U.S. mayors like the idea of being less car-focused but hate the policies that could make it happen

A new survey of mayors finds a big disconnect between what mayors want in terms of street design and what they’re actually willing to support to make it happen.

“It’s a positive that mayors recognize that cities have too many cars and are too reliant on cars, and there’s promising results, particularly in regards to bike lanes; mayors were willing to give up some parking spots and driving lanes to provide more bicycle safety,” says Katherine Levine Einstein, a Boston University political science professor and lead researcher on the 2019 Menino Survey of Mayors.

By Kristin Toussaint