- A National Transportation Safety Board report issued Tuesday blames Uber's disregard for self-driving cars' safety risks and a distracted backup driver for a killing a woman who was crossing the street in Arizona last year, and calls for tightening oversight of autonomous vehicles on public roads (Bloomberg, CNET). That's sure to be a topic of conversation when the Senate Commerce Committee holds hearing on self-driving cars today (Car and Driver). See also: the Post-Gazette in Pittsburgh, where Uber is also testing self-driving cars.
- In Tempe, where that deadly crash happened, a new rental community under construction won't allow cars. It's the first of its kind in the country, according to the developer. (Wall Street Journal)
- The Boston Globe's Spotlight team, of movie fame, turns its investigative eye on the region's traffic nightmare.
- Charlotte is learning from its mistakes, and recently approved zoning along light rail encourages transit-oriented development, affordable housing and environmental sustainability. (Observer)
- San Diego's proposed bike lane network is $79 million over budget and a year behind schedule, largely due to road work and community opposition to taking parking spaces. Only nine miles of 77 have been completed. (Union-Tribune)
- An advocacy group is trying to convince Chicago transit agencies to cut fares in half for low-income riders. (Tribune)
- Honolulu's bus ridership is in decline, and Civil Beat suggests lowering fares and improving service to better compete with cars.
- The Georgia Department of Transportation is pushing back toll lanes on Highway 400 in north metro Atlanta, which will also push back plans for bus rapid transit. As a result, a 2020 vote on a sales tax for transit in Fulton County could be pushed back, as well. (AJC)
- San Francisco is installing 100 new bike racks every month for the foreseeable future. The city expects 8,000 new rental bikes and e-scooters on streets by next spring. (ABC 7)
- A new Oklahoma law requires drivers to give bikes a wide berth, and lets cyclists cruise through red lights if no one else is around. (Oklahoman)
- Streetsblog alum Angie Schmitt is leading the charge on Twitter against a $1.2 million Hyperloop study in Cleveland, and Ryan Deto at the Pittsburgh City Paper concurs.
- Uber is trying again to bring e-bikes to Rome, where ancient cobblestones, theft and vandalism defeated previous companies’ efforts — even though Rome should be a shoo-in for bike-sharing, given its congested streets, lack of parking and shoddy transit. (New York Times)
- Entitled drivers in cars getting coffee: A single D.C. motorist sitting in his car sipping java during morning rush hour was able to delay hundreds of bus riders. (Greater Greater Washington)
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By Blake Aued
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