Monday’s Headlines to Kick Off the Week
Read an excerpt from former Streetsblog editor Angie Schmitt's new book on pedestrian safety, and more stories from over the weekend.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on August 31, 2020
- Fast Company published an excerpt from former Streetsblog USA Editor Angie Schmitt’s new book, “Right of Way: Race, Class, and the Silent Epidemic of Pedestrian Deaths in America.” (We interviewed Angie last week.)
- California planner Tamika Butler calls for equity and inclusion to root out discrimination in transportation. (RPA)
- The Governors Highway Safety Association says that states need to build more micromobility infrastructure and come up with a uniform set of regulations. (Smart Cities World)
- Switching to a franchise model won’t save Uber and Lyft from legal challenges over their labor practices. (Bloomberg)
- Flexibility will be key as transit agencies recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. (Cities Today)
- President Trump’s failure to fill positions at the Department of Energy could make it tougher for a future Biden administration to implement his $2-trillion climate change plan. (E&E News)
- The Federal Transit Administration released funding for a New Jersey rail bridge, a Kansas City streetcar extension, light rail in Phoenix and northern Indiana commuter rail (Progressive Railroading), as well as bus rapid transit in Miami (CBS Miami).
- Strong Towns has a four-part series on how Kansas City saddled itself with too many roads and parking lots.
- Google sister company Waymo is testing autonomous trucks in Texas. (Transport Topics)
- The Los Angeles Metro is considering going fare-free in 2021. (Streetsblog LA)
- San Francisco is looking at congestion pricing as a solution for growing traffic gridlock. (Examiner)
- In Austin, some are worried that a $7-billion transit package will lead to gentrification. (Community Impact)
- Black people make up only 6 percent of Portland, but are 18 percent of the people stopped by police for traffic infractions. (Bike Portland)
- A South African woman who turned 111 last week offered the secret to longevity: she never owned a car. (Jewish Telegraph Agency)
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.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
A New US-Canada Bridge Opposed By Trump Has a One-of-a-Kind Bike Path
The bike-ped path on the brand new Gordie Howe International Bridge opened on Aug. 5 despite the president's opposition.
August 19, 2026
It’s Me, Wednesday’s Headlines, Hi, I’m the Problem, It’s Me
Is the next Taylor Swift, Drake, Bad Bunny or (insert popular artist here) album drop going to kill you?
August 19, 2026
Opinion: San Francisco Should Not Give Free Curb Space to Waymo
There's no reason one of the most valuable companies in the world should get free access to a public right-of-way.
August 19, 2026
Zen and the Art of Tuesday’s Headlines
People need to stop crashing out about the menace posed by electric motorcycles, The Guardian reports.
August 18, 2026
San Francisco Advocates Document Harassment on Public Transit
'Eyes on Board' is a new project from the San Francisco Transit Riders to track incidents of harassment.
August 17, 2026