Matthew Lewis is ready for progressive federalism
@mateosfo.bsky.social
I make things, including bike rides, state housing laws, bread, and trouble. Quality varies with rainfall, political winds, and tire pressure. Run comms at @cayimby for the love of cities.
As a back-up option, if we're not into a 10% GDP boost, we could just start charging the true cost of car sprawl.
Not quite as big as legalizing housing, but still, a boost to GDP that's big enough to ~ fully offset the annual spending on AI data centers!
Not quite as big as legalizing housing, but still, a boost to GDP that's big enough to ~ fully offset the annual spending on AI data centers!
November 13, 2025 at 7:44 PM
As a back-up option, if we're not into a 10% GDP boost, we could just start charging the true cost of car sprawl.
Not quite as big as legalizing housing, but still, a boost to GDP that's big enough to ~ fully offset the annual spending on AI data centers!
Not quite as big as legalizing housing, but still, a boost to GDP that's big enough to ~ fully offset the annual spending on AI data centers!
While we're watching and waiting to see if the AI bubble is gonna burst, a reminder that there is actually a way to recession-proof the U.S. economy and it doesn't require anything except ...
... defeating the NIMBYs, and letting Americans live where they want to live.
... defeating the NIMBYs, and letting Americans live where they want to live.
November 13, 2025 at 7:44 PM
While we're watching and waiting to see if the AI bubble is gonna burst, a reminder that there is actually a way to recession-proof the U.S. economy and it doesn't require anything except ...
... defeating the NIMBYs, and letting Americans live where they want to live.
... defeating the NIMBYs, and letting Americans live where they want to live.
November 13, 2025 at 4:22 PM
November 13, 2025 at 5:45 AM
this is just a couple "normal" months in the San Francisco Bay Area, where most violent crimes are committed by violent drivers and also, cops and cities don't enforce laws against driver violence.
And drivers in other cities/states are *even more violent*!!!
And drivers in other cities/states are *even more violent*!!!
November 13, 2025 at 5:45 AM
this is just a couple "normal" months in the San Francisco Bay Area, where most violent crimes are committed by violent drivers and also, cops and cities don't enforce laws against driver violence.
And drivers in other cities/states are *even more violent*!!!
And drivers in other cities/states are *even more violent*!!!
ok sure but can your city do this
November 12, 2025 at 4:46 AM
ok sure but can your city do this
FWIW I've ridden my bike through this area dozens of times, it's a sketchy stretch of San Pablo (with at least two ghost bikes on it), and it's literally an oil terminal/refinery/industrial sacrifice area.
but sure, make sure those bicycles aren't harming poor oil refinery workers
but sure, make sure those bicycles aren't harming poor oil refinery workers
November 11, 2025 at 9:47 PM
FWIW I've ridden my bike through this area dozens of times, it's a sketchy stretch of San Pablo (with at least two ghost bikes on it), and it's literally an oil terminal/refinery/industrial sacrifice area.
but sure, make sure those bicycles aren't harming poor oil refinery workers
but sure, make sure those bicycles aren't harming poor oil refinery workers
A couple of the quote tweets are dunking on Will for not acknowledging that, while spending power is objectively up, life spans and health are down.
Guess why Americans have shorter lifespans and worse health. Guess what we spend most of our disposable income on.
Guess why Americans have shorter lifespans and worse health. Guess what we spend most of our disposable income on.
November 10, 2025 at 5:17 PM
A couple of the quote tweets are dunking on Will for not acknowledging that, while spending power is objectively up, life spans and health are down.
Guess why Americans have shorter lifespans and worse health. Guess what we spend most of our disposable income on.
Guess why Americans have shorter lifespans and worse health. Guess what we spend most of our disposable income on.
November 10, 2025 at 5:20 AM
bicycles for peace, cars for war
November 9, 2025 at 5:13 PM
bicycles for peace, cars for war
Across the country, a pattern is emerging.
Donald Shoup (RIP) is ascendant: Parking reform won big everywhere -- the car industry is losing its lock on our urban land, and voters are ending its driving mandates.
And transit is getting $$$.
*This is the affordability agenda.*
Donald Shoup (RIP) is ascendant: Parking reform won big everywhere -- the car industry is losing its lock on our urban land, and voters are ending its driving mandates.
And transit is getting $$$.
*This is the affordability agenda.*
November 6, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Across the country, a pattern is emerging.
Donald Shoup (RIP) is ascendant: Parking reform won big everywhere -- the car industry is losing its lock on our urban land, and voters are ending its driving mandates.
And transit is getting $$$.
*This is the affordability agenda.*
Donald Shoup (RIP) is ascendant: Parking reform won big everywhere -- the car industry is losing its lock on our urban land, and voters are ending its driving mandates.
And transit is getting $$$.
*This is the affordability agenda.*
ok i'm stoked that prop 50 passed but this is just wild.
imagining the Fairfax (Marin) hippie NIMBY separatists in the same district as the State of Jefferson MAGA militia AND the literal characters from One Battle After Another
imagining the Fairfax (Marin) hippie NIMBY separatists in the same district as the State of Jefferson MAGA militia AND the literal characters from One Battle After Another
November 5, 2025 at 6:28 AM
ok i'm stoked that prop 50 passed but this is just wild.
imagining the Fairfax (Marin) hippie NIMBY separatists in the same district as the State of Jefferson MAGA militia AND the literal characters from One Battle After Another
imagining the Fairfax (Marin) hippie NIMBY separatists in the same district as the State of Jefferson MAGA militia AND the literal characters from One Battle After Another
"The unregulated advent of driverless cars could increase traffic in European cities by 50% to 150% by 2050, which would be like a rush hour that lasts all day." www.transportenvironment.org/articles/run...
