Mexico City, Melbourne, and Vancouver are just some of the cities that have struggled to get citywide bike-sharing systems off the ground due to local laws mandating the use of bike helmets. A new helmet vending machine could help break the impasse.
This summer, Boston is rolling out a network of vending machines that rent out helmets next to the stalls of its Hubway bike share system. "The concept for Helmethub originated from twelve MIT undergraduates and was first revealed during their 2011 Product Engineering Final Presentation, a product-design course that tasks students with building prototypes from scratch in one semester," writes Kyana Gordon. "Since then, the company has worked tirelessly to refine their product offering in preparation for a street debut."
"Each solar-powered vending machine holds thirty-six helmets and features a touchscreen like those on Hubway rental kiosks. Rentals cost around $2 and riders will also have the option to purchase one. When a cyclist has finished with their helmet, they return it to the location they’re dropping off their borrowed bike, and it will then be sent to the company’s headquarters to be inspected and sanitized before being distributed again," she explains.
FULL STORY: Helmet Rental Vending Machines Keep Bikers Safe On-The-Go

Good Planning Under Bad Leadership
Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86
Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record
The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

Over 71K Office-to-Apartment Units in the Pipeline for 2025
Adaptive reuse projects are continuing to bring thousands of new housing units onto the market as demand for office space remains low.

How Houston Can Be a Model for Housing Reform
The city builds more new housing than almost any other and has dramatically reduced homelessness, yet low-income families struggle to find affordable housing.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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.
City of Brookings
City of White Salmon
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland