Streetsblog

Thursday’s Headlines From Around the Nation

The big story remains a tiny virus. Plus a new book is coming out by a former Streetsblog USA editor. Click here for all the deets!

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on May 7, 2020

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)

Blake Aued

Blake Aued has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.

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