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kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers)
@kateontransport.bsky.social
6.2K followers 2.5K following 630 posts

Mobility justice/transportation equity/urban planning and policy. Chicago!!! Proud union member (UIC United Faculty). Day job @ @uiccuppa.bsky.social

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kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · Apr 7
Appreciate insightful coverage @keawilson.bsky.social @usa.streetsblog.org on our collaboration (@annalivia.bsky.social & Frechette) on walkability & inherent problems of Walk Score as tied to inequitable, racialized investment flows fueling destination proximity usa.streetsblog.org/2025/04/07/i...
Is 'Walk Score' Really Just a 'White Score'? — Streetsblog USA
A new paper argues that the popular real estate tools is driving investment to predominantly white urban neighborhoods, without expanding walkability for anyone else.
usa.streetsblog.org

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 6d
Ug robots on our sidewalks last night in west loop. I guess I am very distrustful of tech, Silicon Valley, and their backers. Don't get me started on the need to resist the inevitability narrative around large language models (AI).
Coco delivery robot on a sidewalk

Reposted by Mark Rice, Kate Lowe, Karin Wulf

nellstra.bsky.social
Nathan Ellstrand @nellstra.bsky.social · 7d
***My department is hiring***

Assistant Professor of the History of Brazil

networks.h-net.org/jobs/69649/s...
San Diego State University - Assistant Professor of History of Brazil | H-Net
networks.h-net.org

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 7d
Credit goes to Paul Esling at CNT for that!

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 8d
New website apps.cnt.org/black-perspe... includes direct insights from North Lawndale residents, as well as links to several reports on Black Perspectives on Public Transit. Grateful for the collaboration with Dr. Purifoye, @equiticity.bsky.social NLCCC, & CNT! Funded by @illinoisdot.bsky.social
North Lawndale - Black Perspectives on Public Transit
apps.cnt.org

Reposted by Daniel Huppmann, Kate Lowe

elinlb.bsky.social
Elin Lerum Boasson @elinlb.bsky.social · 9d
Interested in pursuing a career in climate governance, policy or politics research? Do you have a relevant PhD degree in political science, public administration or international relations? Then you should check out this opportunity!

www.jobbnorge.no/en/available...
Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Science (3-4 years) (291366) | University of Oslo
Job title: Postdoctoral Fellow in Political Science (3-4 years) (291366), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Friday, February 6, 2026
www.jobbnorge.no

Reposted by Trevon D. Logan, Adrian Daub, Roopika Risam , and 2 more

nkalamb.bsky.social
Nathan Kalman-Lamb @nkalamb.bsky.social · 9d
I have so much empathy and solidarity for those struggling with the painful and structurally unjust academic labor market, but this racial grievance shit is simply not the way.

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 11d
Delighted to see more @chicagocta.bsky.social high frequency bus routes! Congrats to those who helped secure investment in public transit in IL, so we will see more network improvements (instead of the devastating cuts that were a real risk).

Reposted by Kate Lowe

wttw.bsky.social
WTTW - Chicago PBS @wttw.bsky.social · 11d
Four more bus routes will be added to the Chicago Transit Authority’s “frequent network” starting next week, amounting to a total of 20 bus routes this year aiming to provide service every “10 minutes or sooner.” https://to.wttw.com/3KNoX2c
4 More Bus Routes Will Be Added to CTA’s ‘10 Minutes or Sooner’ Initiative
The frequent service network consists of 20 key bus routes throughout the agency’s service area that are scheduled to have service every 10 minutes or less from 6 a.m.-9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m.-9 ...
to.wttw.com

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 11d
My lovable but naughty kitty (Yak Attack) put himself in jail (even though we are an anti-carceral household).

Reposted by Kate Lowe

endhomeless.bsky.social
Doug Schenkelberg @endhomeless.bsky.social · 13d
Want to help @chicagohomeless.bsky.social step up in this moment to push back on bad policy from the feds? Join our staff As our new Federal Advocacy Fellow! Share widely.

chicagocoalitiontoendhomelessness.applytojob.com/apply/68Y7VR...
Federal Advocacy Fellowship - Chicago Coalition to end Homelessness - Career Page
Apply to Federal Advocacy Fellowship at Chicago Coalition to end Homelessness in Chicago, IL.
chicagocoalitiontoendhomelessness.applytojob.com

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 13d
And not arguing against the idea that there can be some problematic rail spending (maybe his examples), there can be other important success metrics, like accessibility as argued by @davidzipper.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
Post-Covid, Transit Agencies Must Look Beyond Ridership
With commuters grounded and passenger numbers likely to remain low in U.S. cities, public transportation leaders should focus on a different metric for usefulness: transit access.
www.bloomberg.com

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 13d
Another odd take from Strong Towns www.strongtowns.org/journal/2025.... Yes! problems with some fed programs, but let's address problemed incentives/capital emphasis not all go it alone. @ear2thepavement.bsky.social explains their conservative orientation www.currentaffairs.org/news/2023/09...
Are Federal Transit Grants Hurting, Not Helping, Public Transportation? | Strong Towns
Three case studies reveal how top-down funding creates rigidity, waste, and systems that cities cannot afford to fix or abandon.
www.strongtowns.org

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 17d
Really like Knight et al (doi.org/10.1016/j.ap... Walkable and resurgent for whom?) w/a critical take on political economy. Glad to see attn to gentrification & walkability but would love for more transport studies to acknowledge racial capitalism/fundamental critiques of market urbanism

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 17d
Interesting that there's no attention to race in gentrification classification

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 17d
National study (Gibbons, Appleyard) uses a (better?) walkability metric (EPA) & finds gentrification linked to walkability. www.jtlu.org/index.php/jt... Our paper summarized below present a conceptualization of how racial capitalism formative in such patterns.

