Friday’s Headlines

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EST on December 20, 2019

Here are six simple things cities can do to improve urban design, like paint bus-only lanes and repurpose old warehouses for sustainable, affordable housing near transit. (Curbed)
By giving drivers access to more information about who’s hailing them, Uber is strengthening its argument that drivers are contractors rather than employees, but also opening the door for drivers to discriminate against passengers. (D Magazine)
Joe Biden says he'll install 550,000 electric vehicle charging stations along U.S. highways if he's elected president. (CNS News)
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam struck a $3.7-billion deal with freight hauler CSX to buy 225 miles of railroad tracks and build improvements, adding new Amtrak and state-run trains starting in late 2020. (WTOP)
Miami-Dade could be the next major U.S. city to enact fare-free transit, following Kansas City’s lead. (Miami Today)
A Baltimore-D.C. maglev project is on hold while the company designing it gathers more information for the Federal Railroad Administration to review. (Washington Post)
Axios has a handy primer on Uber’s battle with the Los Angeles DOT over access to bike-share and e-scooter data.
Austin cyclists are calling for safety improvements after a hit-and-run driver killed a woman on a bike on busy Cameron Road, which saw 350 crashes from 2014 to 2018. (KXAN)
Harris County, Texas is using $3.8 million in Hurricane Harvey disaster relief to start up five new bus lines. (Houston Chronicle)
Portland isn’t enforcing an Oregon law forbidding drivers from parking within 20 feet of crosswalks, which makes intersections more dangerous because it’s hard to see. (Willamette Week)
The Oklahoma City streetcar has carried half a million riders since opening a year ago, and to celebrate is offering free rides on weekends through Jan. 5. (KFOR)
A Florida state senator is calling for millions of dollars in funding for safe routes to school. (WFTS)
These Russians armed with giant windshield stickers forcing drivers on the sidewalk to turn around are an inspiration. (YouTube)

Blake Aued

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