Streetsblog

Thursday’s Headlines from All Over

Transportation for America is organizing a tweetstorm today. Plus other news.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on September 17, 2020

The backup driver in an autonomous Uber that killed a woman crossing the street in Arizona has been charged with negligent homicide (New York Times). But is that enough? The driver’s employer, the automaker and the designer of the road all share the blame (Streetsblog USA).
Transportation for America is organizing a tweetstorm today urging Congress to provide $32 billion in emergency funding for transit agencies. Tweet at your federal representatives — Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is @senatemajldr) using the hashtag #SaveTransit.
With a key surface transportation bill set to expire at the end of the month, Congress can’t agree on an extension or a replacement. (Transport Topics)
Joe Biden has a detailed infrastructure plan, and President Trump does not. (Logistics Management)
Uber and Lyft are in it for the long haul when it comes to fighting against drivers’ labor rights. (Jacobin)
Dozens of cities turned streets into pedestrian malls to revitalize downtowns in the 1960s and ’70s. Most failed, but the ones that survived have a few things in common: high population density, low median age and short lengths. (Fast Company)
Smart Cities Dive interviews a Harvard professor about his new best-practices guidelines for micromobility pilot projects.
Maryland transit officials promised they’ll finish the Purple Line despite a dispute with contractors. (WTOP)
Bay Area Rapid Transit received its largest-ever grant, $1.2 billion from the Federal Transit Administration, to expand service and prepare for riders to return once the pandemic ends. (Streetsblog California)
The Texas DOT is considering turning a Houston toll road into an elevated highway with bus-only and carpool lanes. (Chronicle)
The world’s longest underwater road and rail tunnel will connect Germany and Denmark. (Arch Daily)
A Vancouver city council member wants to get rid of parking minimums for new development. (CBC)

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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