to reach their exercise goals, according to a new study. (ABC News)
Cars cover so much of cities that their paint and metal surfaces soak up the sun and make the surrounding air warmer, and dark-colored cars are the worst. (Carbon Copy)
Perception is reality when people judge how safe they think a street is. (State Smart Transportation Initiative)
RAGBRAI, the world's largest recreational bike ride, held annually in Iowa, is always a challenge, but it's getting even harder thanks to climate change. (Inside Climate News)
Texts from Houston Mayor John Whitmire prove that removing protected bike lanes from Austin Street really was about the bike lanes, not drainage as city officials insisted. (Chron)
A survey of Colorado e-bike rebate recipients found that many of them are using their e-bikes to replace car trips, but snow and a lack of protected infrastructure are barriers. (Sun)
Portland bike advocates are opposed to removing traffic diverters that city officials claim impede police access. (KGW)
Facing rising costs and skepticism in the Black community, the Michigan DOT is pulling back from plans to turn I-375 in Detroit into a surface street. (Free Press)
Metro Transit in the Twin Cities is expanding service by 5 percent. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
Why aren't other cities in Washington state following Spokane's lead and ditching parking mandates? (Sightline)
If you want to get a sidewalk built in Kansas City, learn the process and speak out. (Star)
A Pennsylvania museum restored the "Terrible Trolley," which was painted to celebrate the Pittsburgh Steelers' four Super Bowls in 1980 and mothballed in 1998. (CBS News)
Mario Paglino and Gianni Grossi, an Italian couple known for turning Barbie dolls into art, died in a car crash with a wrong-way driver. (New York Times)