Tanya Snyder
Tanya became Streetsblog's Capitol Hill editor in September 2010 after covering Congress for Pacifica Radios Washington bureau and for public radio stations around the country. She lives car-free in a transit-oriented and bike-friendly neighborhood of Washington, DC.
Recent Posts
How Clayton County Turned Its Zero-Transit Nightmare Around
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Whether Tuesday’s election left you feeling elated or devastated, there’s one happy story we can all rejoice in: Clayton County, Georgia, will finally get transit service. For 10 years the county had a skeletal bus system with three routes, known as C-TRAN, which was then completely dismantled about four years ago. Having gotten its jump-start with federal […]
Will DC Finally Repeal Its Unfair Treatment for Injured Cyclists and Peds?
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In Washington, DC, if a driver crashes into a person on foot or on a bike, and that person walking or biking is deemed to be even 1 percent at fault, he or she cannot collect any damages from insurance. Shane Farthing of the Washington Area Bicyclist Association and Tracy Hadden Loh of the Rails-to-Trails […]
Top House Dem on Transportation, Nick Rahall, Lost His Seat. That’s OK.
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Four years ago, another stunning night of GOP victories took out Representative Jim Oberstar, the Minnesota Democrat who chaired the House Transportation Committee. Had Oberstar kept his seat, the new GOP majority would have cost him the gavel, but he would have continued as ranking Democrat. Instead, Rep. Nick Rahall of West Virginia coal country […]
GOP Will Control the Senate in 2015. What Does It Mean for Transportation?
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The forecasting models were right: As the polls closed last night it quickly became apparent that Republicans will gain control of the Senate, occupying at least 52 seats. The implications for transportation are immense. To understand what they are, first let’s look at what last night means for the prospects for a new transportation bill next […]
Don’t Drive? It’s Getting Harder to Vote in Texas
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Today is the first federal general election since the Supreme Court struck down key portions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Texas and other states have taken full advantage of their new ability to make changes to their voting rights laws without federal approval. And under the new law, people without a driver’s license are […]
The Stakes Are High for Smart Transpo Policy in These 6 Races for Governor
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Today, voters go to the polls to exercise their constitutional right to self-government — if their state hasn’t disenfranchised them with onerous voter ID laws, that is, and if they can get motivated to turn out for a mid-term election. In 27 states, voters are choosing a governor. These elections are perhaps the most important […]
Talking Headways Podcast: That Indie Flick You Were Looking For
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If you’re a Netflix member, you’re part of the downfall of the brick-and-mortar video store. There are all kinds of reasons to be sad about that, but we look at its implications for urbanism and transportation. Besides, now where will you find esoteric foreign films to impress your friends? There are reasons to believe a few hardy indie-shop […]
6 Transportation Ballot Initiatives to Watch Next Tuesday
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Next week, voters in Maryland and Wisconsin may tell state officials to keep their greedy paws off transportation funds. Louisianans will consider whether to create an infrastructure bank to help finance projects. Texans will weigh the wisdom of raiding the state’s Rainy Day Fund for — what else? — highways. And Massachusetts activists who have […]
Don’t Believe the Headlines: Bike Boom Has Been Fantastic for Bike Safety
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The Governors Highway Safety Association released a report Monday that, the organization claimed, showed that the ongoing surge in American biking has increased bike fatalities. Transportation reporters around the country swung into action. “Fatal bicycle crashes on the rise, new study shows,” said the Des Moines Register headline. “Cycling is increasing and that may be […]
WaPo Transpo Forum: America’s Mayors Aren’t Waiting for Washington
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Atlanta’s BeltLine of bike and pedestrian trails is raising property values in every place it touches. Denver’s new rail line will create a much-needed link between Union Station downtown and the airport, 23 miles away. Miami is building 500 miles of bike paths and trails. Los Angeles is breaking new ground with everything from rail […]
Talking Headways Podcast: Dear Bike People
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Do people of color and low-income people ride bikes? Not as much as they could, given all the great benefits biking offers, particularly to people without a lot of disposable cash. But yes, non-white and non-rich people ride bikes — in high numbers compared to the general population, by some measures. Even though they’re biking […]
Someone Has Built the Ultimate 1950s Fantasy Vehicle All Over Again
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UPDATE in fourth paragraph about takeoff and landing space. This photo pretty much says everything that needs to be said about the absurdity of the flying car. I wouldn’t even bring it up except a flying car salesman was the man of the hour at an otherwise (mostly, er, somewhat) serious daylong forum on transportation […]