Laura
@3deckerlaura.bsky.social
Housing, street safety, ultra-local politics. Somerville, MA
Reposted by Laura
Consultants contracted by Minnesota found that an eight-story single-stair building with 6,000 sq. ft. per floor (building 4) has dramatically lower fire risk than a same-height code-compliant two-stair building with a larger floor plate (building 1) www.dli.mn.gov/sites/defaul...
December 12, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Consultants contracted by Minnesota found that an eight-story single-stair building with 6,000 sq. ft. per floor (building 4) has dramatically lower fire risk than a same-height code-compliant two-stair building with a larger floor plate (building 1) www.dli.mn.gov/sites/defaul...
Reposted by Laura
Reposted by Laura
Cops' visible lawlessness is also a big driver at the recent erosion of the social fabric. If the people tasked with enforcing the laws don't think the laws apply to them, why should I think anything different? We see it *all the time* in NYC these days.
100% agree. Ironically, this is the only version of "broken windows" that actually makes any sense, because it has to do with the individual behavior of one person going from getting away with small crimes to getting away with big crimes, instead of being some vague theory about general contagion.
My hottest take is that letting cops park in red zones for mundane errands and coffee breaks; I think “you can break the law at your discretion as a job perk” is the small domino that ends in the large domino of “shooting protesters in the face with rubber bullets”
December 12, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Cops' visible lawlessness is also a big driver at the recent erosion of the social fabric. If the people tasked with enforcing the laws don't think the laws apply to them, why should I think anything different? We see it *all the time* in NYC these days.
could be us but it would require action by (sigh) the state house
December 11, 2025 at 4:03 AM
could be us but it would require action by (sigh) the state house
you can't have a unsignalized* crosswalk across two lanes of highway traffic, that's setting up peds up to get hit by cars in the second lane
*hawk signals are not real signals, we have science on this, people don't stop
*hawk signals are not real signals, we have science on this, people don't stop
By grounding the crossing, we can have a larger park. But how do we propose to make the crossing safe? Instinct is signal, but that's not legally allowed. So instead, they're adding a raised crosswalk with overhead signals and a bi-directional bike lane on east side
26/?
26/?
December 11, 2025 at 3:54 AM
you can't have a unsignalized* crosswalk across two lanes of highway traffic, that's setting up peds up to get hit by cars in the second lane
*hawk signals are not real signals, we have science on this, people don't stop
*hawk signals are not real signals, we have science on this, people don't stop
is LA uh okay over there
LA quietly stopped repaving all streets last July to avoid fulfilling its ADA obligations. The federal govt says when you repave a street, you have to update all the curb ramps. LA has tons of out of date curb ramps, so the rule makes repaving much more expensive. The city's solution: stop repaving!
LA has stopped repaving our streets
The reason why is probably illegal
futureis.la
December 11, 2025 at 3:25 AM
is LA uh okay over there
Reposted by Laura
Nothing against the individual nonprofits on this list, many of which do great work, but it's a real problem that San Francisco outsources so many basic public functions. www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...
These S.F. nonprofits are receiving the most city money. No. 1 gets $80 million
This tool allows people to see exactly how much money San Francisco nonprofits are receiving from the city government.
www.sfchronicle.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Nothing against the individual nonprofits on this list, many of which do great work, but it's a real problem that San Francisco outsources so many basic public functions. www.sfchronicle.com/projects/202...
Reposted by Laura
In addition to all of the other benefits already reported about NYC congestion pricing, "In the first six months of the program, air pollution – in the form of particulate matter 2.5 micrometers and smaller – dropped by 22% in the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ)"
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
Congestion pricing improved air quality in NYC and suburbs | Cornell Chronicle
Cornell researchers tallied the environmental benefits of New York City’s congestion pricing program and found air pollution dropped by 22% in Manhattan, with additional declines across the city’s fiv...
news.cornell.edu
December 9, 2025 at 2:19 AM
In addition to all of the other benefits already reported about NYC congestion pricing, "In the first six months of the program, air pollution – in the form of particulate matter 2.5 micrometers and smaller – dropped by 22% in the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ)"
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...
We could take the opportunity to put the urban fabric back together, but instead we’re getting acres of pavement with a few inaccessible trees and massdot is calling it an improvement
December 10, 2025 at 12:57 AM
We could take the opportunity to put the urban fabric back together, but instead we’re getting acres of pavement with a few inaccessible trees and massdot is calling it an improvement
‘Yeah pro housing forces won a majority, but I think they should pretend they didn’t’
December 8, 2025 at 9:02 PM
‘Yeah pro housing forces won a majority, but I think they should pretend they didn’t’
Reposted by Laura
I don't think transgender athletes are the problem facing girls and women in sports.
