Wednesday’s Headlines
Several automakers are investing in e-bikes and e-scooters, betting that they — not cars — are the future of urban transportation. (Business Insider) Infrastructure is expensive in the U.S., but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because if it were cheaper, governments would build more and wider roads. (Strong Towns) Light rail opponents’ claims about … Continued
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on August 14, 2019
- Several automakers are investing in e-bikes and e-scooters, betting that they — not cars — are the future of urban transportation. (Business Insider)
- Infrastructure is expensive in the U.S., but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, because if it were cheaper, governments would build more and wider roads. (Strong Towns)
- Light rail opponents’ claims about Phoenix’s South Central extension are misleading, according to an Arizona Republic fact check.
- Cleveland has chosen four vendors — Bird, Lime, Spin and Veloride — to bring e-bikes and dockless scooters back to the city after banning them last year. (Plain Dealer)
- Boston is considering taxing Uber and Lyft rides to drive users toward transit, but some ride-hailers say that won’t get them to change their routines. (Globe)
- An Atlanta architectural firm says the new $33-million pedestrian bridge over Northside Drive is the poster child for cities wasting money on flashy projects rather than basic infrastructure. (Curbed)
- Montgomery County, Maryland, is building what planners there say is the East Coast’s first protected intersection. (WAMU)
- Governing profiles Pennsylvania’s new transportation secretary, Leslie Richards, who is trying to make community engagement a priority. Ah, Governing, we’ll miss you when you’re gone.
- Philadelphia cyclists are pushing for a protected bike lane on Delaware Avenue. (KYWN)
- Growing Boise needs better transit, and those Potato State officials are looking to Portland and Salt Lake City as examples. (KTVB)
- Your hate-read for the day: Colorado pundit Mike Rosen says he doesn’t hate cyclists — but he sure doesn’t want to do anything to keep drivers from killing them, either (The Gazette). Allow a Denver Post columnist to retort.
- In the latest example of #FirstWorldProblems, Twitter is mad that the font on some new D.C. Metro station pylons is wrong. Metro says the contractor will fix the error, so rest easy, Helvetica Bold fans! (WAMU)
Blake Aued has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.
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