Tuesday’s Headlines From Around The Land
Lyft fights for transit and biking — which, sure, would benefit Lyft, but also the rest of us. Plus all the other news of the day.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on September 22, 2020
- Lyft funded case studies for “resilient streets” in Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C. showing how street space in those cities could be shifted from cars to bikes, buses and pedestrians (Streetsblog). While transportation planners embraced the concept, Lyft could benefit because if it’s easier to get around without a car, fewer people will own one, and more people might use ride-hailing apps. (CNN)
- A federal judge dismissed Uber and Lyft’s lawsuit seeking to overturn AB5, California’s new gig-worker law. (San Francisco Chronicle)
- A new ride-hailing app called Dumpling lets drivers set their own rates and charges them a monthly fee instead of taking a percentage of every ride. (Los Angeles Times)
- Electric trucks and SUVs don’t need the high front ends that are one reason their gas-powered counterparts are so deadly. But instead of shrinking the hood, Ford is using the space for the oxymoronic front trunk. (Treehugger)
- Yes, more New Yorkers are buying cars, but it’s because they bought so few during the pandemic. (Curbed)
- Denver just opened what is likely to be the last light-rail line in the region for the foreseeable future. (Denver Post)
- North Carolina received a $47-million federal grant to buy right-of-way for a high-speed rail line between Raleigh and Richmond. (News & Observer)
- Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced $3.8 million in grants for bike projects, almost double last year’s funding. (Eye on Annapolis)
- Washington, D.C.’s Capital Bikeshare is 10 years old. Since 2010, it’s grown from 1,200 to more than 26,000 members, and they’ve taken 27 million rides. (Greater Greater Washington)
- Milwaukee’s Bublr bike-share system is adding 250 bikes at 26 new stations. (On Milwaukee)
- Light-rail and foot traffic in downtown Minneapolis is down about 75 percent during the pandemic (WCCO). But the Wall Street Journal reports that foot traffic is way up in parts of New York City.
- Buses, light rail and even gondolas are a few ideas for connecting Salt Lake City with neighboring Summit County. (KSL)
- An SUV driver in Charleston hit and killed a New York man who was biking to Florida with his dog in a cart behind him. Kristopher Cotton died on the scene, but veterinarians were able to save his lab-pitbull mix, Ava. (Post and Courier)
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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