"We propose “networked proximity” – a model in which local liveability is achieved not through isolated neighbourhood clusters but through high-frequency rail connectivity – as a necessary complement to current 15-minute city thinking." link.theoverheadwire.com/u9ncr

Beyond the Western paradigm: re-evaluating the 15-minute city through the lens of Japanese transit-oriented urbanism

The 15-minute city, formalised by Carlos Moreno in 2016, has become a dominant framework for sustainability discourse. Yet its diffusion from Paris to Melbourne and Portland has proceeded without i...

link.theoverheadwire.com

This should be very fun. Come join me and @nerd4cities.bsky.social!

The Urbanist@theurbanist.org · 6h ago

NEW STORY// August Social and The Urbanist x CityNerd: Building a Transit-Oriented Puget Sound By Diego Batres via @theurbanist.org

When you ask voters to approve taxes for public transit, what you mostly get is a map of residential density. Here's the latest from Spokane, WA where the measure narrowly leads at the moment.

Spokane’s transit referendum—which would fund operations and the city’s second BRT line—is narrowly ahead in the first round of counting.

@kxly.com · 18h ago

Proposition 1 is ahead by a slim margin — 31,153 to 30,686 — as Spokane counts ballots. The renewal would keep the STA sales tax at 0.8% (8¢ per $10) and is estimated to generate about $942 million over 20 years.

Trump's USDOT has published a rather hollow National Roadway Safety Strategy. Among the many topics it ignores: 🔹 Pedestrian crash safety standards (which Biden proposed) 🔹 Bike safety 🔹 Restrictions on car bloat, blind zones, or infotainment distraction www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.go...

In the US, zero emissions buses accounted for only 5.6% of total new bus registrations in recent data theicct.org/publication/... US is absolutely falling behind on this metric, and things seem to be getting worse in recent months.

Warspitefella 🇬🇧🇺🇦@warspitefella.bsky.social · 15h ago

Electric Buses Point of no return - have gone from 12% to 56% of new city bus sales in Europe in just 6yrs Europe's 2035 target of 100% zero emission bus sales could be reached as early as 2028 Bravo Europe 🇪🇺!

Some things I've learned about legislative advocacy, and I think my record speaks for itself. 1. Start by asking for everything you want. Stop preemptively negotiating against yourself. The process of passing the bill will whittle it down. Why started with a whittled down product?

Tuesday's Most Read # 1 - To Save Japan’s Heritage Homes, People Are Shipping Them Across the World link.theoverheadwire.com/q9ntu @nytimes.com

To Save Japan’s Heritage Homes, People Are Shipping Them Across the World

Millions of abandoned kominka are scattered across Japan. Now, teams of enthusiasts are dismantling and rebuilding them overseas.

link.theoverheadwire.com

Tuesday's Most Read # 2 - World’s tallest hybrid timber tower tops out in Sydney link.theoverheadwire.com/4p7dv @archinect.bsky.social

World’s tallest hybrid timber tower tops out in Sydney

The Atlassian Central tower in Sydney, Australia, has topped out, becoming the world’s tallest hybrid timber tower. Designed by SHoP and BVN, and standing at 590 feet tall, the 39-story commercial bui...

link.theoverheadwire.com

Tuesday's Most Read # 3 - The rent was already high. Then came the $200 work-from-home fee link.theoverheadwire.com/frvpa @usatoday.com

The rent was already high. Then came the $200 work-from-home fee

For some tenants, rent on the sunlit one-bedroom in an upscale California neighborhood was $3,250. But if you worked from home? $200 more a month.

link.theoverheadwire.com

"The E-Line draws about 5,600 riders daily—nearly double what Metro Transit expected." www.fox9.com/news/6-month...

6 months in: Minneapolis E-Line nearly twice the riders Metro Transit expected

Metro Transit’s E-Line is marking six months on the road, and business owners are weighing in on the changes it has brought to their neighborhoods.

fox9.com

A story of cause and effect: Last November, Ontario banned cities from using speed safety cameras to issue tickets. Reckless speeding immediately surged in Toronto, Ottawa, Guelph, and cities throughout the province. A 🧵 about my latest in Bloomberg (gift link)

What Happens When Speed Cameras Get Shut Off

In 2025, Ontario banned automated traffic enforcement. Now the number of drivers exceeding the speed limit has surged, according to traffic data.

bloomberg.com

Got a new paper out today... "Urban areas with lower commute mode share by car and, to a lesser extent, lower VMT are most strongly associated with lower per capita transportation fatality rates." (and it's open access if you are the type of person who wants to read a research paper)

What drives urban transportation safety? Exploring the role of modal composition and travel exposure

Purpose. Past urban transportation safety efforts have largely focused on controlling road user behavior through tactics such as speed management and separating users in space and time. This research ...

doi.org

Great new podcast interview of me by Sarah Goodyear about the new edition of my book HUMAN TRANSIT. We touch on rail-bus debates in Atlanta and Portland, free fares in NYC, and on how to be a more effective advocate. A fun half hour for all! Pls share! thewaroncars.org/2026/08/04/e...

