Issues & Insights

The movement of people of color, immigrants and impoverished communities to suburbs has been celebrated by some who suggest that it has opened opportunities for those long denied its benefits. While true for some, for others suburbanization has deepened inequalities.

Every time a train rumbles to a stop, the energy generated by all that friction is converted to electricity, which is fed through inverters and distributed throughout the subway system. One-third of that powers the trains; the rest provides juice to station amenities and a growing network of EV chargers.

CargoB’s electric bike, introduced to Greater Boston in May, has front storage that can hold up to 300 pounds. A pedal-assisted electric motor can propel the bikes up to 20 miles per hour. Many European markets offer cargo bike rentals, but CargoB’s launch in Boston marks the first ride share of its kind — on-demand cargo bikes stationed in publicly accessible places — in the U.S.

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority will electrify the 9 mile Fairmount Line, the shortest of their 12 commuter rail lines, using battery-electric multiple units. The first BEMU trains are projected to be operating in early 2028.

In a bid to electrify road transport to help meet Norway’s climate commitments, Norwegian authorities have offered generous tax rebates on EVs, making them competitively priced compared with fuel, diesel and hybrid cars. Norway’s EV success is in sharp contrast to struggles seen elsewhere in Europe.

Colorado, Connecticut and Pennsylvania are on their third round of seeking bids to build fast chargers along major interstates. The majority of states, though, have just started to gear up. Twenty-nine states have completed one round of request for proposals.

Legislation in California that would require new vehicles to warn drivers when they are going more than 10 mph over the speed limit went to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 11. He has until the end of the month to sign or veto the bill. If signed, California would be the first state in the nation to enact such a law.

The secret to avoiding red lights during rush hour in Utah's largest city might be as simple as following a bus. Transportation officials have spent the past few years refining a system in which radio transmitters inside commuter buses talk directly to the traffic signals in the Salt Lake City area, requesting a few extra seconds of green when they approach.

A sidewalk isn't an option in one Portland neighborhood so several local groups are taking a creative approach with a series of colorful dots in varying sizes that mark a path for pedestrians. With breweries, stores, and a coffee shop bringing people to the area, there is a lot of foot traffic, which becomes dangerous when vehicles speed down the road.

The road where the Gaudreau brothers were cycling looks like many in Salem County, and it represents both the draw and the challenge of cycling here. Its scenic two-lanes wind past fields, farms, and wildflowers, but lawn signs complain about nearby warehouse development. Heavy, multi-axle dump trucks fly back and forth. There is no dedicated bike lane on the road and less than a foot of shoulder, perhaps not even that much, between the painted white line and the grass.