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 18d
As usual, great coverage @blockclubchi.bsky.social on delivery bots. Also, as usual, tech hype claiming common good. If avoiding burrito taxies is our real rationale, lets support safe bike infrastructure? Bots are a pedestrian/roller/labor issue. blockclubchicago.org/2025/12/08/d...

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 18d
Bots are not what we need on our sidewalks (impacts for people's mobility especially those who use mobility aids; jobs; ceding to the tech hype and VC, etc).
bedubble.bsky.social Brandon @bedubble.bsky.social · 18d
If you’re upset about this, sign this petition:
charleswlogan.bsky.social Charles Logan @charleswlogan.bsky.social · 26d
For my Chicago neighbors, here's the petition to sign to oppose the delivery robots: nosidewalkbots.org

Reposted by Kate Lowe

bedubble.bsky.social
Brandon @bedubble.bsky.social · 18d
If you’re upset about this, sign this petition:
charleswlogan.bsky.social Charles Logan @charleswlogan.bsky.social · 26d
For my Chicago neighbors, here's the petition to sign to oppose the delivery robots: nosidewalkbots.org

Reposted by Will Jennings, Cathy N. Davidson, Glenn H. Shepard , and 2 more

kevinmkruse.bsky.social
Kevin M. Kruse @kevinmkruse.bsky.social · 19d
This really is a must read for anyone in academia.
When my business school colleagues insist that ChatGPT is “just another tool in the toolbox,” I’m tempted to remind them that Facebook was once “just a way to connect with friends.” But there’s a difference between tools and technologies. Tools help us accomplish tasks; technologies reshape the very environments in which we think, work, and relate. As philosopher Peter Hershock observes, we don’t merely use technologies; we participate in them. With tools, we retain agency—we can choose when and how to use them. With technologies, the choice is subtler: they remake the conditions of choice itself. A pen extends communication without redefining it; social media transformed what we mean by privacy, friendship, even truth.

Reposted by Kate Lowe

lauragmitchell.com
Laura G Mitchell @lauragmitchell.com · 22d
Winter makes a city’s transportation priorities extra obvious:

Bikelane: nonexistent on this street

Sidewalk: covered in snow with a caregiver getting a major workout pushing a stroller through

Street: perfectly cleared for drivers

We can and should do better @minneapolismn.gov .
Caregiver pushing a stroller over a snow covered sidewalk while the street is clear of snow

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 22d
Integration has taken a while and is still a process (much gratitude to the Treehouse Human Society cat behavioralist) but these two smart kitties can chill together. Oh, and yes, I am procrastinating grading...

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 22d
Shutting down detention an important goal, but levying fees for their very real collective costs an important part of the toolkit?

Reposted by Kate Lowe

portlandmercury.com
Portland Mercury @portlandmercury.com · 22d
Portland City Council passed a new land use fee targeting the impacts of detention facilities after months of munitions use at the South Portland ICE building.

✍️ @jeremiahhayden.bsky.social
City Council Puts Financial Crackdown On Detention Facilities
Amid increased police overtime costs and complaints about environmental contaminants related to a local immigration processing center, Portland City Council passed a new land use fee December 3, targe...
www.portlandmercury.com

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 24d
Coming soon...we're wrapping excellent work by amazing @uiccuppa.bsky.social undergrad in collaboration with @swcollectivechi.bsky.social on pedestrian safety & Pulaski

Reposted by Kate Lowe

rudyfaust.bsky.social
Rudy Faust @rudyfaust.bsky.social · 24d
I know that none of these people care about low-income communities--if they did, they'd just work on better transit and housing access--but A/Vs would increase local particulate matter pollution with EV congestion: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Comparison of total PM emissions emitted from electric and internal combustion engine vehicles: An experimental analysis
Electric vehicles (EVs) are regarded as zero emission vehicles due to the absence of exhaust emissions. However, they still contribute non-exhaust par…
www.sciencedirect.com

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · 28d
I love my alphasmart word processor. No internet, no other applications. Then, just plug it into your computer with word or docs open and it "types" all your writing. Here's an article about it guypursey.com/blog/2021062...
My AlphaSmart Neo experience – Guy Pursey
Like a few people interested in writing, technology, and the creative process, I recently bought an AlphaSmart Neo.
guypursey.com

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · Nov 26
Great news! Removal of US DOT/FTA grant provision trying to force cooperation with immigration enforcement based on court ruling.

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · Nov 25
As much as I think AI is harmful for a variety of reasons, I don't really expect public transit agencies to turn down their money (meanwhile some universities are eager to give ai firms money)

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · Nov 25
If only all the ai venture capital went into collective, sustainable goods...

kateontransport.bsky.social
Kate Lowe (she/hers) @kateontransport.bsky.social · Nov 25
Creepy ai "friend" necklace advertising heavy UIC stop of @chicagocta.bsky.social Blue Line (nice frequency btw). At least some of the venture capital money is going to public transit???