Friday’s Headlines
- Under President Trump, the U.S. has become more car-reliant, while Congress has had to fight to protect major transit projects. Overall, Trump’s policy has been big talk and little action. (City Lab)
- One thing Trump has tried to do is roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. Luckily, his administration’s been too incompetent to pull it off. (Jalopnik)
- Joe Biden says he’ll raise corporate taxes to pay for his infrastructure plan (CNS News). Likewise, Pete Buttigieg doesn’t think gas taxes are a long-term solution to fund transportation (Public News Service).
- The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington criticized President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for holding up the appointment of a new inspector general at the U.S. DOT. The recently retired IG was investigating allegations that McConnell’s wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, steered contracts toward his Kentucky constituents.
- Smart Cities Dive interviews e-scooter company Spin's president, Euwyn Poon, about the advantages of being part of an established company in Ford, rather than a tech startup, and why micromobility in the U.S. lags behind European cities.
- A Maryland bill would stop sidewalk closures during construction (WJLA). Meanwhile, Dallas officials want to charge contractors more to work in the right-of-way to get them to finish jobs more quickly (D Magazine).
- An Oregon legislator wants to give cities the authority to lower speed limits, which, you would think, would be obvious. (Bike Portland)
- About 26,000 Seattle bus riders will get a smoother ride starting Saturday, when a dozen routes move to new bus-only lanes on Columbia Street. (Seattle Times)
- Atlanta transit agency MARTA is considering rebuilding its main station in Five Points to reconnect the street grid. (Marietta Daily Journal)
- It’s a bit depressing that even in liberal Vermont, most drivers oppose paying more for gas to fight climate change. (NBC 5)
- The eight people Portland drivers have killed so far this year include two who were sleeping on the sidewalk. (Willamette Week)
- Where the rubber meets the road: Streets made of the bouncy substance used to be commonplace, and bringing them back could help protect pedestrians. (Forbes)
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