New York City is getting ready to roll out their bicycle share program and has decided not to require cyclists to wear helmets.
Farrell says that while city officials and advocates believe that helmets are best, the disdain from the public for more regulation causes them to steer clear of requiring helmets while riding.
"Helmets, however, despite their ubiquity in the city's advertisements to encourage bicycling, are not mandatory for adults in New York. And neither city officials nor cycling advocacy groups are proposing a law to require them."
"Making helmets compulsory, they contend, could actually make cycling less safe. The more bikes on the street, their thinking goes, the safer bike-riding is; and helmet laws discourage people from joining in, because of either the cost and inconvenience of buying a helmet or fears of fines. City officials and some experts say helmet laws have hindered bike-share programs in other places."
Thanks to Cathie Pagano
FULL STORY: A Gentle Push for Bikers, Not a Shove

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Platform Pilsner: Vancouver Transit Agency Releases... a Beer?
TransLink will receive a portion of every sale of the four-pack.

Toronto Weighs Cheaper Transit, Parking Hikes for Major Events
Special event rates would take effect during large festivals, sports games and concerts to ‘discourage driving, manage congestion and free up space for transit.”

Berlin to Consider Car-Free Zone Larger Than Manhattan
The area bound by the 22-mile Ringbahn would still allow 12 uses of a private automobile per year per person, and several other exemptions.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)