Brad Aaron
Brad Aaron began writing for Streetsblog in 2007, after years as a reporter, editor, and publisher in the alternative weekly business. Brad adopted New York's dysfunctional traffic justice system as his primary beat for Streetsblog. He lives in Manhattan.
Recent Posts
New Video Series Tells the Story of Sprawl
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As livable streets advocates work to make headway in breaking the cycle of American auto dependence, the folks at Planetizen have put together a video narrative that explains how we got here. "The Story of Sprawl," a double DVD set produced by Managing Editor Tim Halbur, is a compilation of historical films dating from 1939 […]
What Effect Will World’s Smallest Car Have on Global Warming?
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Traffic in Delhi and Atlanta. Notice which scene also includes bikes. Photos: Ri Co Fo To and silvrayn via Flickr Environmentally-conscious citizens of India aren’t alone in their concern about the rollout of the Tata Nano, the "world’s cheapest car." But in an op-ed piece for Forbes, Projjal Dutta, the director of sustainability initiatives for […]
Can the World Handle the World’s Cheapest Car?
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Today the Streetsblog Network takes us to India, where some fear the recent launch of the highly-anticipated $2,000 Tata Nano — a.k.a. the "world’s cheapest car" — will wreak havoc on the environment and already crowded public spaces. Hard Drive has the story: Photo via Hard Drive India’s middle class is on the rise, as […]
It’s No Accident
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What if news articles of shootings, stabbings and other deaths used the same language normally employed to describe traffic collisions? Today on the Streetsblog Network, David Alpert of Greater Greater Washington points to media coverage of a crash in Culpeper County, VA, as an example of our tendency to view traffic violence as an immutable […]
DOT and HUD Team Up for TOD
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The Network is abuzz today with the news of the federal Sustainable Communities Initiative, a joint project of the departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, unveiled yesterday by secretaries Ray LaHood and Shaun Donovan. Matthew Yglesias and Ryan Avent have weighed in, as has The Transport Politic, writing: Photo: California Pete/Flickr The announcement […]
LaHood Talks Up Cities and Transit
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Today on the Network, more uplifting commentary from Ray LaHood. Posting on his (still unfortunately-named) "Fast Lane" blog, the transportation secretary sings the praises of America’s cities as innovative economic centers, and pledges support for urban transportation systems and transit-oriented development. Photo: gravitywave/Flickr Because of the release of stimulus funds, cities will soon be humming […]
Stim-Funded Highways to Nowhere
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The Obama administration has warned that misuse of stimulus funds will lower a state’s chances of receiving federal help in the future. Today on the Streetsblog Network, however, The Infrastructurist has identified seven road projects in six states (Kentucky has two) that it calls "the most ridiculous new roads being built with stimulus money." In […]
Campaign Enlists Comedians to Curb Reckless Teen Driving
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The Ad Council has some new material in its campaign aimed at teenage drivers. In these spots, a comedic actor (Fred Willard in the ad above) in the backseat of a car with three teens cajoles or threatens the driver into slowing down or minding the road. The gist of the campaign, corresponding with the […]
Streetfilms: Enrique Peñalosa in Boston
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When Boston livable streets advocates invited Enrique Peñalosa to town recently, Streetfilms’ Robin Urban Smith made the trip to hear what the Colombian urbanist had to say to residents of "The Walking City." Watch here as Peñalosa speaks to a packed house at the Boston Public Library, and see what Bostonians think of their town’s […]
UK Campaign Drives Home the Cost of Reckless Driving
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Warning: Graphic video On the heels of New York’s Transportation Alternatives report on the human toll of driving too fast, we bring you this highly disturbing ad from the UK Department for Transport’s THINK! campaign, showing the difference a few miles-per-hour can make when it comes to avoiding a collision. Ideally material like this (Australia […]
Streetfilms: Halloween Mass in San Francisco
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This week’s events make Halloween seem like a long time ago, but it was only last Friday when Clarence Eckerson, on a west coast jaunt for Streetfilms, shot this video of Critical Mass in San Francisco. Some think it was the city’s biggest mass ride ever. Clarence offers a possible explanation: With monthly rides under […]
Streetfilms: San Francisco’s Sunday Streets
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On the heels of New York’s Summer Streets, San Francisco opened up segments of its waterfront roadways to thousands of pedestrians, cyclists, skaters and dancers. Streetfilms contributor John Hamilton was on hand for Sunday Streets, and shows us how they go car-free in the Bay Area.