The Brake
Basics
Everything You Need to Know About Keeping Pedestrians and Bicyclists Safe In Your State, in One Document
Every state legally has to complete a report that shows exactly how it plans to get safer for people on foot and bike — but some do it better than others. A new report breaks down how they could all step up their game.
January 29, 2025
What’s Missing From the Safe Systems Approach
Safe streets, road users, speeds, vehicles, and post-crash care have long been held up as the five pillars of the "safe systems" approach to ending road deaths. One state DOT, though, recently added a sixth one — and their outgoing secretary thinks it's key to saving lives.
January 13, 2025
How One Mayor Is Cooling Off America’s Hottest City
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego reflects on temporarily losing the ability to drive in her sweltering-hot city, and what her administration is doing to keep people cool outside cars.
December 17, 2024
Can We Build Car-Light Neighborhoods From Scratch — Even in Texas?
Can you really build a car-light neighborhood in suburban Houston — and could it inspire car-dependent places to explore new ideas about development?
December 10, 2024
How America’s ‘Soft Power’ is Shaping Mobility Around the World — And How Cities Like Tirana Are Resisting it
"The biggest infrastructure we had to fight to fix was the 10 centimeters between our ears — the mentality, the status symbol that the car brought. "
November 26, 2024
What the U.S. Can Learn From the ‘Bike Mayor’ of Africa, Manuel de Araújo
What can the U.S. learn from developing countries where car dependency hasn't yet taken root — and from the visionary mayors who are fighting to make sure it never does, even in uncertain times?
November 12, 2024
How America’s Mayors Are Fighting Back Against Harmful Highways
Mayors across the country are fighting for funds to heal harmful highway expansions. But what does it take to make an application stand out?
October 29, 2024
When Car Dependency Meets Climate Disaster
How does car dependency make weathering a storm harder, and what can we do about it? We sat down with two experts from the Urban Institute to find out.
October 15, 2024
Should We Stop Calling Bike Lanes ‘Bike Lanes’?
"Bike lanes" and "bike-friendly policies" can slow dangerous car traffic, give walkers more space to move, and save lives across all modes by getting would-be drivers into the saddle instead. Is it time for a rebrand?
October 1, 2024
Even 500 Episodes In, Jeff Wood Isn’t Done Exploring Everything Cities Can Be
Streetsblog's most prolific podcaster looks back on his legacy, and explores what's coming next.
September 17, 2024
