Recent Streetsblog USA posts about Car Dependence

Seattle and Minneapolis: A Tale of Two Upzones

By Philip Kiefer | May 21, 2019 | 1 Comment

Dense, walkable cities mean more families can afford to stay, and public transport gets a boost. They’re also greener than suburbs, with their large homes and car-dependent multitudes. But changing zoning rules that break the car culture isn’t easy. A long read from our friends at Grist.

Traffic through the Sepulveda Pass is worse, thanks to a widening project. Photo:

A Great Big Freeway — Thanks to Induced Demand

By Aaron Short | May 8, 2019 | 17 Comments

Los Angeles is getting what it paid for when it widened 10 miles of its most infamous freeways — another lane of traffic.

Traffic. It's what happens when there's not enough transit.

Study: Commutes are Longer When Cities Fail on Transit

By Aaron Short | May 6, 2019 | 12 Comments

Want to know why so few cities invest in transit? Because the vast majority of their residents — drivers — have much shorter commute times in their cars. A cautionary tale....

Ohio's "Columbus Connector" highway project cost $1 billion, about as much as Governor Mike Dewine's 18 cent gas tax hike would bring in annually. Image: ODOT

Midwest Will Raise Gas Taxes — And Make Everything Worse

By Angie Schmitt | Mar 7, 2019 | 36 Comments

If Midwest states shovel billions more into highway widenings (likely), it could just increase maintenance costs and further undermine their cities.

How Driving is Encouraged and Subsidized — By Law

By Angie Schmitt | Mar 6, 2019 | 276 Comments

Greg Shill, a law professor, attempted to itemize all the ways driving is legally favored in the U.S. Let's just say it's a long list.

Car-Centric Transportation Policies are Driving Us to Ruin

By Angie Schmitt | Feb 13, 2019 | 12 Comments

Low-income people are increasingly being trapped in a cycle of debt by subprime auto lending. The American transportation system offers them few alternatives.

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