New technologies can solve problems—or make them worse. In the chase for technofixes like flying cars, it's important to know when to pump the brakes.

End Highway Expansion, Top StoryTony DutzikFebruary 24, 2023car culture, cars, car dependency, suburban development pattern, suburban experiment, history, highways, End Highway Expansion, technology

Sketches of Shenandoah

A drive through Shenandoah National Park, and a look back at its 1930s creation, offers a glimpse into the early era of American car culture, when motoring was a recreational activity with a lighter imprint on the landscape.

Edward Erfurt, Environment, Top StoryEdward ErfurtJanuary 13, 2023Parks, car culture, history, rural, environment

Large Trucks Need Better Street Design

It's hard being the driver of a large truck, these days. You want your urban truck-driving experience to be better, but how? Answer: By supporting great pedestrian and cycling projects!

#SlowtheCars, Roads and Streets, Top Story, Safe & Productive StreetsNorman Van Eeden PetersmanSeptember 9, 2022Safe and Productive Streets, Safety, Pedestrian Safety, pedestrian safety, bicycling, protected bike lane, bike lanes, #SlowTheCars, car culture, transportation

You Don’t “NEED” More Space

We often speak to the “good old days” as a measure of the U.S. at its best…but in 1950, the average American home was 983 square feet, as opposed to the 2,300 square feet of today.

Horbovetz, Top Story, Incremental HousingArian HorbovetzSeptember 6, 2022housing, housing cost, Housing, cars, car culture, urbanism, capitalism

"The Street Project" Is a Great Warmup for a Street Fight

This film makes a human rights case for safer streets, while showing the historic roots of safe streets advocacy in the U.S. and the power of tactical urbanism.

When It Comes to Child Safety, We Deserve Better Than Car Seats

With a baby on the way, I’ve been lectured multiple times about safe car seats, and heard nothing about how to minimize the most dangerous activity people do with their children: drive.

Quednau, Transportation, Top StoryRachel QuednauAugust 8, 2022Safety, children, car culture, car dependency, cars, auto-oriented, car crash, walkability, transportation

One of the Most Dangerous Assumptions We Have Made

Car crashes aren’t the result of mere human error or recklessness, they’re the result of design. Beth Osborne of Transportation for America digs into this in our latest podcast episode.

Podcast, Marohn, ST Podcast, #SlowtheCars, Top StoryStrong TownsAugust 1, 2022Podcast, podcast, car crash, Safe and Productive Streets, cars, car culture, traffic engineering, safety, #SlowTheCars

City Pattern, Life Pattern

Question: “Why don’t people dance in the street today?” Answer: Because the design of our cities shapes the design of our lives.

Public Space, Urban Design, Top Story, OwensTiffany Owens ReedJuly 28, 2022Street Design, design, urban design, development pattern, public space, neighborhood, community, Community, car culture

The Drip, Drip, Drip of Traffic Deaths

40,000 people die in automobile accidents every year in the United States. So why aren’t we responding to this obvious problem with more urgency?

Podcast, Marohn, ST Podcast, Top Story, #SlowtheCarsStrong TownsJuly 18, 2022Podcast, podcast, car crash, Safe and Productive Streets, cars, car culture, traffic engineering, safety, #SlowTheCars

"We Won't Raise Our Kids in Suburbia"

In this Not Just Bikes video, Jason Slaughter explains how raising children in the suburbs significantly restricts their ability to be independent.

Suburban Experiment, Video, Top StoryJay StangeJune 23, 2022suburbs, suburban experiment, suburban development pattern, suburbanization, Not Just Bikes, children, Safety, safety, car dependency, car culture

Less Parking Lots, More People Space

This interactive map allows you to view just how much space is being wasted in your city (and in the rest of the U.S.) on parking lots.

One in Three Garages Has No Car in It

You can build it, but they won’t park there.

Parking, Top StoryCatie GouldMay 11, 2022car culture, cars, Parking, parking, parking minimums

Hey, Starbucks: Your Drive-Thru Doesn't Belong in My Community

Or in anyone else’s, for that matter! A strong neighborhood has businesses that keep money in the local economy, instead of siphoning money out.

Neighborhoods, Quednau, Top StoryRachel QuednauMay 9, 2022coffee shops, local business, local economy, business, small business, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, cars, car culture, localism, Wisconsin, Third Places

Why Transportation Nudges Are Stupid

Marketing campaigns to shame or shock don't change driver behavior. Changing the environment they drive in will.

#SlowtheCars, Marohn, Transportation, Top StoryCharles MarohnMay 2, 2022Safety, safety, Pedestrian Safety, pedestrian safety, car culture, car crash, transportation, #SlowTheCars, pedestrians

Hunched Beneath the Airport Flight Path: Terrible Places to Work, Even Worse to Get To

This Not Just Bikes video takes a look at airport business parks as an interesting (and infuriating) case study for places designed for cars instead of people

Video, Urban Design, Top StoryJay StangeApril 26, 2022Not Just Bikes, car culture, car dependency, auto-oriented, #PedestrianUnfriendly, urban design, business parks

Northern Virginia Highway Plans Would Fuel a Massive Increase in Driving

North Virginia will make multi-billion dollar decisions this year on the region’s transportation future—decisions that are only going to induce more driving.

#NoNewRoads, Transportation, Upzoned, Top StoryBill PughApril 25, 2022car dependency, car culture, transportation, transportation spending, Washington DC, induced demand, highways, highway spending, freeways, freeway widening, #NoNewRoads, Virginia

Not Just Bikes: The Only Car-Free Place in Canada (and Why You Can’t Live There)

Just off the coast of Toronto, Canada's largest city, you'll find a group of 15 small car-free islands. But just in case you thought you'd like to live here: you can't.

Video, Neighborhoods, Top StoryJay StangeApril 13, 2022Not Just Bikes, canada, Canada, car-lite, car culture, neighborhood, Neighborhoods, walkability, Homeownership, homeownership

Sowing Our Roads with Salt Is No Way to Grow Stronger Towns

Because we depend so heavily on cars, what happens when roads become too icy to drive on? The answer: road salt. But there are serious consequences to relying on salt for road-clearing.

Cities, Stop Bending the Rules for Drive-Thru Businesses

Cities should not be afraid to impose design standards that meet the community’s needs and that don’t jeopardize long-term planning for the public realm.