"Parking: The Dark Matter of the Urban Universe" (www.planetizen.com/blogs/135767...) generated debate on the ITE website.
Critics assume that vehicle ownership is growing, but it peaked and is declining. See "They Future Isn't What it Used to Be" (www.vtpi.org/future.pdf)

Less parking is needed!

US cities are safe! Urban crime rates plummeted during the last thirty years, especially in large cities, illustrated below. New York is particularly successful. Unfortunately, most people don't know this; their perceptions are outdated. See "A New Transit Safety Paradigm" (www.vtpi.org/safer.pdf).

"Mobility Across Canada" (tram.mcgill.ca/Research/Sur...). New study finds that over half of Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Victoria commuters use non-auto modes, much more than census indicates. Non-drivers report more quality of life. More justification for non-auto investments.

"Pavement Busters' Guide" (www.vtpi.org/pavbust.pdf) has a new section, 'Off-Street Parking Inefficiencies.' Driveways displace on-street parking so off-street parking mandates often reduces parking supply. More reasons for parking reforms and better planning. parkingreform.org

What do you think?

US, Canada, Aus. & NZ rate poorly in portion of youths who use active modes for utilitarian travel (e.g., school, malls, friend’s house), indicating they lack independence and exercise.

"Profiles of Active Transportation among Children and Adolescents" (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...).

Krugman (paulkrugman.substack.com/p/the-hellsc...) responds to exaggerated urban crime fears. This graph from "Safer Than You Think! Revising the Transit Safety Narrative" (www.vtpi.org/safer.pdf) shows that crime plummeted in recent decades. Good but overlooked news for cities!

What do you think?

My updated research, "Learning from Montreal: An Affordable and Inclusive City" (www.vtpi.org/montreal.pdf) shows that Montreal is far more affordable and has less homelessness than peer cities because it allows multiplexes and other mid-rise housing in walkable neighborhoods.

C'est bon!

New US tax bill eliminates public healthcare and affordable housing. This will cause financial shocks for tens millions of families. More affordable transport options will be essential, as described in "Evaluating Transportation Affordability" (www.vtpi.org/affordability.pdf). See graphs.

We are Warm Showers (warmshowers.org) hosts, which means that a few times each year we provide basic accommodations to long-distance bicycle tourists. This week we had three. They are all wonderful guests full of energy and stories.

Bon voyage, friends!

I spent Canada Day morning at our weekly protest against the planned $162 million Malahat Highway expansion through Goldstream Park, just north of Victoria.
Better Island Transit (www.betterislandtransit.ca) advocates shifting the money to provide frequent and affordable bus service.

"Why Driving is Bad for Business, Household Wealth and Community Prosperity" shows economic harms of excessive vehicle travel. The graph below from "The Mobility-Productivity Paradox" (www.vtpi.org/ITED_paradox.pdf) shows that GDP increases with fuel prices.

nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/06/23/c...

Here is our latest VTPI News which summarizes our latest publications. Below is the cover of my ITE Journal article, "Evaluating Transportation Affordability" (vtpi.org/ITEJ-eta-Jun...). Please let me know what you think.

mailchi.mp/a32ae978829d...

Here is my latest published article:
“Evaluating Transportation Affordability,” ITE Journal (www.ite.org), June, pp. 45-50; at vtpi.org/ITEJ-eta-Jun.... It summarizes a longer report with the same name at www.vtpi.org/affordability.pdf.

Please let me know what you think.