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Wednesday’s Headlines Are Free and Fast

Whither the high-speed rail in Biden's infrastructure plan? And are transit agencies better off using scarce funds to eliminate fares or improve service?

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on June 2, 2021

President Obama laid the groundwork for high-speed rail in his 2009 stimulus package, but 12 years later “Amtrak Joe” Biden doesn’t seem interested in following through despite his long-standing support for transit. (American Prospect)
Cities nationwide are considering making transit fare-free, but what most riders need more than free fares is better service. (Slate)
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says the U.S. can’t afford to have a “dorm room debate” over what’s infrastructure before passing a bill. (Politico)
Electrifying the entire U.S. bus fleet would cost between $56 billion and $89 billion, according to an Eno Center for Transportation report. (Transportation Today)
Bike-share and e-scooter company Lime is joining the National Complete Streets Coalition to lobby for safer places to ride. (Smart Growth America)
Transit agencies are better off handling rail projects in-house, rather than hiring consultants. (Pedestrian Observations)
Federal officials have approved the Gateway tunnel project connecting New York and New Jersey, which promises to speed up rail travel up and down the East Coast (NJ.com). But now New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is throwing a fit about having to pay for it (Streetsblog NYC).
New York City ride-hailing drivers are forming a worker-owned cooperative to compete with Uber and Lyft. (NY Times)
NIMBY suburbs surrounding San Diego are fighting a $160 billion transit expansion plan because they don’t want higher-density housing. (Union-Tribune)
Amazon bought a Philadelphia property transit agency SEPTA was eyeing for a trolley yard, which could delay upgrading the system. (Inquirer)
Environmental justice is at the heart of the fight to stop the I-5 expansion in Houston. (Architect’s Newspaper)
Support is dwindling in the Oregon legislature for tolling to pay for highway projects like the Rose Quarter I-5 widening in Portland. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
The Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is aiming to link its underperforming streetcar to the popular Beltline walking and biking trail by 2027. (Saporta Report)
The backlash to New Orleans’ new protected bike lanes is underway. (The Advocate)
Food delivery skyrocketed during the pandemic, and delivery services may be branching out to pot next, which should make that lukewarm takeout taste a lot better (CNBC).