Transportation

Tacoma Lowers Speed Limits as Part of Vision Zero Plan
The city voted to reduce speed limits on residential and some arterial streets in an effort to improve traffic safety and reduce the risk of death or serious injury when crashes occur.

Could Inflation Spur an Urban Rebound?
Inflation is hitting rural areas particularly hard. One expert sees the possibility of rural residents reconsidering cities as a place to avoid higher costs associated with rural mobility and to make more money.

NYC Bike Advocates Call for More Secure Bike Parking
While the city waits to evaluate data, advocates argue that recent demonstration projects have already proven the popularity of secure bike parking.

Friday Funny: Pete Buttigieg Makes New Work Friends
The Onion takes a gleeful jab at Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Atlanta Transit Could Go Fare-Free
The city has tasked the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority with evaluating the feasibility of eliminating transit fares.

To Save or Not to Save the MBTA?
Some lawmakers and residents think the management of Boston transit should shift to the state’s department of transportation, but would that solve the troubled system’s problems?

A Permanent Decline in Revenue Forecasted for the Tunnel Bertha Built in Seattle
Public transit isn't the only mode struggling to attract the expected number of users in 2022. State Route 99 in Downtown Seattle is also failing to live up to expectations and struggling to make ends meet.

Fort Worth To Study Transit Opportunities in its Poorest Neighborhoods
Residents in the 76104 ZIP code, where life expectancy is the lowest in Texas, lack access to effective transit and essential needs.

Reckless Driving and Illegal Activity Shut Down L.A.’s Newest Bridge
Could the chaos that has plagued the 6th Street Viaduct’s first few weeks signal an opportunity to reimagine its intended uses?

Why Counting Bikes Matters
While many American cities rely on vehicle counts to make transportation planning decisions, most haven’t prioritized counting bikes, leading to underinvestment in bike infrastructure.

Editorial: Why Houston’s University Line BRT Is a ‘Crucial’ Project
The Houston Chronicle editorial board comes out in support of a proposed 25-mile bus rapid transit line, arguing it would provide essential service to transit-dependent residents.

How Sharrows Became Cycling’s Most Hated Symbol
Originally designed as a low-cost way to encourage safer road sharing between bikes and cars, the sharrow has become a symbol of the lack of commitment to protected bike infrastructure in many cities.

D.C. Could Legalize ‘Idaho Stop,’ Ban Right Turns on Red
Proposed legislation would allow cyclists to treat stop signs as yield signs and eliminate right turns on red in an effort to reduce cyclist and pedestrian fatalities.

Virginia Using Variable Speed Limits To Reduce Congestion
Experts say reducing speed limits based on traffic volumes can relieve congestion and improve the flow of traffic.

The Benefits of Fare Capping
Fare capping—putting a ceiling on the amount a transit passenger pays in a day or a month regardless of the number of trips—is becoming a popular policy option for transit agencies seeking to increase equity and bring back riders.

'Inflation Reduction Act' a Mixed Bag for Climate Action, Planning Innovation
A roundup of all the emerging news and commentary regarding the Inflation Reduction Act, which last week broke through a Congressional roadblock to resuscitate some, but not nearly all, of the Build Back Better legislation that failed in 2021.

Louisiana Road Safety Plan Highlights Impaired Driving, Reckless Behavior
The plan focuses traffic safety efforts on distracted and impaired driving, seatbelt wearing, and speeding, with a small nod to infrastructural factors.

Electric School Buses Put Power Back Into Grid
A “vehicle to grid” pilot program in a Southern California school district has school buses doing double-duty as electricity storage.

Major Redesign Planned for Denver-Area Bus System
The Regional Transportation District will make significant changes to bus frequency and routes in an effort to make transit accessible to more Colorado residents.

4 Proven Steps for Improved Pedestrian Safety
Experts from the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) present four steps for reducing the number of pedestrians killed by drivers.
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