November 4, 2025 at 8:43 PM
"The unregulated advent of driverless cars could increase traffic in European cities by 50% to 150% by 2050, which would be like a rush hour that lasts all day." www.transportenvironment.org/articles/run...
As the U.S. car industry continues to churn out product, our streets are steadily shutting down -- Bay Area residents now spend 5 full days per year sitting in traffic.
I'd bet that, in ~ 10 years, cars will be largely useless for most trips in the U.S.
Sooner if Waymo scales.
I'd bet that, in ~ 10 years, cars will be largely useless for most trips in the U.S.
Sooner if Waymo scales.
November 4, 2025 at 8:39 PM
As the U.S. car industry continues to churn out product, our streets are steadily shutting down -- Bay Area residents now spend 5 full days per year sitting in traffic.
I'd bet that, in ~ 10 years, cars will be largely useless for most trips in the U.S.
Sooner if Waymo scales.
I'd bet that, in ~ 10 years, cars will be largely useless for most trips in the U.S.
Sooner if Waymo scales.
I wonder what it would be like to live in a state with a vision for clean, safe mobility this big and hopeful.
November 3, 2025 at 7:27 AM
I wonder what it would be like to live in a state with a vision for clean, safe mobility this big and hopeful.
blast from past
October 27, 2025 at 3:16 AM
blast from past
This just ... does not work out.
Find your city, find yourself a city to live in.
Find your city, find yourself a city to live in.
October 26, 2025 at 5:31 PM
This just ... does not work out.
Find your city, find yourself a city to live in.
Find your city, find yourself a city to live in.
Climate disasters now consume 35% of all US GDP growth.
If the car industry gets its way, and we keep mandating carsprawl into climate disaster zones, I bet we can make the former U.S. one giant disaster fund.
Who wants to bet Confederate states get more funds? www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
If the car industry gets its way, and we keep mandating carsprawl into climate disaster zones, I bet we can make the former U.S. one giant disaster fund.
Who wants to bet Confederate states get more funds? www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
October 26, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Climate disasters now consume 35% of all US GDP growth.
If the car industry gets its way, and we keep mandating carsprawl into climate disaster zones, I bet we can make the former U.S. one giant disaster fund.
Who wants to bet Confederate states get more funds? www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
If the car industry gets its way, and we keep mandating carsprawl into climate disaster zones, I bet we can make the former U.S. one giant disaster fund.
Who wants to bet Confederate states get more funds? www.bloomberg.com/features/202...
Do you think I make this stuff up Tony? Seriously? Come on man.
But yes, anti-transit elected officials across North America use the eventuality of AVs to oppose transit funding and block transit expansion, and Project 2025 specifically advocates this approach. www.salon.com/2024/12/19/i...
But yes, anti-transit elected officials across North America use the eventuality of AVs to oppose transit funding and block transit expansion, and Project 2025 specifically advocates this approach. www.salon.com/2024/12/19/i...
October 16, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Do you think I make this stuff up Tony? Seriously? Come on man.
But yes, anti-transit elected officials across North America use the eventuality of AVs to oppose transit funding and block transit expansion, and Project 2025 specifically advocates this approach. www.salon.com/2024/12/19/i...
But yes, anti-transit elected officials across North America use the eventuality of AVs to oppose transit funding and block transit expansion, and Project 2025 specifically advocates this approach. www.salon.com/2024/12/19/i...
An additional problem is that AV companies have leaned so heavily on dishonest marketing, for so long, that they are shooting themselves in the foot and delaying eventual uptake. This also does not lead to any of our desired outcomes.
October 16, 2025 at 8:44 PM
An additional problem is that AV companies have leaned so heavily on dishonest marketing, for so long, that they are shooting themselves in the foot and delaying eventual uptake. This also does not lead to any of our desired outcomes.
I trust Waymo a little less every time its marketing department makes claims that its engineering department knows are false.
It's way worse for them than it is for me. They really shouldn't be this stupid about it, but, their call.
It's way worse for them than it is for me. They really shouldn't be this stupid about it, but, their call.
October 16, 2025 at 6:29 PM
I trust Waymo a little less every time its marketing department makes claims that its engineering department knows are false.
It's way worse for them than it is for me. They really shouldn't be this stupid about it, but, their call.
It's way worse for them than it is for me. They really shouldn't be this stupid about it, but, their call.
in his prime (1930s), frank lloyd wright was best known for his fantastical "farm cities" enabled by mass car and freeway adoption, where every family grew 100% of their own food and drove everywhere.
it's a perpetual fantasy sold as a gloss on the rodent mire drudgery of suburban car dependence
it's a perpetual fantasy sold as a gloss on the rodent mire drudgery of suburban car dependence
October 16, 2025 at 4:57 AM
in his prime (1930s), frank lloyd wright was best known for his fantastical "farm cities" enabled by mass car and freeway adoption, where every family grew 100% of their own food and drove everywhere.
it's a perpetual fantasy sold as a gloss on the rodent mire drudgery of suburban car dependence
it's a perpetual fantasy sold as a gloss on the rodent mire drudgery of suburban car dependence