Monday’s Headlines to Honor Martin Luther King Jr.

We’re off today to honor Martin Luther King Jr. but we’ll be back tomorrow with our usual delightful mix of coverage. Until then, here are some headlines you might have missed from the weekend:

  • Cities should stop subsidizing parking and use a land value tax to make parking lots pay their own way. (Streetsblog via City Observatory)
  • Before heading out the door, the Trump administration exempted autonomous vehicles that carry only cargo from some safety regulations. (Reuters)
  • The U.S. DOT issued $40 million in grants to improve safety at commuter rail crossings in California, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington. (RT&S)
  • The California Supreme Court ruled that a state law governing who is a contractor and who is an employee applies retroactively to Uber and Lyft. (San Francisco Chronicle)
  • Excessive speeding and driving under the influence contributed to Portland’s spike in traffic deaths last year. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
  • Rising property values and unforseen construction challenges led to a $5-billion spike in the cost of Sound Transit light-rail projects. (Seattle Times)
  • As Charlotte plans to spend billions on transit in the coming decades, some officials seem fixated on pie-in-the-sky solutions like flying taxis. (UNC Charlotte)
  • Brightline West is aiming to start construction this spring on a rail line connecting Las Vegas and Southern California. (Review-Journal)
  • The planned 2023 opening of Minnesota’s Southwest light rail line has been delayed. (KSTP)
  • Utah cities could be connected by passenger rail in five years, if the state gets its act together. (Building Salt Lake)
  • Dallas received a $4-million federal grant to turn six-lane S.M. Wright Highway into a pedestrian-friendly boulevard. (Dallas Innovates)
  • Houston drivers face a $100 fine for parking in a bike lane now that the law’s grace period is over. Alternatively, they can take a safe-driving class. (Community Impact)
  • Washington, D.C.’s transportation director, the respected Jeff Marootian, is leaving to join President-elect Joe Biden’s climate change team. (WaPost)
  • This Streetsblog Chicago story on whether women would prefer female-only train cars generated quite a bit of debate.
  • New York City cyclists now have to worry about getting doored by a building (Curbed). Our colleagues at Streetsblog NYC have demanded answers from the Department of Transportation, but have not gotten any.

ALSO ON STREETSBLOG

The Brilliant, Satirical Campaign for More Parking in Michigan

By Angie Schmitt |
They call their mission “The Cause.” And they say it’s critical to solving Michigan’s woes. Fortunately, though, the solution they have in mind is a simple one, and their name should make it obvious: “Michigan Needs More Parking.” This group has taken to the pages of Facebook and the local media to share their vision for a revitalized […]

Bicycle Advocates Thank LaHood, Talk Strategy

By Tanya Snyder |
This was a big week for bike advocates: They had a pow-wow with Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, launched a new coalition, and refined their strategy for the 112th Congress. LaHood blogged about the meeting, encouraging bike advocates to stay engaged in the political process. He assured advocates that they “have a friend in the administration” but […]