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Now, the news:
- Climate change has made it more urgent than ever to get people out of their cars. Taking the “road diet” concept one step further, a former D.C. and Chicago DOT chief says the easiest way to do that in the short term is create “slow lanes” that prioritize non-car vehicles. (Forbes)
- A new transportation plan for Atlanta aims to move the notoriously traffic-choked city away from automobiles. The questions, as always, are: Will city officials stick with it? How many projects can they afford to build, and how will they be chosen? (Curbed) Meanwhile, the Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority has approved a commuter rail line and bus rapid transit in suburban Clayton County, which joined MARTA in 2014, but it will be a while before the rail materializes. (Saporta Report)
- Plans for light rail between Durham and Orange, N.C., continue to fall apart. First Duke University threatened to pull out, and now the head of the local performing arts center opposes closing a street for a railroad crossing, saying it would block vehicular and pedestrian traffic. (Herald Sun) On the bright side, Chapel Hill approved an agreement to vote the $2.5-billion project forward. (CBS 17)
- A longtime associate of Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkin has received a $720,000 no-bid contract from the city to consult on light rail expansion. (Seattle Times)
- Brace yourselves, winter is coming — which means Cincinnati’s streetcar is about to start breaking down. This year, the city is making preparations to ensure it can operate in cold weather. (WCPO)
- Tulsa is lobbying the Oklahoma state government to increase funding for transit. (KWGS)
- New Orleans has replaced mandatory bike registration with a voluntary program that could help reunite stolen bikes with their owners. (Times-Picayune)
- Digital Trends has the most in-depth story we’ve seen yet on Quayside, Google’s planned “smart neighborhood” in Toronto.
- Bike-share roundup: Honolulu adds 33 new stations. (Star-Advertiser) Waco, Texas, adds scooters. (KCEN) Memphis’s boasts 25,000 trips in six months. (Flyer) Baton Rouge, La.’s will launch on St. Patrick’s Day. (Advocate)
