Friday’s Headlines Before Your Weekend
A lot of news from the nation's capital. But there's other news, too.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on September 25, 2020
- The House of Representatives passed a stop-gap bill that will keep money flowing to transit and other programs through December. (Transport Topics)
- Uber, Lyft and other gig economy companies have spent $170 million to overturn California’s law classifying their drivers as employees, making it the most expensive referendum in state history (Quartz). The Los Angeles Times is urging readers to vote against Prop 22. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Labor is finalizing a new rule categorizing gig workers as contractors, but it wouldn’t affect the California law (New York Times)
- The pandemic bike boom is even hitting cities that aren’t normally cycling havens, like Houston and Los Angeles. (City Lab)
- California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an order banning the sale of new cars with internal combustion engines starting in 2035. (The Verge)
- The Washington, D.C. city council passed a Vision Zero package that includes banning some right turns on red, requiring sidewalks on both sides of the street and adding red-light cameras, among other measures. (Washington Post)
- The Austin Chronicle breaks down the new bus and rail lines in Project Connect, the city’s ambitious transit plan that’s on the November ballot.
- The Twin Cities’ transit union overwhelmingly rejected a contract offer and could go on strike. (Star-Tribune)
- Washington, D.C. made $5 million in improper payments to a streetcar contractor, according to an inspector general report. (DCist)
- Tucson’s buses and streetcars are currently free, and the city is considering getting rid of fares permanently. (Arizona Public Media)
- Dallas Area Rapid Transit is offering free rides to the polls Oct. 17 and 24 and Nov. 3. (CBS DFW)
- A Chattanooga pilot project aims to save gas and lower emissions by making traffic more efficient. (Pulse)
- A Jeep wound up hanging off a California cliff because some idiot decided to drive it on an off-road bike trail. (The Drive)
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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