A very dense New York City by Andreas Komodromos licensed under Creative Commons.

In defense of density. Is it time to take space away from cars? The coronavirus’s lasting effects on cities.

In defense of density: On Sunday, Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York tweeted that “There is a density level in NYC that is destructive.” Density may be bad for people in a pandemic, but Emily Badger argues that density protects urban dwellers from many other calamities. She also posits that density makes mass transit possible, allows for more affordable housing, and lets urban residents pool resources together for social safety nets or resilience during natural disasters. (Emily Badger | New York Times)

Time to take space from cars: As people self-isolate and travel demand craters, cities should take advantage of the virtual disappearance of traffic to built out bike and pedestrian networks. Biking is an especially hygienic alternative to transit or ride-hail in a time where urban residents still must make essential trips to supermarkets and drugstores while still maintaining social distancing. (Andrew J. Hawkins | The Verge)

The lasting effects of the coronavirus on cities: Across the globe, strict travel restrictions are already having severe impacts on productivity, air pollution, and carbon emissions. In response, cities have been fortifying their transit systems by increasing disinfecting procedures, though ridership in the Western world continues to plummet. In cities like Daegu, South Korea, and Vo, Italy, radical data transparency has been employed to expand testing, identify infection hotspots, and connect those infected with care. (Schuyler Null & Hillary Smith | The City Fix)

When people stop flying: On March 19, 2020, TSA screened about 623,000 passengers entering US airports. That’s 1.8 million fewer passengers than that time last year. The global pandemic means that airlines lose more than 70% of their daily operating revenue. Meanwhile, companies who rent space from airports for dining, retail, and other services see a 75% drop in daily income. (Jeff Davis | Eno Center for Transportation)

How pigeons dominated cities: A new study of hundreds of bird species in 27 cities worldwide has found that birds survive on cities based on two survival skills: brainpower and breeding power. Pigeons are not the most intelligent urban birds, but they make up for it with their breeding power. The study’s results illuminate how humans influence which species make it in cities. (Nina Pullano | Inverse)

Quote of the week

“I have worked through snow scares, a blizzard, two derechos, holidays, anything that can impact a grocery store. This is the absolute worst I have seen it. It is a sea of people everywhere.”

Grocery store cashier Courtney Meadows in Brookings talking about the impact of COVID 19 on workers.

This week on the podcast, Yonah Freemark of the Transport Politic joins us for our annual prediction show recorded before the COVID19 outbreak.