United States

Bus Transit Still Faces Social Stigma
Improving headways and making service more reliable can help reduce the negative public image faced by urban bus transit.

Hybrid Car Sales Fail to Meet Predictions
Over a decade ago, automakers predicted that every new car would be a hybrid by 2020. Why were they so off the mark?

Utah Wants to Build Water Pipeline Amid Historic Shortages
As water supplies around the West dwindle, one Utah county is moving ahead with plans for a new Colorado River pipeline.

'Fire Weather' Is Stoking More Extreme Wildfires
The number of annual 'fire weather' days has increased over the past 50 years, leading to deadlier and more massive fires in the West.

Census Data Reveal Increasing Density in the U.S.—Reversing a Two-Decade Trend
The New York Times is calling 2010 to 2020 the "Downtown Decade."

Scooter Laws That Could Also Apply to Drivers
E-scooters are governed by hundreds of regulations aimed at improving the safety of riders and pedestrians. Is it time to apply them to cars, too?

To Build More Affordable Housing, Start With Narrower Streets
New research shows that reducing wasteful use of street space and eliminating overly wide streets would increase opportunities for housing development and higher density.

Centering Non-Drivers Would Improve Infrastructure for All
Inadequate infrastructure disproportionately harms people with mobility challenges who can't or don't drive, but their needs closely mirror those of all pedestrians.

The Limits of Citywide Upzoning
A study shows zoning reform isn't a silver bullet for the housing crisis. In some low-income and BIPOC neighborhoods, it could 'cause more harm than good.'

Americans Are Moving Toward Climate Risk
More Americans are ignoring the realities of climate change emigrating—even as more and more climate refugees flee the damage.

The 'Mountain Lion' Cities Rising in the U.S. West
An economist identifies the growth in nine U.S. cities—scattered from Utah to Texas, Arizona, Washington, and Idaho—as similar to the economic power generated in parts of Asia.

Where Did the Federal Transit Funding Go?
The final infrastructure deal cutting by more than half the transit funding proposed in the American Jobs Plan.

Watch: The Laws and Policies Driving Up the Cost of Housing
A Vox explainer video tackles the rising cost of housing in the United States.

The History of Federal Infrastructure Funding: As Determined by the Founding Fathers
The ability of the federal government to fund, and define, infrastructure, owes itself to a history of state and federal leadership at the dawn of the nation's existence.

To Save the Climate: Driving Habits Must Change
Even with ambitious electric Vehicle adoption, the United States must reduce vehicle miles traveled by 20 percent before the end of the decade to limit warming to 1.5°C, according to new research by the Rocky Mountain Institute.

As Heat Waves Become More Common, Bus Shelters Are Needed to Keep Transit Riders Onboard
As climate change brings prolonged, intense heat waves to cities once associated with rain and cold weather will have to attend to the lack of shelter provided to bus and transit riders.

Landlords, Investors Lining Up to Evict Non-Paying Tenants
Rental housing is booming business, and some landlords and their investors see additional dollar signs in the potential to evict tenants protected by eviction moratoria up until this point in the pandemic.

Florida Judge Rules That Governor Overstepped Authority in Banning School Mask Mandates
A group of parents won the first round on Aug. 27 in a state circuit court in a dispute with the governor and state education agencies over the ability of school boards to require all students to wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Pew: More Americans Prefer Big Homes, Longer Distances to Retail and Amenities
The pandemic has resulted in an an increasing preference for sprawl among Americans, according to the findings of a recent Pew Research Center "American Trends Panel."

Supreme Court Strikes Down Federal Eviction Moratorium
The majority opinion claims the CDC overstepped its authority and calls for congressional approval of any further eviction moratoriums.
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