- The California Court of Appeals gave Uber and Lyft a reprieve on a Friday deadline to reclassify drivers as employees, so neither will follow through on threats to pull out of the state (CNN). In a podcast interview, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi argued that the company can’t hire 50,000 people overnight (The Verge). New York Magazine noted that “Pivot Schooled” co-host Scott Galloway pushed back, accusing Uber of exacerbating inequality. And the New York Times published letters from a union leader and a former Uber employee criticizing Khosrowshahi’s proposal for a gig economy benefits fund.
- An Urban Institute report examines how transportation planners and transit agencies can provide equitable services to underserved communities.
- The Congress for the New Urbanism proposes a federal program to convert freeways that destroyed neighborhoods into safer and healthier boulevards that knit them together. (Public Square)
- Logistics hubs, cargo bikes, flexible loading zones and setting parking rates that reflect demand are some ways cities can curb circling for parking, which accounts for up to three-quarters of downtown traffic. (City Metric)
- Resilience interviews former Streetsblog editor Angie Schmitt, author of the newly released book “Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America.”
- Sitting in a car for two hours a day wreaks havoc on health, making people more likely to be obese, sleep poorly and report psychological distress. (Shape)
- Transit agencies in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh told Pennsylvania officials that they’ll be forced to drastically cut back on service unless the state steps up funding. (Inquirer, Post-Gazette)
- Atlanta transit agency MARTA released plans for the first 2.4 of what could become nearly 100 miles of bus rapid transit in the region. The Summerhill BRT project is scheduled for completion in 2024. (Journal-Constitution)
- San Diego — which has a backlog of 81,000 sidewalk repairs — announced in January that it would waive fees for homeowners to get those projects done more quickly. But it never did. (10 News)
- The failure of railway negotiations for Minneapolis’ Bottineau Blue Line is a good opportunity to take another look at BRT instead of light rail. (Star Tribune)
- Sydney bus drivers are threatening to strike next week unless the government enforces masks and social distancing on transit. (The Guardian)
- Hundreds of thousands of Europeans are riding e-bikes, thanks to government and employer subsidies. (Reasons to Be Cheerful)
Streetsblog
Friday’s Headlines From Around the World
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Climate Change Is Making Waiting For Transit Worse — And It’s Hurting Ridership
Transit isn't only a key solution to confronting climate change; it's also one of its victims.
March 12, 2025
Wednesday’s Headlines Are About Elon-ed Out
While President Trump tries to pump up Tesla stock prices, Elon Musk wants to privatize Amtrak.
March 12, 2025
How Highways Rend Our Social Fabric — and the Challenge of Mending It
Roads are supposed to connect us. So why do so many highways tear our social networks apart?
March 11, 2025
Tuesday’s Headlines Walk the Line
Pedestrian deaths were trending slightly downward at the midway point of last year, but the trend over the past decade is still terrifying.
March 11, 2025
Massachusetts Lawmakers Are Still Spending Millions to Subsidize Elon Musk’s Car Company
In the three months between Election Day and February 5th (the last date for which data is currently available), Massachusetts taxpayers have sent $8.6 million in direct payments to buyers at Tesla dealerships.
