Things vs. Devices: How Technologies Like Cars Shape Us

Are cars really helpful tools or disruptive devices? Here’s some guidance from ethicist Albert Borgmann on the distinction.

Owens, Top StoryTiffany Owens ReedSeptember 26, 2023cars, car dependency, technology

Checking My Bias on Automated Traffic Enforcement

We ran an article and a podcast about speed cameras, and got some thought-provoking responses in return from readers and listeners. Here’s one in particular that grabbed our attention.

Marohn, Top StoryCharles MarohnSeptember 25, 2023enforcement, traffic engineering, safe and productive streets

Strong Towns Is Jane Jacobs in Action

If you love Jane Jacobs or want to learn more about her views and how Strong Towns advocates are working to make them a reality, you will want to explore this conversation between Chuck Marohn and Charles Pignal.

Podcast, Top Story, TrendingStrong TownsSeptember 25, 2023jane jacobs, podcast, guest podcast

The Secret to Vibrant Streets? Focus on What People Can See

Transit-oriented development suggests that homes, shops, and services should all be located within 400 meters of transit. The actual distance to create vibrant streets may be much shorter.

Top StoryTristan ClevelandSeptember 22, 2023urban design, Street Design, europe, public transportation, transit

Philadelphia Schools Are Making Student Transportation Worse

Like many other places around the U.S., Philadelphia is facing school bus driver shortages and bus scheduling issues. Its solution? Offer $300 per month to families that drive their children to school.

News, Top Story, TrendingAsia MieleszkoSeptember 22, 2023car dependency, buses, schools

Why We Need Strong Towns

The Strong Towns movement defies political categorization, and that can be confounding for some. Here’s a response by Autonorama’s Peter Norton to a recent conversation about Strong Towns’ political leanings (or lack thereof).

Top StoryPeter NortonSeptember 21, 2023politics, advocacy, engineers

Phoenix Legalizes Casitas, aka Accessory Dwelling Units

Add Phoenix, AZ, to the list of cities embracing accessory dwelling units as a tool to tackle the housing crisis.

News, Top StoryBen AbramsonSeptember 21, 2023accessory dwelling unit, Incremental Housing, success stories, Arizona, zoning

In Praise of Neighbors

National Good Neighbor Day is just around the corner, and it’s a good opportunity to reflect on how important it is to work with your neighbors if you want to build a better community.

Emma Durand-Wood, Top StoryEmma Durand-WoodSeptember 21, 2023neighborliness, neighborhoods

It’s Long Past Time To Ban Pretextual Stops—Take It From a Public Defender

Police pretextual stops, in which traffic police pull people over as an excuse to search them, should no longer be allowed.

Top StoryDan EichingerSeptember 20, 2023policing, enforcement, law enforcement, traffic stops

New PROWAG Guidelines a Major Advance for ADA (and All Pedestrians)

The culmination of a 24-year process, these new guidelines promise to make American towns and cities safer and more predictable for users of all abilities.

News, Top StoryBen AbramsonSeptember 20, 2023disability, safe and productive streets, pedestrians

Ottawa to Walkers: Drop Dead

Ottawa’s “jaywalking” campaign is putting pedestrians in an impossible catch-22.

Herriges, NewsDaniel HerrigesSeptember 20, 2023safe and productive streets, Crash Analysis Studio, canada, pedestrians, safety

Neither a Canal nor a Natural Stream: It’s Time We Returned Our “Stranals” to Proper Rivers

Waterways today are engineered systems that are more orderly than natural rivers, but they are increasingly dumb.

Top StoryDean KlinkenbergSeptember 19, 2023water, infrastructure, fragility, transportation, infrastructure spending

Local Conversations Across North America Are Looking at Their Towns on Two Wheels

Portland’s “bike bus” swept headlines last year, showcasing how biking can be a safe, viable, and fun way to commute to class. Here are similar efforts being spearheaded by Local Conversation groups.

Community Stories, Top StoryAsia MieleszkoSeptember 19, 2023bikeability, local conversations, bikes, children, safe and productive streets

Don’t Ban Cars; Ban the Car Monopoly

The key to transportation reform is to add options, then let people choose.

Owens, Top StoryTiffany Owens ReedSeptember 19, 2023car culture, car dependency, transportation, public transportation

The Arguments for Speed Cameras…and Why They Don’t Hold Up

On this week’s episode of the Strong Towns Podcast, host Chuck Marohn responds to some of the commonly cited arguments in favors of speed cameras.

Podcast, Top StoryStrong TownsSeptember 18, 2023podcast, safe and productive streets, speeding, traffic engineering, enforcement

Speed Cameras Are Not the Answer

Speed cameras are not even part of a solution to street safety. They are a dead end.

Marohn, Trending, Top StoryCharles MarohnSeptember 18, 2023safe and productive streets, traffic engineering, enforcement, speeding, safety

Ending Minimum Parking Requirements Was a Policy Win for the Twin Cities

In Minneapolis and St. Paul, parking reform has helped increase the overall supply of homes, reduce the cost of construction, and shift the cities toward a less car-centric design.

How to Use Optical Narrowing to Make a Street Safer

Drivers tend to unconsciously regulate their speed based on visual cues. By taking some simple steps to narrow a street visually, we can make it less dangerous.