Streetsblog

Friday’s Headlines to Close Out A Crazy Week

Lots of transit news from all over the country. Just click the headline to dive in.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EST on November 20, 2020

If Joe Biden’s infrastructure plans are going to be successful, his administration has to find a way to reduce construction costs. (Bloomberg)
Transit-oriented developments in the U.S. are often simply denser suburbs with access to a train for commuting. But some developers and planners say they’ll come to resemble the bustling, self-contained neighborhoods of European cities. (Fast Company)
Yonah Freemark analyzed transit referendum results in Austin and Gwinnett County, Georgia, and found that voters in denser and more diverse neighborhoods located near proposed projects were more likely to support them — a self-repeating issue that discourages voters from approving transit where it is needed the most. (Urban Institute)
Dallas transit officials always thought riders favored broad coverage over high frequency, but it turns out they were asking the wrong question. People actually prefer quality over quantity, which is a lesson the Texas DOT could also apply to highway projects. (D Magazine)
In the wake of Prop 22, alifornia should limit the number of ride-hailing vehicles allowed on the street and institute a “fairness fee” to offset Uber and Lyft subsidizing the cost of rides. (CalMatters)
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority could eliminate half its service to close a multi-billion-dollar budget gap unless the feds come to the rescue. (NY Times)
A Bay Area commission is backing off a plan to force some workers to telecommute, in part because transit agencies fear it will further cut into their revenue. (San Francisco Examiner)
Problems with a Honolulu light rail project continue, as Mayor Kirk Caldwell recently said it will cost $1.1 billion more, and the completion date has been pushed back eight years. (Star-Advertiser)
Denver’s annual candlelight vigil for cyclists and pedestrians killed by drivers went online this year due to the pandemic. There have been 48 victims so far this year. (Denverite)
Countries across Europe are cutting speed limits on urban streets and highways alike. The moves are expected to save both lives and gas. (City Lab)
Vancouver approved congestion pricing in the city core, although there are still a lot of details to be worked out about how, exactly, it will be implemented. (Daily Hive)
Check out Montreal’s new automated trains. (Railway Age)