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A 2024 journal article titled "What you don’t know can’t help you: Public awareness aboutsocial and green infrastructure"

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A 2024 journal article titled "What you don’t know can’t help you: Public awareness aboutsocial and green infrastructure"

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A 2023 video from Ray Delahanty titled "Cars Are A Disaster For Society -- Here Are the Numbers"

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A 2023 video from Ray Delahanty titled "Cars Are A Disaster For Society -- Here Are the Numbers"

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Cars Are A Disaster For Society -- Here Are the Numbers

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Academic journal article titled "The Social Cost of Automobility, Cycling and Walking in the European Union." From Science Direct

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Academic journal article titled "The Social Cost of Automobility, Cycling and Walking in the European Union." From Science Direct

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A  2017 Strong Towns article titled "The Negative Consequences of Car Dependency"

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A  2017 Strong Towns article titled "The Negative Consequences of Car Dependency"

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The Negative Consequences of Car Dependency

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Auto-oriented towns experience serious challenges that negatively impact small businesses, community health, and financial success for everyone.

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A 2020 Science Direct journal article titled The political economy of car dependence: A systems of provision approach

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A 2020 Science Direct journal article titled The political economy of car dependence: A systems of provision approach

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A 2023 CNN News article titled "This little-known rule shapes parking in America. Cities are reversing it"

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A 2023 CNN News article titled "This little-known rule shapes parking in America. Cities are reversing it"

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This little-known rule shapes parking in America. Cities are reversing it | CNN Business

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Approximately 2 billion parking spots cover this country, enough to pave over the entire state of Connecticut. Cities are cracking down.

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A 2024 video from Youtube channel "Not Just Bikes" titled "More Lanes are (Still) a Bad Thing"

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A 2024 video from Youtube channel "Not Just Bikes" titled "More Lanes are (Still) a Bad Thing"

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A 2024 Time magazine article titled "As Global Cities Expand Rapidly, People Must Be at the Center of Planning"

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A 2024 Time magazine article titled "As Global Cities Expand Rapidly, People Must Be at the Center of Planning"

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Today, more than half the world's population lives in cities-a figure expected to grow by 2.4 billion by 2050. Cities are at the heart of humanity's future, but they are also ground zero for some of our biggest challenges: climate change, social inequality, and economic fragility. To house the growing urban population and achieve the U.N.'s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) while leading the fight against climate change, cities must embrace transformative, sustainable urban development.

The rapid expansion of urban areas is no longer just a trend-it's a crisis. Unplanned urban sprawl, fueled primarily by mounting housing needs and the growth of informal settlements that house more than 1.1 billion people, amplifies climate risks. Buildings, housing, and construction are responsible for up to 40% of greenhouse gas emissions.

As outlined in U.N.-Habitat's World Cities Report 2024, more than 2 billion urban residents are projected to experience significant temperature increases by 2040, with over a third of city dwellers living in areas where mean annual temperatures exceed 29°C. Over the past few decades, green areas in our cities, vital for mitigating heat and fostering well-being, have been shrinking from 19.5% of urban land in 1990 to just 13.9% in 2020. Climate-related disasters, like floods, cyclones, and droughts, have increased. They accounted for 91% of major disasters between 1998 and 2017. Often, it is the most vulnerable communities and people in informal settlements who are affected the most.

But it's not just an environmental issue. Cities are grappling with deepening social and economic divides. Annual economic losses from increased natural disasters could surpass $1 trillion by mid-century, according to the World Cities Report projections.

The current global housing crisis affects more than 2.8 billion people worldwide. At the same time, investment in social housing has declined, with most regions allocating less than 0.5% of GDP. Internal displacement-driven by conflict and natural disasters-is adding pressure to the current housing needs. A recent report by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Center reveals that the number of internally displaced people in Africa has tripled to 35 million over the past 15 years, with 60% seeking refuge in already strained urban areas.

But it is important to realize that cities are not just the source of challenges-they are also the solution. The key lies in rethinking urban policies, social and ecological functions of land, legislation, and financing to prioritize housing and basic services as catalysts for climate action and sustainable development. The link between affordable housing, well-planned and equitable cities, and sustainable development must be made explicit.

First, it is important to optimize land use for ecological, economic, and social benefits. This approach to land issues will reduce emissions, improve accessibility, and unlock the untapped potential of urban areas. A critical task is to boost local economic development through the transformation of informal settlements and their integration into the urban fabric, especially considering the relevance of the informal economy to GDP in the Global South. For example, according to the International Labour Organization, 98.5% of Niger's labor force was informally employed in 2021. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the figure was 97.5%. Informality dominates land rights and property issues, too. Only 6.6% of Angola's urban households are registered to pay property taxes. As a result, the income from property taxes contributed only 0.26% of the state budget in 2023, according to the World Bank data referenced in the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa 2024 Yearbook.

