The Monday Roundup: Hope for Beaverton, Critical Mass returns, and more

Welcome to the week.

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

Good government: It’s a sign of functional governance when leaders have the ability to force corporations to provide healthy messages alongside unhealthy ones. (EuroNews)

Killing freeways: Recent examples from Denver and Los Angeles show that some cities agencies are willing to scrap freeway expansion plans in the name of smart planning and/or public health concerns. (Governing)

Kabul commuting: Biking is booming in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, but women riders are nowhere to be found. (NPR)

Critical Mass is back! Feeling extremely inspired to see that hundreds of people turned out to mark the 30th anniversary of Critical Mass in San Francisco. Sometimes I feel like Portland could use more rides like this these days. (SFist)

Transportation leadership: I’m still not tired of reading about Boston and what it must be like to live in a city where the most powerful elected official is actually engaged and knowledgeable about the issue of transportation. (Boston.com)

Off-road artists: Don’t miss this fantastic profile of Brandon Semenuk, who many consider the greatest MTB rider of all time. (Red Bull)

Make drivers pay more: While Portland’s plan to increase driving fees sits on a shelf, there’s a serious debate about congestion pricing happening in New York City. (AMNY)

Hope for Beaverton: Carmel, Indiana offers an inspiring example of how a suburb can grow and densify without expanding roads. (The Economist)

Tragic commentary: The killing of an eight-year-old bike rider on a quiet neighborhood street has sparked an important conversation about how police blame victims and how city officials design streets. (Slate)

Thanks to everyone who sent in links this week!