Tuesday’s Headlines

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  • Twenty years after the Americans with Disabilities Act became law, many public spaces remain inhospitable to people with disabilities (The Nation). In related news, Albuquerque could start moving more quickly on sidewalk repairs (Journal).
  • Lyft had an early edge in the booming bike-share market, but is now playing catch-up to Uber and other competitors, thanks to shoddy technology and frequent repairs. (CNN)
  • Meanwhile, the New York-area transit agency may contract with Uber and Lyft to provide late-night rides home — you know, the way transit is supposed to. (The City)
  • Hollywood Boulevard will be ready for its close-up if a Los Angeles city councilman’s plan to replace car lanes with more space for bikes, pedestrians, trees and outdoor diners goes through. (L.A. Times)
  • Gov. Charlie Baker’s budget includes a $135-million boost for Boston transit, but still underfunds other Massachusetts transit agencies. (New England Public Radio)
  • Cop corner: Mayor Lori Lightfoot says crime is up 24 percent on the Chicago Transit Authority, but Streetsblog Chicago reminds her that over-policing led to protests in New York City. Twin Cities officials and Minnesota Democrats want the state to decriminalize fare evasion, reducing the penalty from a $180 misdemeanor to a $25 ticket that can be paid online (Star Tribune). Washington, D.C. will start fining drivers in bike lanes at the end of this month (WTOP). Some Georgia lawmakers are resisting calls to stiffen penalties for distracted driving, despite the fact that the law is widely ignored (AJC).
  • A San Francisco Chronicle columnist says closing Market Street to cars might be overblown because drivers avoided it anyway, and closing Valencia would be a much bigger deal (we’ve always said that!). Meanwhile, Alexandria is finalizing plans for a pilot program to make a block of King Street pedestrian-only on weekends from April to October.(Greater Greater Washington).
  • The death of a Pittsburgh college student is sparking a conversation about pedestrian safety. (Post-Gazette)
  • Vienna is giving residents incentive to leave their cars at home by offering free admission to concerts, plays and museums based on how much they walk, bike and take transit. (City Lab)
  • Want to create fake traffic jams on Google Maps? All it takes is a wagon full of cellphones and a penchant for semantics. (Vice)