A few things to know this week: April 1, 2021
This week’s things to know:
Resilient Power: How Utilities Can Prepare for Increasing Climate Risks (ICF)
We're still thinking here in Texas about the recent extreme weather events that left so many people without access to power or water. Protecting and providing for energy infrastructure, and knowing how to support communities during and following these events is something on everyone's minds. So, it caught my attention this week when I came across this white paper by ICF International talking about the climate resilience investment gap in cities, how to communicate this gap, and insights on how to develop resilience plans. It's a free download, I recommend checking it out. -AJ
How Libraries Are Expanding Internet Access (CityLab
)In today's world, important aspects of quality of life like education, employment, and healthcare are dependent on digital platforms and access to the internet. This article discusses how libraries are going beyond the walls of their buildings and collaborating across the community to provide access to marginalized neighborhoods and residents. -Kevin
Traffic wars: who will win the battle for city streets? (The Guardian)
In a previous newsletter, I featured an article highlighting London's pandemic inspired Streetscape plan, an effort to improve access and safety for cycling and walking by closing low-traffic streets to through traffic and converting more corridors to people-scaled infrastructure. As you might expect, the plan has received opposition from those who prefer and benefit from the auto-centric approach. This article provides an update on the transition. It's a long read, but if you're in a community that is pushing a pro-cycling agenda, you might find some of the detailed examples in here useful. -Kevin
Bill to lower base speed limit on city streets to 25 mph could save lives, advocates say (Houston Chronicle)
Third time the charm? This will be the third session Texas State Representative Israel is proposing to lower the base speed limit in the state from 30 t0 25 miles-per-hour. Texas leads the nation in traffic fatalities. There is strong evidence to support a motion like this, so what has been the hold up? Skeptics say that lowering the speed limit will in turn affect the efficiency of traffic flow. Supporters rebut claiming that a street that has a speed limit of 30 mph today should not carry the amount of traffic that would render a significant change in traffic patterns with a 5 mph reduction. If the core value here is to improve the overall health and safety of our communities I would imagine most would be in support of such a decision. How would a change to 25 mph affect your community? -Ryan
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