Second, we should focus on housing and ensure the use of sustainable construction materials while developing local markets. Housing and construction serve dual purposes: creating jobs, stimulating the economy, and making housing more sustainable and environmentally friendly. By incorporating sustainable building materials such as recycled steel, bamboo, and energy-efficient insulation, we can reduce the environmental footprint of new and retrofitted homes.

Third, basic services like clean energy, water, sanitation, and transportation must be seamlessly integrated into urban planning, ensuring appropriate infrastructure investment. These services are crucial not only for the well-being of residents but also for mitigating and adapting to climate change, ensuring that cities are both resilient and sustainable for future generations.

Local and regional governments are at the frontline of these transformations. They bridge global ambitions with ground-level action, connecting infrastructure, services, and people, and serving as the foundation of the SDGs. This includes working with and for the most vulnerable communities in informal settlements and designing strategies that maximize the use of the built environment while aligning with consumer preferences and demographics.

But we cannot complete this SDG house without a roof. Housing is the roof that holds the structure together. Rapid urban growth is happening in Africa and Asia, and cities in these regions will need to take care of and shelter the growing populations. Investments in housing programs and infrastructure must be seen as an opportunity to create economies of scale, as well as expand consumer and tax bases. According to the U.S. National Association of Home Builders, the construction of 100 affordable homes creates 161 local jobs in the first year alone and brings $11.7 million in local income.

The path forward is clear: unified efforts where social, urban, and climate goals intersect on a foundation of local action under the roof of adequate housing.

And our guiding principle is simple: take care of people, and they will take care of the planet.

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As Global Cities Expand Rapidly, People Must Be at the Center of Planning

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Housing, planning, and equity must be at the heart of urban transformation, writes the executive director of UN-Habitat.

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An April 2025 Youtube video by channel "Climate town" titled"New York Declares War On Traffic (A Congestion Pricing Story)"

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An April 2025 Youtube video by channel "Climate town" titled"New York Declares War On Traffic (A Congestion Pricing Story)"

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New York Declares War On Traffic (A Congestion Pricing Story)

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A 1956 US Government act titled "National Interstate and Defense Highways Act"

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A 1956 US Government act titled "National Interstate and Defense Highways Act"

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This act authorized the building of highways throughout the nation, which would be the biggest public works project in the nation's history.

Popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act of 1956, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 established an interstate highway system in the United States.

The movement behind the construction of a transcontinental superhighway started in the 1930s when President Franklin D. Roosevelt expressed interest in the construction of a network of toll superhighways that would provide more jobs for people in need of work during the Great Depression. The resulting legislation was the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1938, which directed the chief of the Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) to study the feasibility of a six-route toll network.

With America on the verge of joining the war in Europe, the time for a massive highway program had not arrived. At the end of the war, however, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 funded highway improvements and established major new ground by authorizing and designating, in Section 7, the construction of 40,000 miles of a "National System of Interstate Highways."

When President Dwight D. Eisenhower took office in January 1953, the states had only completed 6,500 miles of the system improvements. Eisenhower had first realized the value of good highways in 1919, when he participated in the U.S. Army's first transcontinental motor convoy from Washington, DC, to San Francisco. Again, during World War II, Eisenhower saw the German advantage that resulted from their autobahn highway network, and he also noted the enhanced mobility of the Allies, on those same highways, when they fought their way into Germany. These experiences significantly shaped Eisenhower's views on highways and their role in national defense. During his State of the Union Address on January 7, 1954, Eisenhower made it clear that he was ready to turn his attention to the nation's highway problems. He considered it important to "protect the vital interest of every citizen in a safe and adequate highway system."

Between 1954 and 1956, there were several failed attempts to pass a national highway bill through Congress. The main controversy over the highway construction was the apportionment of the funding between the federal government and the states. Undaunted, the President renewed his call for a "modern, interstate highway system" in his 1956 State of the Union Address.

Within a few months, after considerable debate and amendment in Congress, the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 emerged from the House-Senate conference committee. In the act, the interstate system was expanded to 41,000 miles. To construct the network, $25 billion was authorized for fiscal years 1957 through 1969. Eisenhower signed the bill into law on June 29th.

Because of the 1956 law, and the subsequent Highway Act of 1958, the pattern of community development in America was fundamentally altered and was henceforth based on the automobile. In urban areas, massive superhighways cut through neighborhoods and destroyed housing, much of it in poorer sections of the city. Elsewhere, the new superhighways followed established railroad routes and so bypassed many small towns and rural merchants. While the construction and routing of the national transportation network evolved in response to community and environmental concerns, the increased mobility Americans enjoyed as a result of the interstate highway system spurred substantial growth in interstate commerce and suburbanization over the next decades.

