Thursday’s Headlines
- Politico helps you keep track of the Democratic presidential candidates' stances on the issues, including transportation and carbon emissions, though a lot of them don't seem to have much to say about either.
- Twelve states in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic and Washington, D.C. released a framework for a cap-and-invest system for greenhouse gas emissions, charging state fuel suppliers for pollution they cause and redirecting that money into clean transportation. They want to launch the program in 2022. (Virginia Mercury)
- Los Angeles recently held a “safest driver” contest to promote Vision Zero, and it worked — participants speeds and distraction levels dropped significantly. The catch is, they had to let a mobile app monitor their driving. (New York Times)
- San Francisco is allowing four companies to bring up to 2,500 e-scooters each to the city, prompting new calls for more protected bike and scooter lanes (Examiner). Meanwhile, Providence had been without e-scooters or bike-shares for over a week, since three companies left, but the drought is over now that Ford-owned Spin brought in 100 scooters (Journal).
- Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney announced progress on implementing Vision Zero (CBS 3), but traffic deaths shot up by 17 percent last year (WHYY). More than 40 percent of the victims were pedestrians, despite being just 7 percent of the people involved in crashes.
- Minneapolis is offering steep discounts on parking to drivers who carpool. The number of solo drivers using city-owned garages has doubled since 2003. (Star Tribune)
- Hampton Roads Transit is considering expanding bus and light rail service in Norfolk. (WTKR)
- Georgia’s popular but mainly recreational Silver Comet Trail could connect to downtown Atlanta and the Beltline, thanks to a $6-million grant. (Curbed)
- A new study shows that car tires are our biggest source of microplastics in the ocean — and you know that electric cars have the same tires, right? (LA Times)
- A Free Press columnist in union-friendly Detroit endorses California’s new law requiring Uber and Lyft to treat drivers like employees instead of contractors with no rights.
- At least three of six candidates for mayor of Charleston support transit, and four say they want to make it a more walkable and bikeable city. (City Paper)
- A Washington, D.C. father writes about how D.C. streets and drivers are too hostile to bike with his son to school. (Greater Greater Washington)
- Take a selfie for Instagram at this Toronto public art installation that features a psychedelic streetcar. (Narcity)
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