Public Health

Parking Enforcement Reduced in L.A., Intact in New York City
The two largest cities are headed in two different directions when it comes to parking enforcement for street sweeping during the coronavirus pandemic—for now at least.

Bay Area Ordered to Shelter in Place
Six Bay Area counties have taken drastic action to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. "Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both."

Hoboken First U.S. City to Shut Down Restaurants and Bars and Issue Curfew
Restaurants and bars shut down on Sunday due to the coronavirus. On Monday, a 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew becomes effective. According to a Harvard University public health expert, "Hoboken probably is the model we all need to move towards now."

At Last—A Really Good Use for Drive-Through Facilities
When it comes to containing the spread of the deadly coronavirus, China and Italy are demonstrating the use of lockdowns and quarantines. South Korea has gone a different route, using widespread testing administered in drive-through facilities.

Coronavirus Declared a Pandemic. What Does That Mean?
The director-general of the World Health Organization announced on Wednesday that the COVID-19 viral disease that has killed more than 4,000 people, infected nearly 120,00 people and is present in 114 nations is a pandemic.
A Nation of 60 Million on Lockdown
Should the United States be watching Italy for lessons on how to contain and mitigate the coronavirus?

State Legislation Responds to Pedestrian Safety Failures in Connecticut
So far in 2020, drivers have killed 15 pedestrians on Connecticut roads.

Coronavirus Effects on the Global Transportation System
As the coronavirus continues to move across the globe, its effects on shared transportation modes and freight shipping are becoming more apparent.

Dispute Over Siting of Coronavirus Quarantine Facility in Washington State
The Seattle area is ground zero for the coronavirus in the U.S., where 10 of the 11 deaths as of March 5 have occurred. King County's decision to purchase a motel in Kent for use as a quarantine facility is being met with protests by city officials.

NIMBY Politics Sway the Fight to Contain Coronavirus
A week after the Orange County city of Costa Mesa filed a restraining order against the federal government and the state of California over the use of a state-owned facility as an isolation site for coronavirus patients, the feds dropped the plan.

What Determines the Public Health Outcomes of Cities?
There's no one no defining attribute that determines whether a city is healthy or not, as a growing and evolving body of research shows.

Local Restrictions on Dollar Stores Gaining Popularity
Cities and counties all over the South are restricting further development of dollar stores.

Coming to Terms with the Racist Causes of Pollution
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania took the dramatic step of officially declaring racism a public health threat. Public policy has yet to mitigate the city's worsening air quality, however.

Lessons From the Most Dangerous Pedestrian Environment in the Country
The city of Orlando, Florida is examined as the worst example of the nation's pedestrian safety crisis.

Action Needed to Match Vision Zero Ambition in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's succeeded at reducing traffic fatalities in the first years after adopting a Vision Zero goal. That success didn't last, and one writer is calling for the city to back up its ambitious talk with actions.

95 Environmental Regulations Threatened by the Trump Administration
New York Times analysis quantifies the environmental regulations at risk under the actions of the Trump administration.

Arizona Environmental Agency Cutbacks Significant, Says Report
A new report says funding and staffing cuts at the state’s environmental protection agency could prevent it from adequately protecting public health and the environment.

Men and SUVs: A Bad Mix for Traffic Safety
Data from New York City show that male drivers are responsible for the vast majority of traffic fatalities in the city, and more of those fatalities are caused by male drivers behind the wheels of trucks and SUVs.

New Oil and Gas Drilling in California May Be Subject to Moratorium
Gov. Gavin Newsom pleased environmentalists by doing what his predecessor, Gov. Jerry Brown, refused – halting all new oil and gas fracking and placing a moratorium on another extraction method linked to a massive oil spill in Kern County.

How Can Cities Adapt to Rising Temperatures? Change the Weather
Brian Stone of the Georgia Institute of Technology writes about a recent article he co-authored in the Journal of Planning Education and Research.
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