Investigators say former coach Sean Gardner created videos showing close-up images of at least 10 minors naked or undressing, which they recovered from his computers last year while investigating reports of sexual abuse.
Gardner has pleaded not guilty and has been jailed pending trial.
Gardner has pleaded not guilty and has been jailed pending trial.
Olympics Sports Watchdog Failed to Stop Mississippi Coach's Sexual Abuse, Women Allege
Two gymnasts who say they were sexually abused at an elite academy in Iowa filed lawsuits Monday against the sport’s oversight bodies.
www.mississippifreepress.org
December 6, 2025 at 4:46 PM
I don't think transgender athletes are the problem facing girls and women in sports.
Reposted by Laura
Since 1995, Madrid's Metro has added 107mi (172km)
Since 1987, Boston's MBTA has added 4.3mi (6.9km)
Boston's system has 39.5mi of heavy rail and 26.7mi of light rail. Madrid has 184.3mi of heavy rail and 17.3mi of light rail - 3x more!
I wonder what it's like living in a functional society 🤔
Since 1987, Boston's MBTA has added 4.3mi (6.9km)
Boston's system has 39.5mi of heavy rail and 26.7mi of light rail. Madrid has 184.3mi of heavy rail and 17.3mi of light rail - 3x more!
I wonder what it's like living in a functional society 🤔
It would take 2 hours and 20 minutes to travel between Boston and Washington, D.C. at this speed.
This country is so behind, it's laughable.
This country is so behind, it's laughable.
December 6, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Since 1995, Madrid's Metro has added 107mi (172km)
Since 1987, Boston's MBTA has added 4.3mi (6.9km)
Boston's system has 39.5mi of heavy rail and 26.7mi of light rail. Madrid has 184.3mi of heavy rail and 17.3mi of light rail - 3x more!
I wonder what it's like living in a functional society 🤔
Since 1987, Boston's MBTA has added 4.3mi (6.9km)
Boston's system has 39.5mi of heavy rail and 26.7mi of light rail. Madrid has 184.3mi of heavy rail and 17.3mi of light rail - 3x more!
I wonder what it's like living in a functional society 🤔
Reposted by Laura
all a bit esoteric and it's not exactly a messaging winner, but: america is a religion, and a proselytizing one. that's what being a creedal nation means. come to america, endorse the principles of the declaration and the constitution: congrats, you are an american.
www.patreon.com/posts/109838...
www.patreon.com/posts/109838...
December 6, 2025 at 5:12 PM
all a bit esoteric and it's not exactly a messaging winner, but: america is a religion, and a proselytizing one. that's what being a creedal nation means. come to america, endorse the principles of the declaration and the constitution: congrats, you are an american.
www.patreon.com/posts/109838...
www.patreon.com/posts/109838...
Reposted by Laura
A massive problem today is the uneven distribution of shame. Some of us are running dedicated on-site shame servers 24/7 while others have no access to shame at all, even though they desperately need it. What we need to do is put shame in the cloud
December 6, 2025 at 2:54 AM
A massive problem today is the uneven distribution of shame. Some of us are running dedicated on-site shame servers 24/7 while others have no access to shame at all, even though they desperately need it. What we need to do is put shame in the cloud
beyond the data in the report (great!), lotta weird details in this one that make it hard to believe that boston city leadership is committed to this program
Boston Data Show Streets With New Bike Lanes Successfully Shift Traffic, With Fewer Cars and Way More Bikes - mass.streetsblog.org/2025/12/05/b...
Boston Data Show Streets With New Bike Lanes Successfully Shift Traffic From Cars to Bikes - Streetsblog Massachusetts
Mayor Wu has hard evidence that her bike lane projects are helping reduce traffic – but her administration is reluctant to share it.
mass.streetsblog.org
December 6, 2025 at 2:31 AM
beyond the data in the report (great!), lotta weird details in this one that make it hard to believe that boston city leadership is committed to this program
hey ISD what are we even doing here www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
Ube desserts and ‘illegal’ sandwiches? This Somerville cafe is fighting to reopen
City officials said the cafe owners moved into the location without proper permitting.
www.wgbh.org
December 4, 2025 at 9:39 PM
hey ISD what are we even doing here www.wgbh.org/news/local/2...
Reposted by Laura
I'm sorry, I just have to pop off again on that NYT e-bike piece.
The fatality rate for e-bike injuries is 11%?? You're saying that one out of every 9 times someone hurts themselves on an e-bike, they die?
