Infrastructure

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

How Emergency Planning Fails People With Disabilities
In California and elsewhere, power outages can threaten the lives of people dependent on medical devices, while evacuation plans often don’t account for the needs of disabled people.

Houston Considering a ‘Sidewalk-In-Lieu-Fee’ for Residential Projects
Developers and homeowners might be able to opt-out of the Houston’s sidewalk ordinance under legislation under consideration by the Houston City Council this week.

Oklahoma City Updates, Expands Neighborhood Traffic Calming Program
The city announced a new cost-sharing plan and an expanded set of speed reduction devices available to neighborhoods wanting to improve traffic safety.

Chicago Left Turn Traffic Calming Reduces Crashes
The city installed reflective posts and speed bumps at dangerous intersections to induce drivers to take left turns more slowly and carefully.

Induced Demand Be Damned: Missouri Governor Proposes I-70 Expansion
Highway widenings still attract support from both sides of the political aisle, despite the inadequacies of the approach in solving the problems it intends to solve.

How Design Guidelines Can Reduce Road Safety
Signs and markings designed for traffic control can make conditions less safe for pedestrians and other road users.

Downpours Yield 33 Billion Gallons of Captured Stormwater in L.A. County
County officials hope reclamation efforts will help the region reduce its dependence on imported water supplies.

Atlanta Receives $3.2 Million for Freeway Cap Plan
The federal funding will help move forward planning for an ambitious proposal to cap a downtown Atlanta freeway with a 25-acre park.

Details for Houston Interstate Project Remain Hazy
With the project still under federal investigation, local and state agencies say they are moving forward with the development of design details for the contentious freeway redesign.

A Citizen-Led Plan Would Revamp Salt Lake’s Transit and Freeway Mix
The Rio Grande Plan would restore rail service to the Rio Grande Depot and reconnect a community divided by a freeway in Salt Lake City.

Scottsdale Cuts Water Supply to Nearby Suburb
The city claims it has no responsibility to provide water to the unincorporated Maricopa County community.

Oklahoma Turnpike Expansion Project Challenged by Lawsuits
A recent court ruling could turn the tide against a roadway expansion plan that threatens to displace homes and businesses and that locals say was pushed through with little transparency or community input.

Cities Need Data to Secure and Maximize Federal Funding
To secure and maintain federal funding for projects and programs, local governments need data to identify priorities, support grant applications, and monitor and track progress.

L.A.’s Water Diversions Threaten Critical Habitat Far to the North
Water levels at Mono Lake, nestled in a stunningly beautiful location on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevadas that provides the eastern gateway to Yosemite, have fallen to a critical level of a local population of nesting gulls.

California’s Reservoirs are Filling Up, but For How Long?
Recent storms are bringing plenty of water to parched parts of California, but scientists warn the relief won’t be a long-term solution to longer, drier periods.

What Draws Conspiracy Theorists to Traffic Calming Plans?
Proposals for road diets, ‘15-minute cities,’ and other traffic reduction programs often meet with unfounded conspiracy theories claiming that the plans are nothing short of steps to world domination.
Multimodal Improvements Coming to Houston
The city is continuing its investment in safety and accessibility improvements for transit riders, pedestrians, and cyclists.

Indianapolis Launches Fatal Crash Review Commission
The group is tasked with making a deeper assessment of the underlying infrastructural causes of fatal crashes and recommending improvements.

Meta’s Plans to Revive an Old Rail Bridge Halted During the Pandemic
The company formerly known as Facebook’s once planned to revive the Dumbarton Rail Bridge across the San Francisco Bay. Those plans are as derelict as the bridge.
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