Author: Karen E. Philbrick (Karen E. Philbrick)

As this challenging year draws to a close, many Americans are looking forward to the holidays — even if they might look a little different this year. Traditionally the holiday season inspires travel plans and joyful gatherings but this year health officials are pleading with people to stay home. As we were reminded on social...

In 2019, people boarded public transportation 34 million times each day. It gets us where we need to be and provides essential transport to millions of Americans. The internet, too, has become essential, and yet many people, especially the most vulnerable, lack access to the near-limitless resources provided by high-speed internet connectivity. Fortunately, a unique...

As our country continues to reel from COVID-19 and the pandemic of systemic racism, effective leadership is needed to bring a sense of justice and hope to this grieving nation. Effective leaders understand and give voice to the needs, concerns and hopes of others. They adapt, persevere and strive for fairness and equity. They also...

On Caltrain, it’s quiet. There are no hurrying commuters, no noisy tourists, no need to rush to snag a window seat or grab a spot in the bike car. Empty. In the midst of COVID-19, crowded busses, trains and subways have become reminders of a pre-pandemic daily routine that for more than 300 million people...

Envision a city street, each day traversed by more than 21,000 vehicles, suddenly devoid of traffic. The incessant honking of horns and revving of engines quieted. The danger of cars rushing past you instead replaced with a safe space for walking, bicycling and public transit. Just last year, New York City closed off one of...

As you approach an intersection, you see flashing red lights and hear a bell alerting drivers that a train is approaching. You take a quick peek and see that the train is still several thousand feet away and you think, ‘surely I have enough time to beat it.’ Think again. Trains can be deceptively silent...

Thirty years ago the San Andreas Fault ruptured near Loma Prieta Peak, 10 miles northeast of Santa Cruz, creating the largest urban earthquake in more than 80 years. That magnitude 6.9 earthquake took 63 lives and injured another 3,757. In 2018, the Camp Fire tore through Northern California communities becoming the deadliest and most destructive...

You are safely driving along when that incoming text notification demands your immediate attention. There doesn’t seem to be anything in the way ahead — why not take a quick look? It might be something important from work or maybe it’s a family member — surely something worth the quick diversion. This thought process is,...

Surrounded by cars with only a sea of brake lights in the distance, minutes ticking by as anxiety levels rise and feelings of frustration intensify – a situation Bay Area commuters know all too well. Congestion here is pervasive and worsening, and in 2017 the average Bay Area driver spent 79 hours stuck in traffic....