- Generally, light rail works best in dense areas near jobs, but instead, many cities have built underused lines to suburbs and airports, according to the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank.
- States are taking advantage of streets emptied by coronavirus to fast-track repairs (Wired). Or are they? USA Today reports that falling gas-tax revenue is forcing states to postpone construction projects.
- Many transit agencies are ditching fares and allowing all-door boarding in an effort to spread out riders. One think tank has a different approach — charge higher fares during peak hours and encourage employers to stagger shifts. (The Guardian)
- The New York Times thinks coronavirus is the death knell for dense, transit-oriented developments as we know them. But as City Lab points out, Americans have always had a love-hate relationship with cities, especially in times of pandemic, but density isn't a problem — it's the solution to problems like affordable housing and climate change.
- If scooter companies want to survive, they’re going to have to stop clashing with local governments. (Fast Company)
- California’s attorney general sued Uber and Lyft alleging that they’re violating a new law categorizing their drivers as employees rather than contractors. (NBC News)
- The Washington, D.C. suburb of Arlington County won’t close streets for social distancing because the police chief says they don’t have enough traffic cones. (ARLnow)
- The University of Texas is researching a new type of battery that lasts longer and is more sustainable to produce than the lithium-ion batteries currently used in electric vehicles.
- This might be Elon Musk's least-crazy idea yet: Turn Tesla into a power utility. It has applied for a license to generate electricity in Great Britain, and its cars’ batteries could prove useful in storing wind and solar energy. (Inverse)
- Brussel’s new Green Party transport minister wants to transform the traffic-choked Belgian capital. (Politico)
- And, finally, great news: Former Streetsblog USA Editor Angie Schmitt's hotly anticipated book about the rise in pedestrian deaths, "Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America," is available for pre-order! (Island Press)
Streetsblog
Thursday’s Headlines From Around the Nation
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Wednesday’s Headlines Put On the Red Light
News stories usually present them as a cash grab, but automated traffic enforcement cameras are widely supported by the public.
September 3, 2025
Instacart Now Claims it ‘Supports’ Worker Minimum Wage That It Fought To Defeat; Experts See ‘Corporate Spin’
The grocery delivery company claims it "supports" a minimum wage for its workers. But that's just "a flat-out lie," said one worker advocate.
Op-Ed: Penn. GOP Needs to Take SEPTA Seriously
Does everybody want to fund SEPTA? Well, not the Republicans in the state Senate, our opinion writer says.
September 3, 2025
Workers Remind Philadelphia Pols That Transit Cuts Kill
A top union boss warns that service cuts don't only inconvenience riders.
September 2, 2025
Tuesday’s Headlines Are For the Children
Kids used to play in the streets, but no more. Streets are for cars, and kids are confined to playgrounds.
September 2, 2025
Friday Video: The Massachusetts Company That Traded the Trash Truck For a Bike
This small worker-owned cooperative is reimagining how to do recycling, composting, yardwork and more — no diesel required.
August 29, 2025
