Welcome to the week.
This week’s Roundup is made possible by Action LED Lights (a company that understands the value of community news and the need to support it.)
Below are the most notable items our readers and writers came across in the past seven days…
Take note, ODOT: In what many are hailing as a landmark climate policy for a state DOT, the Colorado Transportation Commission passed new rules (over objections from business groups) that require more stringent pollution and VMT reduction requirements on all transportation projects. (Stay tuned for a separate post from Taylor Griggs on this important story.)
Our distracted mayor: The NY Post picked up our story about how Mayor Ted Wheeler drove distracted and used his phone while participating in a city council meeting last week. Their story was then syndicated out to several of other news outlets nationwide.
Why they speed: Calling it the “nation’s most disobeyed law,” Henry Grabar writes in Slate that America’s obsession with speed has been baked into our culture since the dawn of the Automobile Era.
IIJA analysis: Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act could be a transformative step forward in the climate change fight, or it could set us even further back, says this analysis of the bill from the Georgetown Climate Center.
Generational divide: The Economist weighs in on the “car wars” with a piece that explains why the federal government tends to be much more pro-car than local government these days. “Car ownership is becoming political,” they report.
On the other hand: Related to the two items above, there’s evidence to suggest that the US DOT does not want local governments to use federal funding to build new highways or expand existing ones.
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Stop using “Zero Emission Vehicles”: In this Twitter thread, journalist Aaron Gordon explains why he thinks using the term “Zero Emissions” when it comes to EVs is a very bad idea. I agree! (And PBOT uses it too.)
Scooter psychology: Yes the source is biased, but a new study from Spin showed that 69% of respondents said riding e-scooters improves their mental health.
Carfree Pike Place Market: Will be interesting to watch a push to make this iconic market carfree, given that many of us in Portland are licking our chops to rid automobiles from major sections of our downtown.
All that parking: Interesting story from Sightline reporter Catie Gould about how retail giant Wal-Mart is re-thinking the use of their massive parking lots — many of which are no longer used.
Video of the Week: YouTube phenom Not Just Bikes has the lowdown on how Paris became a cycling city:
Thanks to everyone who shared links!