Government / Politics

Paris Plans to Become a '100 Percent Cyclable' City
Mayor Anne Hidalgo continues her commitment to making Paris more bikeable with a new plan that will improve bike parking and facilities in the French capital.

Chicago Grants Support Equitable Transit-Oriented Development
The eTOD program centers equity as a consideration for new projects.

Austin Leaders Denounce 20-Lane Freeway Project
TxDOT is pushing ahead with plans for a massive freeway expansion project through downtown Austin despite opposition from virtually all local leaders.

Downtown Atlanta Association Calls for Changes to Proposed BRT Line
The group expressed concerns with changes made to a key segment, which leaves riders with fewer connections to existing transit and does not position the line for future growth.

New York Plans to Improve Access to Hart Island, the Nation's Largest Public Cemetery
Managed for decades by the Department of Corrections, the island could soon become a public park with regular ferry service and expanded visiting hours.

COVID Vaccination Strategy: What the U.K. and U.S. Could Learn from Israel
Cases are surging in the U.K. despite 68% of its population being fully vaccinated. Experts say that U.K. officials should observe how Israel, with 63% of its population fully vaccinated, managed to reduce transmission after a similar surge.

What COVID Taught About Mobility Justice
Transit agencies are waking up to the inequities in transportation systems—highlighted by the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Spiking Rents Putting More People at Risk of Eviction
Housing costs across the country are becoming more and more unaffordable for low- and moderate-income households, a trend that began even before the COVID-19 pandemic.

How Street Configuration Impacts Equity
With urban pollution and traffic violence disproportionately affecting communities of color, better management of public space and streets could improve equity in cities.

Portland and Multnomah County Push for Lower Speed Limits on Bridges
The Portland Bureau of Transportation and Multnomah County agree on a 30 mph speed limit on five downtown bridges, but the state's department of transportation denied the change on two key spans.

Study: Half as Many Metro Areas Affordable to Low-Income Homebuyers in 2021 as in 2020
Over 13 million potential first-time homebuyers were priced out this year, putting homeownership out of reach for low-income households in most of the largest U.S. cities.

California Governor Declares Statewide Drought Emergency
The declaration applies to all of California's 58 counties, with agencies and households urged to implement stricter conservation measures as the historic drought deepens.

New 'Housing Accountability Unit' to Enforce California's Housing Goals
Part of the state's Housing and Community Development Agency, the unit will focus on enforcing existing laws around housing production and ensure cities build the housing needed to alleviate the current crisis.

How Albany Can Reclaim Its Waterfront From a Bad Highway
Finding full-scale highway removal nearly impossible, advocates in the New York state capital turn to creative workarounds to reconnect the city to the Hudson River.

Recommendations for the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grant Program
The Capital Investment Grants program should focus on improving service on heavily-used lines, expanding access to jobs and amenities, and increasing multimodal accessibility.

The Major Shortcoming in Biden's COVID Action Plan
Dr. Leana S. Wen, an emergency physician and public health expert, writes that Covid will become a 'manageable problem' with three key actions, only one of which hasn't received the attention it deserves in the Biden administration's action plan.

How Legacy Cities Can Leverage Federal Funds for 'Transformative' Projects
Now is the time for cities to make strategic investments to scale up existing revitalization efforts.

The New Pentagon City Could Be More Sustainable, Walkable
In a draft plan, planners in Arlington County, Virginia call for improved pedestrian infrastructure, higher-density housing, and more public parks.

How Pit Bull Bans Exacerbate Housing Issues
While many places have eliminated their breed-specific bans, some counties hold on to outdated stereotypes that create additional challenges in an already tight housing market.

Opinion: Biden's Housing Plan is 'Both Necessary and Excellent'
The housing programs proposed in the reconciliation bill could help millions of Americans who desperately need housing assistance and begin to mitigate the damage of a stagnant housing supply.
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