Christine Grant was fortunate enough to win a fellowship that allowed her to spend six months in the world's most bike-friendly cities. In this article she shares with us the 10 essential lessons she learned along the way.
In addition to the elements planners might intuitively understand about how to provide an encouraging environment for bicyclists in our cities (protected lanes, implement a bike-share program, etc.), Christine has some intriguing findings.
One such recommendation that would-be bicyclists may not consider is Lesson 7 -- You don't need bike clothes:
"Most of the women and men I saw on bicycles throughout Europe and Japan didn't wear special clothes. People just wore their usual outfits, heels and all. Women from London to Tokyo looked beautiful, stylish, and feminine while they were cycling. Men frequently pedaled in suits. 'Style over speed,' says Mikael Colville-Anderson, who started the Cycle Chic movement."
FULL STORY: Virtuous cycle: 10 lessons from the world’s great biking cities

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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