Streetsblog

Monday’s Headlines to Kick it Off Right

A couple of crucial studies show why congestion often gets worse (because politicians don't always heed studies!). Plus the other news.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EST on February 22, 2021

Research suggests that not only does building new car lanes induce more traffic, but reallocating car lanes to bikes, pedestrians and transit actually reduces congestion. (The City Fix)
Uber and Lyft drivers say they’ve seen a pay cut since Prop 22 took effect in California (The Guardian). Meanwhile, in a landmark British case, the Supreme Court ruled that ride-hailing drivers in the UK are entitled to benefits (New York Times).
If driverless taxis wind up being cheaper because there’s no driver who gets paid, more people will use them, so autonomous vehicles will make congestion worse. (Forbes)
The Federal Aviation Administration recently lifted a rule that frustratingly incentivized airports to build separate internal train systems, rather than just letting trains to the airport run through the airport. (Vice)
Cities that rely on parking fees and fines for revenue are having to cut back enforcement and lay off employees. (Route Fifty)
Lime is rolling out new micromobility devices that are more accessible to people with disabilities. (Fast Company)
A new type of bike dock from BCycle offers more flexibility than traditional bike-share kiosks while preventing the bike clutter of dockless systems. (Clean Technica)
A bill to cut state funding for Indianapolis transit agency IndyGo unless it raises private funds passed an Indiana Senate committee (Indianapolis Business Journal). The state’s attorney general says IndyGo can’t use federal grants to satisfy that requirement (Fox 59). IndyGo says this could doom a planned Blue Line bus rapid transit extension.
Denver’s Regional Transportation District is considering turning unused parking near transit stations into housing, which could both boost transit ridership and bring down the cost of housing. (Colorado Public Radio)
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is swapping one green goal for another, raiding a clean energy fund to fill transit budget holes. (NJ.com)
Gas stations and truckers are fighting Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont’s plans to join the Transportation and Climate Initiative, a multistate carbon-tax plan that would raise the price of gas a few pennies per gallon. How many is in dispute. (Hartford Courant)
With gas-tax revenue falling, PennDOT wants to toll nine interstate highway bridges to help pay for infrastructure repairs. (The Morning Call)
The Utah Transit Authority is distributing free passes to low-income residents. (ABC 4)
Blue Cross Blue Shield is back as the corporate sponsor of New Orleans’s revived bike-share, Blue Bikes. (Times-Picayune)

Blake Aued

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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