The singular focus on EVs is making U.S. cities miss out on the opportunity to promote e-bikes as a more efficient and sustainable transportation mode.
Despite prominent calls to electrify cars and buses, U.S. policymakers have largely failed to encourage an even more sustainable, affordable, and effective electric transport mode: e-bikes. Lloyd Alter writes that, according to a survey from the United States Conference of Mayors, "55% [of mayors surveyed] believed 'all-electric vehicles' were the most promising technology from a list of 20 options presented to them," yet the survey results made no mention of electric bikes.
Meanwhile, cities are planning for new EV infrastructure such as charging stations, which critics argue will not mitigate traffic and congestion problems in crowded urban areas or provide better options for rural and suburban dwellers with less access to public transit. And while electric vehicles are expensive to own and maintain, even a small subsidy for electric bikes could put them within reach of most Americans. E-bikes also create less 'embodied carbon,' the greenhouse gases emitted during manufacturing, and put less stress on local power grids.\
According to Alter, "the almost single-minded focus on e-cars seems so misguided when a faster and fairer approach would be to try to reduce the number of cars and make space for the safe and secure use of bikes and e-bikes."
FULL STORY: Politicians and Planners Are Missing the E-Bike Revolution
Study: EV Adoption Isn't Enough. Car-Centric Culture Needs To Change.
The focus on electrifying personal vehicles misses the opportunity to transform urban transportation systems, reduce congestion, and make cities more affordable.
To Fight Climate Change, Support Public Transit
Electric cars may garner a lot of attention these days, but significantly reducing carbon emissions and urban congestion means investing in high-quality mass transit.
USDOT Unveils Strategies to Achieve Near-Zero Transportation Emissions
Three key strategies — reducing travel distances, increasing energy-efficient travel modes, and transitioning to zero-emission vehicles and fuels — are recommended to meet national climate goals under the Paris Agreement.
Research Links Urban Design and Human Happiness
An emerging field of ‘neuroarchitectural’ research is revealing how building facades and urban design impact the human brain and body.
Reimagining Your Street
How to use free online tools to redesign your local streetscape.
Research: Sprawl Linked to Poverty
Low-income families living in high-sprawl neighborhoods are limited in their access to education, jobs, and other amenities, often trapping them in a cycle of poverty.
Washington Lawmakers Eye Rent Stabilization
Democrats are pushing for a statewide rent stabilization bill that would give renters some protections while offering more flexibility for landlords than blanket rent control policies.
Wildfires Devastate LA Outdoor Education Spaces and Schools
The current Los Angeles wildfires have destroyed schools and outdoor education spaces like Eaton Canyon, displacing families and disrupting vital learning and community resources while highlighting the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
Research Affirms Safety of ‘Idaho Stop’
Allowing cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs does not negatively impact safety and can help people on bikes more effectively navigate roadways.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency (NOACA)
Ada County Highway District
Charles County Government
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland