Tuesday’s Headlines

  • In the wake of Uber’s report that more than 3,000 alleged sexual assaults occurred in its cars last year, USA Today has tips on staying safe.
  • Men are twice as likely to use an e-scooter or similar vehicle than women, probably because many women don’t feel safe on one. Designing small vehicles that accommodate a wider range of body types could help close the gap. (City Lab)
  • Hundreds of Northern Virginia transit workers are on strike, seeking better pay and benefits. The strike is also a proxy fight over privatizing the D.C. Metro’s Silver Line extension, with workers saying companies like Transdev North America cut corners. (Washington Post)
  • The Post also reports that Maryland congressmen want Gov. Larry Hogan to spend more on public transit if he adds toll lanes to the Capital Beltway and I-270.
  • Eliminating traffic deaths in Texas will require more than just a Vision Zero commitment — it will require funding to match (Community Impact). Even then, it will also require completely rethinking the way people get around (D Magazine).
  • Better transit could free up more land for housing in Seattle, bringing sky-high housing prices down. (My Northwest)
  • St. Louis’s Loop trolley is set to close on Dec. 29, but officials are working behind the scenes to keep it running. (KSDK)
  • Costs continue to rise for a Honolulu light rail line and could soar past $9 billion. (Civil Beat)
  • One of Milwaukee’s main arteries, West Fond du Lac Avenue, the site of several fatal crashes, is getting a Complete Streets makeover. (Journal-Sentinel)
  • China’s once booming bike-share industry collapsed because investors poured money into it with no path to profitability, and lax intellectual property laws meant companies were free to copy each other. (Fortune)
  • KITT would never allow this to happen: A Connecticut driver was cited after his Tesla rear-ended a cop car while on autopilot (CNBC). Elon Musk isn’t having much better luck driving his new Cybertruck (Gizmodo).
  • And finally, our colleagues at Streetsblog Denver are doing kick-ass work, but they need your help. Today, two challenge grants will match your donation, so please click here to give.