Autonomous cars

Monday’s Headlines to Really Get You Going

We really have to rein in monster trucks and assault cars — plus all the other news to start your week.

By Blake Aued

12:18 AM EDT on September 21, 2020

America’s penchant for ever-larger trucks and SUVs are a public safety crisis, and the federal government doesn’t seem interested in doing much about it. Even Complete Streets initiatives aren’t enough. But cities can shrink parking spaces, tie fees to vehicle size, ban “bull guards” and downsize their own fleets. (City Lab)
Self-driving car companies have yet to prove that their AI is safer than human drivers (One Zero). Meanwhile, Wired says Uber should have been charged in the death of an Arizona woman crossing the street on foot last year, not just the automated vehicle’s backup driver — a subject we covered last week.
The Trump Administration has allowed more than 60 projects, including highways and pipelines, to bypass environmental regulations. (Construction Dive)
Amazon is building 1,000 small delivery hubs in cities all over the U.S., which could increase traffic in already-congested areas. (Portland Oregonian)
Conservatives are mad that Lyft is providing free and discounted rides to the polls in five battleground states. (Washington Times)
Cities like Oakland need to pick up the pace when it comes to new bus rapid transit lines, which can take 20 years to build. (Transit Center)
Metro Atlanta police expect to see more wrecks because congestion is increasing, but people are still driving just as fast as they did earlier in the pandemic. An 18-car pileup recently shut down I-285. (AJC)
Phoenix’s Southwest light rail project will not only attract investment, it will build a community. (AZ Central)
Dallas Area Rapid Transit will restore service to nearly pre-pandemic levels next month. (CBS DFW)
With light rail offline, Muni drivers say San Francisco buses are getting too crowded, increasing the odds of spreading COVID-19. (SFist)
Bethesda Magazine traces the nearly 40-year history of Maryland’s troubled Purple Line.
The Boulder-to-Longmont rail line is unlikely to open before 2050 due to lack of funding, despite positive ridership projections. (Colorado Public Radio)
The UK has never done more to encourage cycling, from upgrading bike lanes to adding parking and offering vouchers and safety classes. (Cities of the Future)