Thursday’s Headlines
- Developers in cities across the country are scooping up surface parking lots. But that means the land is getting more valuable, not that driving is dead — many of the ensuing developments include structured parking. (New York Times)
- Congressional hearings last week revealed that neither the federal government nor most states are regulating the hundreds of self-driving cars companies are already testing on U.S. roads. (Wired, Streetsblog)
- The best way for Uber to become profitable while also serving a public good is to focus on carpooling, thereby reducing congestion and carbon emissions. (Venture Beat)
- High-speed rail connecting Vancouver, Seattle and Portland received an enthusiastic reception at a recent summit to discuss the idea. (City Lab)
- Washington State’s attorney general is asking the state Supreme Court to let a car-tab tax cut approved by voters last month take effect, after a King County judge temporarily blocked Initiative 976. (Seattle Times)
- The Atlanta suburb of Gwinnett County is eying next November for another transit referendum after one last March was defeated. (AJC)
- Cincinnati is considering making the Bell Connector streetcar free to ride. And why not? Only 10% of its budget comes from fares. (WCPO)
- WDET interviews a top Wayne County official about the renewed push for regional transit in metro Detroit.
- The San Francisco Chronicle profiles a 16-year-old docent at the San Francisco Railway Museum who has an encyclopedic knowledge of not just Bay Area transit, but transit systems around the world.
- New South Wales, Australia now has cameras that can catch drivers who are on their phones. (The Guardian)
- What’s up with the brightly colored, googly eyed brooms that recently appeared along Washington, D.C. bike lanes? Apparently tactical urbanists installed them to keep out vehicles and help cyclists rest at intersections. Plus, they’re just fun. (WAMU)
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday’s Headlines Are Tired Out
Whether it's from degradation or the dust resulting from wear and tear, it's becoming increasingly clear that tire and brake emissions are harmful, perhaps even exceeding tailpipe emissions.
Study: What Road Diets Mean For Older Drivers
"After a road diet, all motorists seem to drive at a rate that feels comfortable to a mildly-impaired older adult."
Op-Ed: Why Is Fare Evasion Punished More Severely than Speeding?
A.B. 819 offers California the opportunity to decriminalize fare evasion and replace punitive measures with more equitable approaches.
Talking Headways Podcast: Local Culture and Development
We chat with Tim Sprague from Phoenix about supporting local culture through development projects and the importance of sustainable development and transportation.
City of Yes Yes Yes! Adams Calls for Elimination of Parking Mandates on ALL New Housing
Mayor Adams today announced the historic end to one of the city’s most antiquated — and despised — zoning laws requiring the construction of parking with every new development.
