- Tuesday night's election was a nail-biter, and it still ain't over yet, but it was a good night for transit, with 13 out of 17 major initiatives on state and local ballots passing. (Streetsblog USA)
- The most closely watched nationally was Prop 22 in California, where voters exempted Uber and Lyft from a state law classifying their drivers as employees entitled to benefits instead of independent contractors (CNN). Mother Jones says the ride-hailing companies essentially bought the election by spending $200 million, which is a pittance when they'll now be allowed to pay drivers as little as $5.64 an hour. But Vice says their business model is doomed anyway.
- Also in California, Measure RR will provide Caltrain with a stable source of funding for the first time. (Streetsblog SF, NBC Bay Area)
- Austin voters overwhelmingly approved the $7-billion Project Connect transit plan (Monitor). They also approved a smaller package of street, trail, bike lane and sidewalk improvements. (KXAN)
- San Antonio also approved a sales-tax measure to expand transit. (Express-News).
- Seattle at least partially replaced a car-tab fee that's faced legal challenges with a sales-tax hike to fund transit. (Seattle Times)
- A tight referendum on transit in the notoriously auto-centric Atlanta suburb of Gwinnett County remains in limbo, though, as absentee ballots are still being counted. A previous attempt in 2018 failed badly, though, so even a close loss would be progress. (Daily Post)
- A $4-billion payroll tax hike for bus service and other transportation improvements bitterly that was bitterly opposed by businesses failed in Portland, though. (Willamette Week)
- However, Bend, Ore., approved a $190-million bond issue that will pay for bike and pedestrian infrastructure, among other things. (Bulletin)
- In other news, charges were dropped against an Asheville, N.C., police officer who pleaded guilty of beating a Black man for jaywalking in 2017. (WRAL)
Streetsblog
Thursday’s Headlines to Keep You Going
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Monday’s Headlines Are Safer on a Train
Despite a few high-profile crimes, buses are twice as safe as cars, and trains are five times as safe.
Friday Video: Five Simple Ways To Get Kids Biking To School
Kids aren't riding bikes like they used to — but that doesn't mean we can't get them back in the saddle.
Friday’s Easy Rider Headlines
Where do you draw the line between the new generation of fast e-bikes and motorcycles?
Parking Titan Donald Shoup’s Legacy Continues
There's a new book and a new UCLA center honor the world's foremost expert on parking, Donald Shoup, who died in February.
Talking Headways Podcast: Under a Highway in Birmingham Alabama
Ben Donsky of Agora Partners on City Walk BHAM in Birmingham, Alabama, a public space project that connects two sides of the city separated by a highway.
America Has a Golden Opportunity to End the ‘Highway Boondoggle’ Crisis
America's wasteful highway spending has gotten out of control — and if President Trump really wants to promote efficient government, he'll urge Congress to stop it.