Don't pretend that any of this is about protecting girls. It's about justifying prejudice and I want no part of it

South Carolina is now the first state in the nation for the Democratic Primary and this just ran in The State, the newspaper of Columbia, South Carolina. Come out to the rally and lobby day next week in Sac and help get our legislators to undo the cuts! actionnetwork.org/events/emerg...

Monday's Most Read # 1 - Congress Budgeted Billions for Big Transit Projects. Trump Isn’t Spending It. link.theoverheadwire.com/hydjv @nytimes.com

Congress Budgeted Billions for Big Transit Projects. Trump Isn’t Spending It.

“It’s hard to look at the last year and see anything other than a deliberate slowdown of these grants.”

link.theoverheadwire.com

Monday's Most Read # 2 - When Home Equity Isn’t Enough: The Challenge Facing House-Rich, Income-Poor Older Adults link.theoverheadwire.com/eac6g @shelterforce.bsky.social

When Home Equity Isn’t Enough: The Challenge Facing House-Rich, Income-Poor Older Adults — Shelterforce

Older homeowners often have too much home equity to qualify for aid, but too little income to comfortably live in their homes.

link.theoverheadwire.com

Monday's Most Read # 3 - In Philadelphia’s Chinatown, a Fight to Restore Funding for a Critical Highway Cap link.theoverheadwire.com/uxc7d @insideclimatenews.org

In Philadelphia’s Chinatown, a Fight to Restore Funding for a Critical Highway Cap - Inside Climate News

The project would lower noise and air pollution and help combat increasing temperatures. After losing federal backing under Trump, local lawmakers are working to save it.

link.theoverheadwire.com

"People will walk three miles inside of this big ... store but they have to park on the front step. They could just park in the back of the parking lot but no, they have to get their Toyota Tundra in that parking spot currently held by a little Prius just so they don’t have to walk farther."

Welcome to the Costco parking lot wars. It’s 'Survivor’ with cars

The No. 1 problem with Costco? Parking. Nothing gets hearts racing like hunting for an open spot. You can blame Costco's popularity and each other.

link.theoverheadwire.com

it's funny how americans don't like subsidized groceries like this because that is big scary socialism, but turn around and clamor for businesses to provide them free parking... when the cost of that parking is being subsidized by everyone, including non drivers, as they'll just rise prices

USA TODAY Opinion@usatodayopinion.usatoday.com · 2d ago

Opinion: Mamdani's idea may sound appealing, but it's NYC taxpayers who will take the hit, subsidizing discounts they may never even use.

Why have all these mayors been so weak on people oriented infrastructure lately?

Streetsblog USA@usa.streetsblog.org · last wk.

Milwaukee Mayor Abandons Highway Teardown To Calm Irrational Fears Of Driver Class

For the first time since 2018, we will be playing in the US Open Cup!

The SF Planning Commission approved this project yesterday. Here's what the city's planning director had to say about it:

Benjamin Schneider@benschneider.bsky.social · 4w ago

One of the first projects to show the impacts of SF's recent upzoning. 8 stories, 8 units, in a mostly 2-3 story area. sfyimby.com/2026/07/rend...

Instead of newspaper reporters at the WH, why aren’t there experts in different fields asking questions on topics of the day? Why isn’t an expert on food safety asking about lettuce that no press secretary can spin away? At this point no one gets anything out of that room including the public.

For the millionth time, the idiocy is not a bug @usa.streetsblog.org usa.streetsblog.org/2026/07/23/t...

The Last Straw: Duffy Asks Senate To 'Restrict' Funding For Bike Lanes — Streetsblog USA

The U.S. Transportation Secretary wrongly believes that bike lanes cause traffic and therefore should not be funded.

usa.streetsblog.org

It brings me absolute joy to share that the City of San Mateo has received our first SB79 project, and it's a beaut! - 20 units - 5 stories - Replacing a single family home - 4,400 sq ft lot - 198 units/acre - No parking included We absolutely love to see it!

Absolutely love this interview of @aoc.bsky.social biking around NYC! She talks about the importance of transportation infrastructure built on the human scale while stressing the need for far more investment in walking, biking and transit. youtu.be/s1-jM1SuZR0?... @nyc.streetsblog.org

We went on a bike ride with AOC

YouTube video by Streetsblog NYC

youtu.be

Yes, I’ve ridden Elon Musk’s Las Vegas Loop. Here’s why you shouldn’t bother, and shouldn’t build this in your city. humantransit.org/2025/01/las-...

Las Vegas: A Ride on Elon's "Vegas Loop" Did Not Change My Mind — Human Transit

Eight years ago, I experienced 10 seconds of Elon Musk’s attention.  The occasion was my criticism of his idea, now being implemented by his Boring Company, that the future of urban transportation was...

humantransit.org