Streetsblog

Wednesday’s Headlines Mean We’re Still Pedaling Uphill

A lawsuit alleges Uber is racist, Amtrak Joe Biden's transit plan isn't all it's cracked up to be, and more headlines just a click away.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on October 28, 2020

Racial inequality tops the headlines today. Uber’s star rating system is racially biased, according to a lawsuit filed by a San Diego driver (NPR). A 20-year-old Black man died after crashing his electric moped while being chased by police for riding without a helmet (Popville). And a Southwest Portland light rail line that would be funded as part of a $7 billion transit referendum has strong support (KATU), but City Observatory says it would benefit one of the city’s whitest and wealthiest neighborhoods.
Joe Biden’s transit plan appears aimed more at creating construction jobs than actually providing good transit. (The Hill)
A sharp drop in driving during the pandemic has cities, states and the federal government rethinking gas taxes as a way to fund transportation. (Smart Cities Dive)
Thanks to bigger vehicles and gentrification pushing people who can’t afford cars into auto-centric suburbs, Virginia’s traffic death toll rose 50 percent over the past decade. (Mercury)
Another lawsuit against Uber alleges that it coerced drivers into supporting Prop 22, its effort to overturn a California labor law (Fox Business).
In what a police officer called an act of “complete stupidity,” a minivan passenger in Las Vegas leaned out the window and shoved a woman on a bike into the ground, then fell out of the vehicle and hit a light pole. Both died. The driver fled and was later caught and charged with murder. (People)
When considering big infrastructure projects like Maryland’s Purple Line, it’s more important to think about the potential benefits than the cost. (Forbes)
Bay Area transit officials think their best chance for federal coronavirus relief is a Joe Biden victory. (San Francisco Examiner)
Private rail company Brightline is looking to partner with government-run SunRail on a line connecting Orlando and Tampa. (Sentinel)
Cyclists in Washington state no longer need to stop at stop signs if the coast is clear. (Spokesman-Review)
Harley-Davidson is getting into the e-bike business. (The Verge)

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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