Latino and black communities are more likely to cite racial profiling or crime as a deterrent to cycling, according to a recent study.

"In a groundbreaking survey, [Charles] Brown and James Sinclair asked New Jerseyans about their attitudes toward biking and broke down the responses by race," reports Angie Schmitt.
The question at the heart of the story, according to Schmitt: "If your local police force has a reputation for harassing people who look like you, and your neighborhood gets a new bike lane, would that infrastructure be enough to make you feel comfortable riding?"
According to the findings of the study, social and cultural issues do matter when it comes to bike adoption in minority communities: "In the survey, black and Latino respondents were more likely than white respondents to cite fear of racial profiling or crime as a deterrent to cycling."
"The infrastructure piece gets too much attention and the social and cultural pieces are missing," Brown told Schmitt in his own words.
The article includes more insight into the research, including Brown's recommendations for how to improve the planning process with these findings in mind.
FULL STORY: What Bike Planners Are Missing When They Design Projects in Black and Latino Neighborhoods

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.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.

Starting in 2026, You Can Charge Your EV at Waffle House
The 24-hour chain infamous for brawls and, to a lesser extent, waffles plans to install fast-chargers at many of its locations.

US Senate Reverses California EV Mandate
The state planned to phase out the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035, a goal some carmakers deemed impossible to meet.
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 Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions