Local leaders must invest in public transit and other incentives to reduce the number of private vehicles and congestion in cities.

"Understanding how cars affect cities and commute times is of vital importance, both for the sake of the climate—transportation is the biggest share of U.S. emissions and a growing chunk globally—and quality of life," writes Dharna Noor. A new study "modeled the time car trips take, factoring in the baseline length of the trip on empty streets, the time added by other drivers who create traffic, and the time added by the designation of some street lanes for exclusive use by pedestrians, buses, and bikes" to conclude that "we have to start getting cars off the road—and fast—if we want to avoid cities being overrun by gridlock."
The choice between driving and using other modes of transit, Noor writes, "creates an inherent paradox. If more people decide that driving is quicker, there will be more traffic, clogging streets and making trips longer. The longest trips across town, the authors found, were the ones taken when every single resident tries to reduce their commute times by driving, thus creating the most traffic."
"The authors also discuss some ways to reduce the time it takes to get across a city and lower carbon pollution, including investing in more reliable and quick public transit, building more bike lanes and walking paths, and not separating residential areas from commerce. They also suggest reducing the number of traffic lanes in cities and building less parking to discourage people from driving or even owning a car in the first place, making city travel faster for everyone."
Despite some limitations in the analysis, "the model is instructive, showing the logical fallacy of attempting to reduce drive times by increasing the use of cars."
FULL STORY: Why Cities Should Ban Cars, According to Science

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

Colorado Lawmakers Move to Protect BRT Funding
In the face of potential federal funding cuts, CDOT leaders reasserted their commitment to planned bus rapid transit projects.

Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
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