That is just so mind-blowingly incorrect, I don't know where to start.
The fatality rate for e-bike injuries is 11%?? You're saying that one out of every 9 times someone hurts themselves on an e-bike, they die?
That is just so mind-blowingly incorrect, I don't know where to start.
December 4, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I'm sorry, I just have to pop off again on that NYT e-bike piece.
The fatality rate for e-bike injuries is 11%?? You're saying that one out of every 9 times someone hurts themselves on an e-bike, they die?
That is just so mind-blowingly incorrect, I don't know where to start.
The fatality rate for e-bike injuries is 11%?? You're saying that one out of every 9 times someone hurts themselves on an e-bike, they die?
That is just so mind-blowingly incorrect, I don't know where to start.
Reposted by Laura
This clarity is so rare among the pundit class
I spoke to the New York Times in this great explainer piece by Charlie Savage
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/u...
www.nytimes.com/2025/12/04/u...
December 4, 2025 at 3:00 PM
This clarity is so rare among the pundit class
very funny to take the bus through this stretch multiple times this week, because while the T's website knows about this detour, it appears no one told the drivers and they're out there deciding to make it work
Once in effect, this detour will be in place 24 hours a day until Thursday, December 4, at approximately 4 p.m.
MBTA 83/87 outbound service (westbound to Porter Square) service will also be detoured. Visit mbta.com/bus for details.
MBTA 83/87 outbound service (westbound to Porter Square) service will also be detoured. Visit mbta.com/bus for details.
Bus | Schedules & Maps | MBTA
Schedule information for MBTA bus routes in the Greater Boston region, including real-time updates and arrival predictions.
mbta.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:45 AM
very funny to take the bus through this stretch multiple times this week, because while the T's website knows about this detour, it appears no one told the drivers and they're out there deciding to make it work
how did we left sf beat us
Big housing news in San Francisco today: the Board of Supervisors (their equivalent of City Council) votes to upzone the entire western half of the city. Currently much of the westside is houses. Commercial streets get a height boost.
Diagrams & maps below from sfplanning.org/sites/defaul...
Diagrams & maps below from sfplanning.org/sites/defaul...
December 4, 2025 at 2:57 AM
how did we left sf beat us
Waiting for a bus at Davis since I don’t want to walk home in the rain, and I have seen multiple cargo bikes go by with small children in little tents
December 2, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Waiting for a bus at Davis since I don’t want to walk home in the rain, and I have seen multiple cargo bikes go by with small children in little tents
Reposted by Laura
Energy transitions can happen faster than we think:
In 2000 almost 90% of Denmark's electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2024 less than 10% of Danish electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2000 almost 90% of Denmark's electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2024 less than 10% of Danish electricity was from fossil fuels.
December 1, 2025 at 4:18 PM
Energy transitions can happen faster than we think:
In 2000 almost 90% of Denmark's electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2024 less than 10% of Danish electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2000 almost 90% of Denmark's electricity was from fossil fuels.
In 2024 less than 10% of Danish electricity was from fossil fuels.
Reposted by Laura
I’ve played a lot of simcity but I didn’t know you could go pro
November 27, 2025 at 12:51 AM
I’ve played a lot of simcity but I didn’t know you could go pro
Reposted by Laura
New post: a week of hectic back and forth with fire officials and city council over Berkeley street festivals brings out into the open a conflict in city halls across USA. Fire depts opposition to traffic calming and safety measures. Is there a solution?
darrellowens.substack.com/p/the-fire-d...
darrellowens.substack.com/p/the-fire-d...
The Fire Department vs. Traffic Safety Advocates
Street safety advocates are butting heads with fire officials. Swift fire response does not have to come at the cost of lives on the roadway.
darrellowens.substack.com
November 30, 2025 at 2:41 AM
New post: a week of hectic back and forth with fire officials and city council over Berkeley street festivals brings out into the open a conflict in city halls across USA. Fire depts opposition to traffic calming and safety measures. Is there a solution?
darrellowens.substack.com/p/the-fire-d...
darrellowens.substack.com/p/the-fire-d...
Reposted by Laura
InFURiating that we all have to write/think/talk about vaccines this much, outside of celebrating new successes (HPV vax largely *eliminating* cervical cancer, my god), this shit was settled as one of the great scientific and public health triumphs EVER and now these dipshits are trying to ruin it
November 30, 2025 at 12:14 AM
InFURiating that we all have to write/think/talk about vaccines this much, outside of celebrating new successes (HPV vax largely *eliminating* cervical cancer, my god), this shit was settled as one of the great scientific and public health triumphs EVER and now these dipshits are trying to ruin it