Thursday’s Headlines as the Cold Continues
Wow, some weather we're having ... plus all the other news.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on February 18, 2021
- Transit ridership is down and likely to stay that way for a while, but the pandemic has underscored its importance to essential workers, which makes access to transit a better post-COVID metric for success. (City Lab)
- Railway Age takes a deep dive into the latest coronavirus relief bill and what’s in it for transit.
- Many COVID-19 vaccination sites are drive-through, making them hard to access for the elderly, disabled, non-drivers and rural residents. Some cities, like New York and Austin, are picking up the slack by offering rides. (Next City)
- Uber and Lyft drivers are protesting the companies’ continued failure to protect them from COVID-19 by providing sick pay or giving them time to sanitize their vehicles between rides. (Business Insider)
- Through complicated financial schemes, cities and states are funding pensions by issuing bonds using public property like roads as collateral. (New York Times)
- Electric cars aren’t the end-all be-all, but raising gas taxes would encourage more drivers — and manufacturers — to switch to EVs. (Washington Post)
- Electric moped company Revel is expanding into e-bikes and offering Netflix-style monthly subscriptions. (The Verge)
- Southern California strictly regulates housing while making driving easy, but it should be the other way around. (Pasadena Star-News)
- A new plan for Spokane calls for denser development, fewer car lanes, more protected bike lanes and virtually eliminating surface parking lots downtown. (Spokesman-Review)
- Las Vegas cyclists are now allowed to take the lane. (Review-Journal)
- One of Charlotte’s original 1925 streetcars is about to start running again, but more as a tourist attraction than actual transit (Spectrum News). In related news, the Washington Post also collected memories of D.C. streetcars.
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.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
In Bid To Speed Buses, Mamdani Hopes To Go Where No Mayor Has Gone Before
Streetsblog NYC offers the new mayor a primer on what he's getting into!
July 14, 2026
Pedestrian Fatalities Drop Again, But More Needs To Be Done, Says Governors Group
Good news, except that 22.5 percent more pedestrians were killed in 2025 by car and truck drivers than in 2015.
July 14, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Get Out of the Way
The NHTSA is tired of self-driving cars blocking emergency responders.
July 14, 2026
Monday’s Headlines Don’t Need So Much Parking
More and more cities and states are easing up on parking mandates for new developments.
July 13, 2026
Longtime Street Safety Advocate And Boston Planner Killed By Driver in Crash
Louisa Gag worked on safety and transportation planning at Boston City Hall.
July 13, 2026