Transcript
AN ACT
To amend and supplement the Federal-Aid Road Act approved July 11, 1916, to authorize appropriations for continuing the construction of highways; to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to provide additional revenue from the taxes on motor fuel, tires, and trucks and buses; and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, TITLE I-FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAY ACT OF 1956
SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE FOR TITLE I.
This title may be cited as the "Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956".

SEC. 102. FEDERAL-AID HIGHWAYS.
(a) (1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.-For the purpose of carrying out the provisions of the Federal-Aid Road Act approved July 11, 1916 (39 Stat. 355), and all Acts amendatory thereof and supplementary thereto, there is hereby authorized to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1957, $125,000,000 in addition to any sums heretofore authorized for such fiscal year; the sum of $850,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1958; and the sum of $875,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1959. The sums herein authorized for each fiscal year shall be available for expenditure as follows:

(A) 45 per centum for projects on the Federal-aid primary highway system.
(B) 30 per centum for projects on the Federal-aid secondary highway system.
(C) 25 per centum for projects on extensions of these systems within urban areas.

(2) APPORTIONMENTS.-The sums authorized by this section shall be apportioned among the several States in the manner now provided by law and in accordance with the formulas set forth in section 4 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944; approved December 20, 1944 (58 Stat. 838) : Provided, That the additional amount herein authorized for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1957, shall be apportioned immediately upon enactment of this Act.

(b) AVAILABILITY FOR EXPENDITURE.-Any sums apportioned to any State under this section shall be available for expenditure in that State for two years after the close of the fiscal year for which such sums are authorized, and any amounts so apportioned remaining unexpended at the end of such period shall lapse: Provided, That such funds shall be deemed to have been expended if a sum equal to the total of the sums herein and heretofore apportioned to the State is covered by formal agreements with the Secretary of Commerce for construction, reconstruction, or improvement of specific projects as provided in this title and prior Acts: Provided further, That in the case of those sums heretofore, herein, or hereafter apportioned to any State for projects on the Federal-aid secondary highway system, the Secretary of Commerce may, upon the request of any State, discharge his responsibility relative to the plans, specifications, estimates, surveys, contract awards, design, inspection, and construction of such secondary road projects by his receiving and approving a certified statement by the State highway department setting forth that the plans, design, and construction for such projects are in accord with the standards and procedures of such State applicable...

...

SEC. 108. NATIONAL SYSTEM OF INTERSTATE AND DEFENSE HIGHWAYS.

(a) INTERSTATE SYSTEM.-It is hereby declared to be essential to the national interest to provide for the early completion of the "National System of Interstate Highways", as authorized and designated in accordance with section 7 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 838). It is the intent of the Congress that the Interstate System be completed as nearly as practicable over a thirteen-year period and that the entire System in all the States be brought to simultaneous completion. Because of its primary importance to the national defense, the name of such system is hereby changed to the "National System of Interstate and Defense Highways". Such National System of Interstate and Defense Highways is hereinafter in this Act referred to as the "Interstate System".

(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.-For the purpose of expediting the construction, reconstruction, or improvement, inclusive of necessary bridges and tunnels, of the interstate System, including extensions thereof through urban areas, designated in accordance with the provisions of section 7 of the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 838), there is hereby authorized to be appropriated the additional sum of $1,000,000,000 for, the fiscal year ending June 30, 1957 , which sum shall be in addition to the authorization heretofore made for that year, the additional sum of $1,700,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1958, the additional sum of $2,000,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1959, the additional sum of $2,200,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1960, the additional sum of $2,200,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1961, the additional sum of $2,200,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1962, the additional sum of $2,200,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1963, the additional sum of $2,200,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1964, the additional sum of $2,200,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1965, the additional sum of $2,200,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1966, the additional sum of $2,200,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1967, the additional sum of $1,500,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1968, and the additional sum of $1,025,000,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1969...

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National Interstate and Defense Highways Act (1956)

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EnlargeDownload Link Citation: An act to amend and supplement the Federal-Aid Road Act approved July 11, 1916, to authorize appropriations for continuing the construction of highways; to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 to provide additional revenue from the taxes on motor fuel, tires and trucks and buses; and for other purposes; June 29, 1956; Enrolled Acts and Resolutions of Congress, 1789-1996; General Records of the United States Government; Record Group 11; National Archives View All Pages in the National Archives Catalog View Transcript This act authorized the building of highways

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A 2021 Jones Day article titled "Autonomous Vehicles: Legal and Regulatory Developments in the United States"

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A 2021 Jones Day article titled "Autonomous Vehicles: Legal and Regulatory Developments in the United States"

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A 2024 video from Youtube channel "Not Just Bikes" titled "These Two Cities Used to be the Same"

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A 2024 video from Youtube channel "Not Just Bikes" titled "These Two Cities Used to be the Same"