Thursday’s Headlines From Around the Nation
- Public transportation agencies are asking Congress for $12.9 billion in aid as they face ridership dips and loss of farebox revenue (Government Technology). New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is asking for $4 billion alone (Times). Metro Transit in Minneapolis (Star Tribune) and New Orleans’ Regional Transit Authority (WDSU) are among the latest to face cutbacks.
- House Democrats are pushing for renewable energy tax credits in the coronavirus stimulus package. (Morning Consult)
- Detroit's Big Three automakers will shut down production at U.S. plants for two weeks starting today. (CNN)
- A surprising new survey found that 77 percent of voters say the country would benefit from expanded public transit, and 61 percent support a moratorium on building new roads. (Gizmodo, Smart Growth America)
- Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is temporarily turning on-street parking into loading zones so that people can more easily pick up food for takeout or delivery. (KOMO)
- Plans for a $100-billion “mega measure” to fund big investments in Bay Area transit have been put on hold by coronavirus. (San Jose Mercury News)
- Express bus routes, trails and intersection improvements are among the items Pinellas County, Florida leaders are considering for a 30-year transportation plan, with less than two months to get the $5-billion package on the ballot. (Tampa Bay Times)
- Micromobillity could replace over half of Chicago’s car trips, according to a new report on the city’s recent e-scooter pilot program. (Smart Cities Dive)
- Bus-only lanes are the future of transportation in Washington, D.C. (Greater Greater Washington)
- Helsinki and Oslo achieved Vision Zero by making life harder for motorists — taking away their space and giving it to cyclists and pedestrians, reducing speeds, tolling, charging more for parking and even banning cars outright in some areas. (The Guardian)
- Tesla is not as essential as Elon Musk thinks. Alameda County forced him to shut down his factory as the Bay Area shelters in place. (Wired)
- Social distancing is triggering the old American instinct to head out for the open range and fresh air. (Boston Globe)
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