You remember the one showing the amount of space occupied by 60 people on a bike, 60 people on a bus, and 60 people in cars? It's also helpful for making a convenient point about Uber and self-driving cars.
Jon Orcutt, communications and advocacy director for Transit center, turned a familiar image on its head this week, posting the following tweet:
— Jon Orcutt (@jonorcutt) June 29, 2016
You'll remember the original image, which Jon Orcutt references with apologies, from Twitter, Facebook, and, yes, Planetizen.
With apologies to the original pic.twitter.com/Wlb3b5IP5k
— Jon Orcutt (@jonorcutt) June 29, 2016
The point is fairly simple: a car is a car, and with the car comes inefficiencies with only theoretical potential for improvements. Ron Kilcoyne made a related point in November 2015 about the potential for autonomous vehicles to explode vehicles miles traveled, and the negative externalities that would come along with that "disruption"—even if congestion isn't one of them.
Regarding transportation network companies, the jury is still out on the effect on congestion of Uber and its brethren, and early efforts to connect TNCs with transit, or paratransit, have yet to prove effective in reducing congestion or pollution.
FULL STORY: Space required to transport 60 people
NHTSA Cuts Could Make Roads More Dangerous
The agency is losing almost half of the team that oversees autonomous vehicle safety, among dozens of other key personnel.
Uber and Lyft: A Tale of Two Companies
After years of resisting efforts by cities to regulate their business and constant—but unprofitable—growth, Uber and Lyft are homing in on their unique strengths.
Tesla's 'Aggressive' Autonomous Mode Facilitates Lawbreaking
Some Tesla autonomous modes direct the vehicle to engage in dangerous and illegal behaviors, prompting calls for increased regulation of autonomous vehicle tech.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi
One researcher's perspective on the potential of tiny homes and owner-built housing as one tool to fight the housing crisis.
A Plan to Expand Tree Canopy Across Dayton
Dayton is developing an urban forest master plan, using a $2 million grant to expand its tree canopy, address decades of tree loss, and enhance environmental equity across the city.
Decarbonizing Homes: The Case for Electrifying Residential Heating
A new MIT study finds that transitioning residential heating from natural gas to electric heat pumps can significantly reduce carbon emissions and operational costs.
Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research