Pedestrian deaths hit 41-year high in 2022 with more than 7,500 killed

“Nothing seems to be changing,” said a Governors Highway Safety Association official, as pedestrian deaths continue to climb. 

By Dan Zukowski • June 22, 2023

Extreme heat is changing the structure of local governance

For Los Angeles Chief Heat Officer Marta Segura, “un-siloing, coordinating and collaborating, and building plans with other departments” has been a big part of the work.

By Ysabelle Kempe • June 16, 2023

Land-use reform efforts could bring 135K new homes to downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood

To address its acute housing shortage, the city is allowing greater housing density, relaxing parking requirements and creating affordable housing incentives and mandates in updates to decades-old community plans.

By Kalena Thomhave • June 12, 2023

When climate disasters strike, how can cities evacuate people who don’t have cars?

"There's not a place in this country” where everyone has a car, said the deputy director of the new federally funded Center for Equitable Transit-Oriented Communities, and emergency planners must meet carless residents’ needs.

By Ysabelle Kempe • June 12, 2023

Get old cars off the road to protect vulnerable California communities, report urges

“The state must commit to retiring the dirtiest vehicles on the road,” said one of the report’s authors.

By Dan Zukowski • June 9, 2023

Houston, DOJ reach settlement over alleged environmental justice violations in illegal dumping case

Houston agreed to a $17.8 million cleanup plan with the Department of Justice. Some residents applauded the development, but others worry it won’t lead to long-term changes.

By Megan Quinn • June 9, 2023

Deadly winter storm caught Buffalo, New York, on its heels, but city can do better next time: report

The storm disproportionately resulted in the deaths of people of color, and the city did not have enough emergency vehicles, storage or warming centers, says the report commissioned by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown.

By Ysabelle Kempe • June 9, 2023

Affordable housing bill vetoed by Colorado governor, sparking backlash from legislators

The bill’s co-sponsors clapped back, claiming in a statement that Gov. Jared Polis had kowtowed to special interests at the last minute.

By Michael Brady • June 8, 2023

‘Street crisis team’ aims to curb police involvement in homelessness response in San Francisco

Decreasing police use can reduce cycles of incarceration, which are expensive for cities and harm people experiencing homelessness, said a public health expert.

By Ysabelle Kempe • June 7, 2023

Boston commuter rail lines need overhaul, advocates say, as transit agency tackles safety, financial issues

Electric, regional rail would be “an absolute game changer,” says a rail expert, but even 2020 cost estimates top $40 billion, and the MBTA is still recovering from safety failures and revenue shortfalls.

By Dan Zukowski • June 6, 2023

Lawmakers urge HUD to prohibit biometric recognition tech in federally-funded housing

Racial bias, harassment for minor rule violations were among their concerns, the lawmakers said in their letter to Housing and Urban Development.

By Mary Salmonsen • June 5, 2023

State-owned roads blamed for traffic fatality uptick in Austin, Texas, in new report

“Fatal crashes occurring on State-owned roadways increased substantially while those occurring on City-owned streets remained relatively flat,” the city says in a new report.

By Michael Brady • June 5, 2023

Urban agriculture offers food, climate, cooling benefits — and can pay for itself: report

However, such projects face workforce development challenges and competition for land, say authors of a report presented last week to a San Antonio City Council subcommittee.

By Ysabelle Kempe • June 2, 2023

Without chief heat officers, how can smaller cities respond to extreme heat?

“Not every community can afford to have a full-time chief heat officer, so what is the structure that works for smaller and medium-sized communities?” a University of Arizona researcher asked.

By Ysabelle Kempe • May 31, 2023

DOT’s Reconnecting Communities highway removal program lacks performance measures: GAO report

The Government Accountability Office report comes as El Paso, Texas; New York City and Philadelphia are looking into decking over major highways that split communities. 

By Dan Zukowski • May 31, 2023

$400M for low-emission school buses available from EPA grant program

The zero- and low-emission school bus funding has a “particular focus on reducing air pollution in disadvantaged communities overburdened by dirty air," said David Cash, EPA New England regional administrator.

By Stephen Singer • May 31, 2023

Shared micromobility boosts job access when linked with public transit: report

While other analyses often make cars falsely appear faster than other modes, this study may provide a more accurate assessment by accounting for factors such as traffic congestion and how people use micromobility, researchers said.

By Michael Brady • May 30, 2023

How AI can advance, harm transportation equity

“Responsible AI” is critical because “AI has the potential to either exacerbate or alleviate existing biases and discrimination in transportation,” one researcher said during a Transportation Research Board webinar.

By Kalena Thomhave • May 29, 2023

Shared micromobility companies recommended model regulations. Here’s what they didn’t mention.

Bird, Lime, Spin and Superpedestrian’s recommendations largely leave out safety, infrastructure and community engagement concerns, researchers and micromobility consultants said.

By Michael Brady • May 26, 2023

Government workers see benefits of in-person work, but they don’t want mandates: survey

Government employees said they were concerned about how more in-person work will affect their work/life balance, commute time, costs and stress.

By Laurel Kalser • May 25, 2023

Why cities are investing in government-run gig work platforms

Long Beach, California, was the first U.S. city to launch its own gig-work platform. Now others are considering following suit.

By Gaby Galvin • May 24, 2023

NYC region faces significant health inequities: report

All decisions made in the region, from building more housing to expanding highways, affect public health outcomes, one of the report's authors said.

By Ysabelle Kempe • May 24, 2023

Collecting data to support energy-burdened communities poses unique challenges, experts say

Census data isn’t collected often enough to reflect neighborhood demographic shifts, and asking communities to self-report can present additional burdens, panelists said at a clean energy summit.

By Diana DiGangi • May 24, 2023

Can Boston improve pedestrian safety with redesigned streets, intersections? It’s about to find out.

City leaders hope a new initiative will reduce speeding and crashes by installing more speed humps, redesigning intersections and making traffic signals more pedestrian-friendly.

By Michael Brady • May 24, 2023

The ‘infrastructure decade’ is here, but challenges loom for local governments at the helm

“Money is flowing, grant applications are live, private capital is ready to move. But there are real constraints to achieving public goals,” Brookings Metro Senior Fellow Adie Tomer said at an event last week.

By Ysabelle Kempe • May 23, 2023