Welcome to the week. Here are the most notable stories we came across in the past seven days.
The present and future of WFH: The rise in teleworking since Covid might be the biggest disrupter of transportation behaviors in our lifetime. This interview with an expert on the topic is essential reading to understand its impacts on emissions, VMT, and more. (Bloomberg)
The real test of good policy: NYC’s decongestion pricing is working well so far, but it, “now faces a crucial test that every good climate policy going forward will have to pass: Can its success stand up to a relentless campaign of fake populist counternarrative and reactionary misinformation?” (The New Republic)
Safety stops work: The wild success of the “bicycle safety stop” — aka Idaho Stop — is a shining example of how we need to stop treating bikes like cars and open up our minds to the fact that these very different types of vehicles often need different types of laws. (Streetsblog CA)
Trump tariffs and e-bikes: A north Portland bike shop owner was interviewed in this story about how some folks are eager to purchase e-bikes before any potential tariffs from the Trump Administration result in higher prices. (OPB)
Bike shop closures: An industry expert says statistics back up the idea that there’s been a big increase in local bike shop closures, and he even cites Portland’s estimated 30% decrease in shops since 2024 as evidence. (Bicycle Retailer & Industry News)
Vulnerable road user laws: Really important story with direct connection to Oregon examines the good intentions of laws made to stiffen penalties for careless drivers and how they are typically not enforced and drivers are rarely prosecuted for hitting someone. (Washington Post)
Portland’s problem: Another outlet has tried to make sense of the fact that, despite Portland’s reputation as an urban planning and transportation leader, we have not been able to reduce traffic deaths. (Streetsblog USA)
Welcome to the war on cars: Noted researcher, academic, and broadcaster David Suzuki says a report published by his eponymous foundation found that emissions reductions from EVs have been wiped out due to emissions increases from SUVs and light-duty trucks. Suzuki also says, more broadly that, “car culture has fueled the climate crisis from the beginning”. (David Suzuki Foundation)
If not in golf courses, then…: If politicians think using golf course land for housing isn’t palatable, how about using massive parking lots? (Seattle Times)
Thanks to everyone who sent in links this week. The Monday Roundup is a community effort, so please feel free to send us any great stories you come across.
Thanks for reading.
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Echoes of last week’s discussion of Class 3 electric bicycles.
This article is pretty useless, but it does suggest the important point that as we increasingly rely on online shopping and automated cars arrive, the arguments for copious parking will fade and we’ll be left with lots of largish blocks of unused, somewhat but not overly degraded land, not to close to existing residential neighbors — perfect for dense housing.
This is essentially the argument for redeveloping Lloyd Center. We could fit a ton of housing there without disrupting existing communities. Start the bulldozers already.
The new TIF districts from Prosper are structured in a way to allow for the master-planned developments at Lloyd, the old post office, and OMSI so I’d say that we are definitely on the road to redeveloping the Lloyd Center – but probably in the 5 to 10 year range (Prosper can’t issue TIF backed bonds until Y5 of a TIF district, assuming things take extra time on top of that too)
Converting parking lots into housing: Nice opinion, but no examples cited, and no wonder, the people who keep insisting on huge parking lots at malls and retailers (and at Microsoft) are the super-conservative banks who loan money for projects.
Since the City of Portland is doing it, my work is as well, forcing people back to the office downtown that are perfectly capable of working from home.
Well guess what, they are scrambling to find parking spaces for the employees as the majority of them refuse to ride TriMet, which I don’t blame them for.
Portland is just so incredible! LOL
“…majority of them refuse to ride TriMet, which I don’t blame them for.”
Trimet is actually pretty good and reliable, especially for getting into and out of downtown. The more people ride it, the better it will be. Given that we have relatively decent transit, as far as American cities go, I do blame people for not even being willing to try public transit. If people must drive their cars into downtown there should be a cost to that, since alternatives exist.
I, for one, have tried it, and I continue to try it, and despite excellent transit access, I am constantly reminded why it will remain my option of last resort.
I sincerely hope your experience is better. The more people who use TriMet, the better for me.
“Since the City of Portland is doing it, my work is as well, forcing people back to the office downtown that are perfectly capable of working from home.”
Well they’re only “sort of” doing it. 🙁
https://www.wweek.com/news/city/2025/01/05/mayor-keith-wilson-backtracks-on-increased-return-to-work-mandate-for-city-employees/
I think it’s amusing that the blog author, who drives an SUV, framed Suzuki’s comments about the lack of progress in automobile emissions as being due to “light trucks” when the piece is very clearly focused on SUVs (and minivans). And, yes, it’s true that some SUVs are light trucks but it’s actually the widespread adoption of SUVs that have caused the bulk of this increase in ecocidal emissions.
If you give a tiny f**k about ongoing ecocide then you should stop driving or greatly reduce your driving. And the very least you can do, if you continue to drive, is to sell your petro-burning monstrosity and buy a small and efficient EV car (not an SUV).
Hi prioritarian,
It’s me. Jonathan “the blog author” Maus. That was just an oversight and have added “SUV”. And thanks for your input on how I should live my life!
You’re not gonna get many (if any) converts with that approach. Just sayin’