Friday’s Headlines
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 … Continued
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 has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
‘A Solution, But To What Problem?’ Experts Say AVs Are The Elephant In The Room, But There’s Still Time To Figure Out Their Role
Want to know more about autonomous vehicles? Read this vital excerpt from last week's "The Future of Transportation" seminar.
April 20, 2026
When Traffic Violence Hits The Same Family Twice — Years Apart, On Exactly the Same Street
The deaths of a Colorado married couple has some mourning an eerie coincidence — and others outraged at two predictable tragedies that could have been prevented.
April 20, 2026
Monday’s Headlines Should Wean Themselves Off Fossil Fuels
Even people who don't drive wind up paying when oil prices spike.
April 20, 2026
Waymo Means Way Mo’ Cars, According To Uber Docs
Caution ahead: Uber admits that self-driving taxis grow their taxi business, too.
April 17, 2026
Friday Video(s): Kidical Mass, Night-Biking in Tokyo, and More
There were great urbanism-adjacent YouTube videos for every taste this week; here are six of our favorites.
April 17, 2026