Trump Was Impeached, but Thursday’s Headlines Are Unimpeachable
Congestion is down, the car payments are too damn high, secrets to a successful bike-share, and Sweden is creating a 1-minute city.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on January 14, 2021
- Coronavirus lockdowns caused traffic congestion to fall worldwide for the first time in at least a decade. (Reuters)
- Cars are not only physically killing us — they’re killing our bank accounts, too. The average cost of a new car now tops $40,000. (CNET)
- Senate Democrats introduced a bill that includes $10 billion to tear down urban freeways. (Streetsblog USA)
- Uber and Lyft drivers filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Prop 22, the California referendum that made them independent contractors instead of employees eligible for benefits. (ABC News)
- Uber expanded a feature allowing users to request an electric vehicle to 1,400 cities. It also added transit to its app in Mexico City and London, joining Sydney and Chicago. (The Verge)
- Cooperation between operators and regulators, flat topography and integration with transit are the keys to a successful bike-share system. (BBC)
- One of Elaine Chao’s last actions as transportation secretary was to release regulations laying the groundwork for self-driving cars. (Planetizen)
- Main Streets are hurting during the pandemic, and better transportation planning can help bring them back. (Public Square)
- The Twin Cities are tacking $70 million onto the cost of the bus rapid transit Gold Line to pay for (ugh) more parking. (Star Tribune)
- Demand for transit is growing in outlying parts of Harris County, Texas. (Houston Public Media)
- A spike in COVID-19 cases has left Austin’s Cap Metro with a shortage of bus drivers. (KXAN)
- The Birmingham suburb of Homewood is considering a Complete Streets plan for Green Springs Highway, one of the area’s busiest roads. (Bham Now)
- You’ve heard of the “15-minute city,” where every necessity is within a short walk or bike ride. How about Sweden’s plans for 1-minute cities? (Fast Company)
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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