Are D.C.’s Streets Finally Getting Safer? November 11, 2019 As the District lagged on its Vision Zero goals, bike and pedestrian advocates in Washington turned traffic fatalities into a rallying cry, and got results. For CityLab, I looked ba
The Case for the Slow City August 8, 2019 U.S. cities are dropping urban speed limits in an effort to boost safety and lower crash rates. But the benefits of less-rapid urban mobility don’t end there. For CityLab, I looked at how the researc
How I Plugged Into My City’s Music Scene March 11, 2019 Flashband brings D.C.’s hobbyist musicians together for a rollicking concert of short-term bands. Here’s what I learned from my month-long stint. Dave Grohl Has a Pro-Rock Urban Policy A
Ghost Bikes, Infrastructure of Grief August 9, 2018 Part memorial, part protest symbol, these all-white bicycles mark the places where cyclists have been killed by cars. As Washington, D.C. faced two prominent cycling deaths in 2018, activists d
I Have Seen the Future of Urbanism and It's a Scooter March 16, 2018 While you’re still trying to figure out dockless bikes, there’s a new two-wheeler to share around town. It could be a bigger deal than you think. 2018 Was the Year of the Sc
Want Better Streets? Just Add Paint. October 29, 2019 Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Asphalt Art Initiative wants to bring a boost of color to the streets of America’s small and mid-size cities. Arthur Cotton Moore’s Metrorail Housing Scheme
Even Hey Arnold’s Neighborhood Is Gentrifying Now November 17, 2019 Series creator Craig Bartlett explains how he built the cartoon city that every ‘90s kid dreamed of living in. Chicago as the Third Wheel on the Obamas' First Date August
Electric Vehicles Alone Won’t Stop Climate Change September 23, 2019 Switching to EVs en masse could help bring down planet-killing carbon emissions. But Americans also need to drive less, right now. What the Great American Road Trip Says (
We Rode an IKEA Bike March 17, 2017 There’s some assembly required for the Swedish company’s new commuter bicycle, Sladda. Can it handle the rigors of the American city? I put the bike to the test, including hauling an Ikea dresser in the street
Cities Remade Series
Is Transit Doomed in the U.S.? Discuss. October 12, 2018 Two rival pundits face off over federal funding, the transit “death spiral,” and where all the riders have gone. What Cities Are Getting Wrong About Public Transportation January 17,
Autonomous Vehicles
The Complete Guide to “Border Vacuums” January 9, 2017 As Jane Jacobs preached, large-scale highways, parks, and big buildings can all divide communities, discouraging street life and sucking the life out of cities. Here’s how to spot (and fix
Map Stories
Bike Share, Unplanned September 21, 2017 Three private bike-share companies are determined to shake up the streets of D.C. But what, exactly, are they trying to disrupt? Can Minnesota Get Dockless Bikesharing to Play Nice? August 16, 2018 Th
What Cities Looked Like Before the EPA March 2, 2017 Whatever happens to the Environmental Protection Agency, it has a clear legacy in cities. Wastelands Reborn February 21, 2017 Turning around abandoned urban spaces sometimes just take
The Difference a DIY Cultural Revival Can Make September 7, 2017 The small city of York, Pennsylvania, bet big on artists to boost economic development. It’s starting to pay off. What Millennial Mayors Are Doing for City Hall January 31
Bikesharing
The Secret Lives of Speakeasies April 19, 2017 Decades before Prohibition, the unlicensed saloons of Pittsburgh flouted state liquor laws, fomented social movements, and started a national trend. How Fast Food Cornered the Urban Market Marc
Where Edmonton Goes Next July 27, 2017 I went to Edmonton, Canada when the city hosted Habitat for Humanity build and explored how it also wanted to create a downtown that attracts people to stay around after the Alberta oil boom has faded.
Don't Get Too Excited About Bike to Work Day May 18, 2018 It’s time to think less about commuting and more about making all those other common everyday trips safer. The Lessons of Holiday Traffic Congestion November 27, 2019 The annual ho
You Should Be Cycling With a Boombox October 20, 2016 The joys, pitfalls, and etiquette of cycling with a portable stereo. What Kind Of Urbanist Is Bob Dylan? October 14, 2016 A CityLab guide to the Dylan canon and the allure of the city.
CityLab Daily For two years, I wrote the CityLab Daily newsletter. The pun-laden digest presented the latest journalism from my colleagues and other outlets covering cities. Alongside those stories, we corralled the best of the urbanist intern
During my fellowship at CityLab, I helped research and edit two stories a week written by the site’s editor-at-large Richard Florida . The Jane Jacobs Guide to the Trump Presidency December 20, 2016 Ever prescient, her final book out
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