Thursday’s Headlines

By Blake Aued

1:50 AM EST on November 21, 2019

In New York City, a video of police arresting a woman selling churros on the subway went viral. A fare hike in Chile sparked a massive movement against inequality. Protests in Hong Kong are also centered around transportation, and protesters in London tried to disrupt subway service. Why is transit so closely tied to social unrest? City Lab talked to Alexis Perrotta, a lecturer at CUNY’s Baruch College who studies the intersection of equity and public transportation.
Walmart — the big-box retailer responsible for so much suburban sprawl — is building a new home office in Arkansas with the feel of a walkable neighborhood. (Curbed)
Bird is jumping into the helmet discussion, giving cover to politicians who want to require them in spite of evidence that such a mandate reduces cycling, which ultimately makes biking less safe. The e-scooter company is offering free rides for taking a selfie while wearing a helmet. (Long Beach Post)
Drivers have killed a record 26 pedestrians in Nashville this year, and a new Metro Council committee on sidewalks is looking to address the problem (WKRN). The city needs 1,900 miles of sidewalks, according to a 2017 report (WSMV)
Govs. Jay Inslee of Washington and Kate Brown of Oregon have renewed talks on a new bridge over the Columbia River. While both favor including light rail, it’s not mentioned in documents they signed this week (Crosscut). Meanwhile, Willamette Week pushes back against the notion that the states will have to return $140 million to the feds if they don’t build the bridge.
Cyclists raised hell when Phoenix nixed plans for bike lanes on Roosevelt Street to connect two other bike lanes, and now the city will at least try them out temporarily. (New Times)
Boston city councilors are calling for new regulations and taxes on Uber and Lyft, which they blame for the city’s worsening congestion. (Herald)
The Southeast Ohio Regional Transit Authority is turning Cincinnati’s troubled streetcar over to the city in an effort to quiet critics ahead of a 2020 vote on a tax hike to fund transit. (CityBeat)
Denver’s transit agency continues to cancel light rail trips as it struggles with a shortage of train operators. (Denver Post)
Orange County, Florida’s mayor is pressing for a sales tax hike to fund roads and public transportation. (Click Orlando)
Arlington is allowing e-bikes and e-scooters on sidewalks if there are no bikes — but they can’t go faster than 6 miles per hour. (NBC Washington)
Seattle is the latest city to consider a minimum wage for ride-hailing drivers (KOMO).
Forget flying monkeys. If you ever find yourself in the Land of Oz, walking and biking remain the best modes of transportation — unless you happen to have a pair of ruby slippers. (The Verge)
And, finally, there's talk of removing free street parking in New York, though from the coverage in the pro-car New York Times, it's hard to tell how great a change this would be for the congested city.

Blake Aued

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