Streetsblog
Thursday’s Headlines with a Side of Biden
By Blake Aued
- Pete Buttigieg’s nomination for transportation secretary passed out of a Senate committee with just three Republicans in opposition. (The Hill)
- Polly Trottenberg, Biden’s nominee for deputy transportation secretary, had a mixed record as New York City transportation commissioner. (Curbed, following Streetsblog NYC's definitive piece from a month ago)
- After President Trump blocked it, there's hope President Biden will move forward with a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River. (Roll Call)
- Michigan transit officials hope President Biden comes through with more funding. (WUOM)
- In the six years since Los Angeles committed to Vision Zero, pedestrian deaths rose from 87 to 134 in 2019. The city won’t hold drivers accountable or provide enough resources, so projects are taking too long. (LAist)
- White-collar workers might never go back to the office, so Philadelphia’s transit agency is rethinking regional rail and looking to integrate it with the rest of the system in a more equitable way. (Governing)
- New York City has the nation’s largest bike-lane network but few places for people to park their bikes. (NY Times)
- Boston’s transit authority has over $70 million in the bank but won’t spend that money to reverse service cuts until 2022. (Mass Live)
- Cleveland will provide free transit passes to new and expectant mothers in neighborhoods where infant mortality is high to help them access health care. (Scene)
- A bill in Washington state would exempt e-bikes and accessories from state sales taxes. (Seattle Bike Blog)
- Nobody in Minneapolis likes the Nicollet streetcar project, but there's a pot of money attached, so no one will kill it, either. (MinnPost)
- Charleston recently built its first protected bike lane, and the Post and Courier hopes it’s not the last.
- The former head of Savannah’s transit agency, who was fired for alleged misuse of funds, says she was targeted by the board of directors for cleaning up messes her predecessor left behind. (Morning News)
- There is no explanation for yet for why a 64-year-man used his vehicle to plow into cyclists and pedestrians in Portland, killing one and injuring nine more. He is facing murder and other charges. (Oregonian)
- Helsinki is adding 105 stations and 1,050 bikes to its bike-share network. (Eltis)
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