Climate’s on the agenda: President Joe Biden has pledged a 50% cut in carbon emissions by 2030 ($). China and the United States have also made a bilateral climate commitment.
Flush with cash: With federal assistance rolling in, cities see funding as a chance to reinvent and move ahead ($).
Skid Row orders: A judge has ordered Los Angeles to house people experiencing homelessness on Skid Row ($) and that has left officials scrambling ($).
Focus on cities: Cities may be our best hope for surviving climate changes.
LA basic income: Los Angeles’ mayor wants to pilot a guaranteed basic income.
Tons of bike lans: Pittsburgh is planning to add hundreds of miles of bike lanes.
MSP parking reform: Parking reform is moving ahead in Minneapolis.
Cars first: Republicans in Congress have an “infrastructure plan” that is heavily focused on cars.
Get onboard: How do you get young riders on intercity rail?
Crossing the Locks: The Ballard Locks open on April 28th for crossings.
Key policies passed: The Washington State Legislature has wrapped up the year with a capital gains tax, budget, and clean fuels legislation ($).
50-50: An Oregon coalition is calling on Congress to fund transit at the same levels of highways.
Empire Penn Station: New renderings have been released for proposed improvements to New York City’s Penn Station.
Regional rail: Is it time for “commuter rail” graduate into something more?
Reform greenlit: Sound Transit can move forward with fare enforcement reforms.
VMT fee: Oregon is considering a vehicle miles travelled fee to become mandatory in 2026 ($).
Dumbfounding: Boston’s Logan International Airport urges people to drive and park at the airport instead of taking transit during Earth Week.
Ban SUVs: SUV and pickup truck sales are soaring, so who’s buying them?
Start over: After six years of Vision Zero, it’s largely been a failure in Washington, D.C., but Greater Greater Washington says it’s time to start over.
Rethink priorities: Advocates have been pushing Washington lawmakers to increase transportation funding for transit and pedestrians ($).
Thinking equitably: Fifteen-minute cities is a popular concept, but are some people overlooked by it ($)?
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.