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How snow has become a tool in urban planning

Matt Rocheleau

March 08, 2018 |

The Boston Globe |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

An increasing number of cities are looking to redesign roadways, sidewalks, and intersections based on the way spaces are needed after snow storms. Snow piles left after snowplows carve paths for vehicles are basically unused pavement that could be repurposed for things like wider sidewalks, green spaces, and bike paths. Philadelphia officials have redone an intersection after viewing photos by residents and advocates showing unused portions of pavement.

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Why good policies go wrong: Seattle's botched bikeshare model

Jennifer Guay

February 27, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: United States, Seattle, Washington

Traffic for both everyday commuters and tourists in big cities has increasingly become more of a hassle across nations. Various cities like Portland, Oregon have found success with bikeshare models. Seattle, however, found failure with this approach first. By learning from what didn't work, the city has been able to pilot new bikeshare models that so far are showing more potential than limitations.

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Sharing the Road: How Can We End Bike Fatalities on Chicago's Streets?

Marisa Sobotka Jackie Murray

February 27, 2018 |

Logan Squarist |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Chicago, Illinois

Chicago officials strive to make the city safer for bicyclists by looking for inspiration in other cities, adopting the "Vision Zero" initiative that aims for zero traffic-related deaths, and investing in education platforms. While the city has made progress in creating bicycle-only lanes on the road, local officials still move forward in implementing a more comprehensive plan for traffic safety.

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A new lick of paint can be all it takes to make cities safer for pedestrians

Anoush Darabi

January 30, 2018 |

Apolitical |

Multi-Media |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York, New York

Redesigning streets to be more pedestrian-friendly can have big impacts on traffic safety and local business. A fast, easy and cheap way to weigh the pros and cons of such changes is to simply redraw street lines using paint or chalk, then measure public response. After a day-long pilot in Sao Paulo, 97 percent of locals supported making the proposed changes permanent.

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What the two-wheeled tourist can offer tiny towns

Micah Drew

January 12, 2018 |

Seeley Swan Pathfinder |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Ovando, Montana

Ovando, Montana, a tiny town just off a main highway, has benefited from economic growth as a result of almost one thousand cyclists who ride through each year. The Ovando Community Fund was started to build appropriate infrastructure. Another town, Twin Bridges, created Bike Camp to attract more cyclists. Growth from cycling tourism is spreading across the state and adding millions of dollars to the Montana economy.

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Can optical illusions trick drivers into slowing down?

Matt Rocheleau

November 09, 2017 |

The Boston Globe |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Boston, Massachusetts

Lead-footed drivers are a problem everywhere, and cities around the world have struggled with ways to get vehicles to slow down, especially in dense areas where the risks to pedestrians are acute. One clever solution is popping up on numerous roads around the world: 3D decals on the pavement that look like floating blocks, speed bumps, or small children. The decals create an optical illusion that is proving to help slow down speedy drivers, and for a fraction of the cost of speed bumps or traffic cops.

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Abandoned at Burning Man, bicycles now head for Houston and the Caribbean

Jessica Lussenhop

September 25, 2017 |

BBC |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, Black Rock City, Nevada

Many argue that the Burning Man festival has become an exclusive and wasteful indulgence for the wealthy - an opinion that was exacerbated this year when thousands of perfectly good bicycles were left among the debris in the desert. But a few enterprising individuals and organizations saw an opportunity to aid the victims of hurricanes Irma and Maria by rescuing, fixing, and transporting the abandoned bikes to communities where many people had lost all other forms of transportation, stifling their recovery efforts. Now hope is being restored for some, two wheels at a time.

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No Room on a Bike Rack? Not a Problem for These Smart Bikes

Winnie Hu

August 28, 2017 |

The New York Times |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: United States, New York

Bike share programs have helped decrease pollution and traffic in urban areas. However dockless city bike programs are now threatening bike docking stations because they are cheaper and more accessible. Dockless bike programs rely on apps for users to find the nearest available bikes. This new technology and dockless system of bike-share still need to prove that they are a better alternative.

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How Ljubljana turned itself into Europe's ‘green capital'

Simone D'Antonio

August 23, 2017 |

Bloomberg CityLab |

Text |

1500-3000 Words

Response Location: Slovenia, Ljubljana

Ljubljana was once a highly crowded city but since the election of its mayor, the city has become far more green due to a clear strategic plan and efficient mayoral office. The largest impact change was making the downtown core largely car free, other changes such as reducing waste and creating urban gardens have also had an impact.

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The slow lane: Dutch app allows elderly to 'hack' traffic lights

Gordon Darroch

July 12, 2017 |

The Guardian |

Text |

800-1500 Words

Response Location: Netherlands, Tilburg, North Brabant

In the Netherlands, city councils are piloting remarkable new technology to make roads safer and friendlier for cyclists and pedestrians through the use of apps that improve the efficiency and sensitivity of traffic lights to the elderly, disabled, and young children. Improved traffic flow is a key part of the way forward into a greener, safer urban future.

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