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Wednesday’s Headlines Offer Help for Transit

Pete Buttigieg talks equity, and a new round of COVID relief should get transit agencies through the pandemic, all in today's headlines.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EST on March 10, 2021

Ridiculed in some quarters as “Mayo Pete” during his presidential run, Pete Buttigieg has addressed racial justice in nearly every interview since becoming transportation secretary, calling for undoing decades’ worth of transportation policies that have decimated minority communities. But is it just talk? (Politico)
While they’re being cautious until the bill is passed, transit officials nationwide say the $30 billion included in the American Rescue Plan, combined with past cash infusions, should be enough to get them through the pandemic. (Washington Post)
About $1.4 billion in coronavirus relief funds is likely headed to the Washington, D.C. region, enough to stabilize Metro’s budget through 2022 (Post). Chicago transit will get $1.5 billion (WGLT). North Carolina cities will receive $200 million (Port City Daily). Massachusetts officials say they aren’t sure how much to expect, but they’d rather rely on the feds than the state to make up for lost fare revenue (Commonwealth).
Car travel is almost back to pre-pandemic levels in New York City, but bus ridership is still down by half, and subway ridership has been even slower to recover. (NY Times)
Bus lanes are a step in the right direction, but the Texas DOT seems adamant about adding more car lanes to I-10 in Houston despite the challenges and opposition from the neighborhoods affected. (Houston Chronicle)
It’s been a bumpy road, but one California state senator sees the light at the end of the tunnel for the Los Angeles-San Francisco high-speed rail line. (SF Chronicle)
Georgia transit officials are offering to cut their share of a transportation sales tax if reluctant suburban Atlanta mayors restore transit projects for an upcoming referendum on the tax. (Marietta Daily Journal)
Decriminalizing jaywalking — an invention of automakers to begin with— in Virginia removed a pretext for police to stop Black and brown people. (NBC 12)
Lime is bringing 300 e-scooters to Richmond. (Biz Sense)
This University of North Carolina student gets it. (Daily Tar Heel)
Broward County, Florida, is holding a virtual contest this month to see who can bike the most miles. (Sun-Sentinel)

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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