Monday Roundup: Parking, police stops, peak car culture, and more

Welcome to the week.

Here are the most notable stories our writers and readers have come across in the past seven days…

Micro-EVs FTW: When it comes to making big gains on urban transportation emission goals, there’s a consensus forming that it will only happen in cities that make major moves to promote the use of micro-EVs like bicycles and scooters, combined with low-emissions zones and serious transit service upgrades. (GreenBiz)

National context: The $20+ million awarded in our region from the USDOT last week is part of a larger strategy that Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg calls a “preventable crisis.” (Fast Company)

Danger data: Along with those awards announced last week, the USDOT shared a data dashboard with interactive maps of the country so anyone can drill into their city to learn about traffic crash and fatality data. (USDOT)

How kids think matters: If federal regulators truly want to make the use of cars as safe as possible, they should learn more about the psychology of kids and how they make traffic decisions. (Streetsblog USA)

Get police out of traffic enforcement: “New research shows how such low-level interactions with the police can undercut our democracy by reducing the number of people who participate in elections.” (Bolts Mag)

Peak car culture: At a fast food place in North Carolina the drive-thru line was so long it obstructed traffic and blocked sidewalks, so city officials helped the restaurant build a new location with an improved, drive-thru only design. It’s induced demand for chicken sandwiches. (Yahoo News)

E-bike battery rebate: There are two e-bike rebate bills being debated by the D.C. city council, one of which would give low-income folks up to $2,000 back on their e-bike purchase. It also offers rebates on locks, replacement batteries, and service. (DCist)

He’s a bike rider: Mike Norris, newly hired coach of the Portland Thorns, loves to ride his road bike and is looking to explore more of the city on two wheels. (Timbers.com)

Beyond parking garages: “Parking garages are monuments to outdated beliefs about what makes cities thrive.” Thought this was a good story to highlight since Oregon has recently enacted several major parking reforms. (The Conversation)

Thanks to everyone who shared links this week.