The Hub 8/3/18: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-up of Transportation News
“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up to date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.
Plan Philly: In Philly, planners increasingly want to talk with you, not at you – City planners in Philadelphia have worked towards prioritizing listening to the people who live and work in the neighborhoods they are planning for. The process has shifted from a town hall format to an open house format, creating a more conversational and equitable process.
The Verge: Lyft will pay you $550 to ditch your car for a month – Lyft is willing to pay Chicago residents to forgo car usage for a month. The money will come in the form of Lyft Line and Zipcar credits, bike share membership, and a transit pass. The new program is “…literally asking people to get rid of their cars.” Many studies show that Lyft and Uber add to congestion in city centers, though the companies claim to be working to reduce private car ownership.
Mobility Lab: Cost savings from educating people on sustainable transportation can now be measured – Mobility Lab, LDA Consulting, and the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) at the University of South Florida collaboratively created two calculators to illustrate the return on investment from transportation demand management efforts. Arlington, Virginia has been able to calculate that every dollar invested in TDM efforts sees a 9 dollar return of investment.
Next City: Charlotte Moves toward a Car-Free City Center– Charlotte is a quickly growing metro area. The North Tryon Vision Plan is an ambitious vision for the 50 square block city center. The plan includes a plethora of pedestrian infrastructure, including a four square block area dubbed “Spirit Square” that would be closed to cars on the weekends.
StreetsBlog: London Sets Out to Eliminate Traffic Deaths by 2041 – London has already halved the number of deaths and serious injuries from automobile crashes. Mayor Sadiq Kahn has set ambitious goals of a further 30% reduction by 2030 and for traffic fatalities to be a thing of the past by 2041. 20 mph zones and safer intersections are a major part of his plan.
Image Source: Next City
