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Thursday’s Headlines From Around the Nation

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By Blake Aued

8:07 AM EDT on March 19, 2020

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)