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.

Streetsblog

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.

Monday’s Headlines to Kick it Off Right

Read More:

More from Streetsblog USA

Every Friday’s Headline Is Sacred

Friday Video: When Walkability Isn’t Enough … Even in the Great Cities of Europe

Newsom Signs Bill to Better Align California Transportation Spending With Climate Goals

Talking Headways Podcast: The Passion Problem in Public Transit

Thursday’s Headlines Are Trouble for Tesla