Welcome to the week. Here are the most noteworthy items we came across in the past eight days…
Break the addiction: Another week, another city (Birmingham, England) claims its future will be brighter because of a strong plan to limit the use of cars.
Fast buses: Here’s how well bus express lanes — like the ones Commissioner Eudaly wants to create here in Portland — are working in Los Angeles.
The cost of car use: When transportation costs are factored in, a new report found that sprawling, car-centric Houston, Texas is more expensive to live in than New York City.
Just build it: The Oregonian Editorial Board is one of the very few bastions of support that ODOT still has for their plan to add lanes to I-5 through the Rose Quarter.
12,000 people, no cars: Escape into this description of a new community being planned in Utrecht that will have 6,000 dwelling units and will allow residents to, “move freely without their own car.”
Electric cars won’t save us: Here’s even more evidence that the problem is cars — whether they run on batteries or gas (or both).
Pro gravel: Not a big surprise to those who follow gravel riding; but it’s worth noting that the discipline is attracting new money, new teams, and major professionals.
Austin’s big plans: Portland is often compared to the capitol of Texas, so it’s interesting to see what they’re planning for the future of their transit system.
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The Paris way: Forget Amsterdam or Copenhagen, the City of Light’s meteoric rise as a cycling city offers many lessons for American cities to learn from (such as, go big or go home).
Transport politics: Been wondering where 2020 presidential candidates stand on transportation? Here’s a roundup.
Global toll: The Economist paints a grim picture, but also offers ways to help, in a piece on road safety around the world.
About that plastic bag: If you order bike apparel online, you’ve seen those “polybags” many items come packed in. Here’s why the outdoor industry uses so many of them and what’s being done to end the practice.
Scooter injury blame: Streetsblog provides a counterpoint to all those hysterical headlines about the rising number of injuries to scooter riders.
Blind biker (video): Learn about a man who became blind at the age of 14 and learned how to mountain bike by using echolocation (similar to a bat).
Video of the Week: Behold the Dutch Headwind Cycling Championships (listen with sound on to hear the laughs!)…
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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