Thursday’s Headlines Are Still Negotiating

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• Some Republican senators are still optimistic about a bipartisan infrastructure deal, even as progressive Democrats scoff at the small scope of the framework and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer sets the stage for a party-line vote. (Bloomberg)
• The pandemic has forced transit agencies to get back to basics: frequent and reliable service for those who need it most. (Cities Today)
• Addressing climate change will require convincing those who will bear the brunt of a carbon tax. (The Guardian)
• The Senate confirmed former San Jose transit chief Nuria Fernandez as the first woman of color to lead the Federal Transit Administration. (Railway Tracks and Structures)
• The Biden administration restored a $929 million grant for California high-speed rail the Trump administration has rescinded, and Gov. Gavin Newsom is under pressure to spend unexpected state tax revenue to close a still-significant funding gap. (Los Angeles Times)
• Progressives killed a proposal to cut taxes on parking lots in the Philadelphia city council (WHYY). Also in Philly, officials are pushing to complete bike projects before cyclists take to the roads this summer (Voice).
• A state-funded study on transit equity and modernization is a turning point for Virginia, which “boasts” two of the three worst-funded systems in the country. (Virginia Mercury)
• Portland transit agency TriMet announced plans to cut carbon emissions by 25 percent, the equivalent of taking 5,300 cars off the road. (KATU)
• Vancouver is considering tacking $1,000 onto parking permits for heavily polluting vehicles. (Coast Reporter)
• Miami-area officials broke ground on the South Corridor bus rapid transit project. (Community Newspapers)
• Long-awaited bike projects are moving forward in Athens, Georgia. (Flagpole)
• A Boise State Public Radio podcast focuses on how federal infrastructure funding could bring transit improvements to the region.
• Ride-hailing apps aren’t the first startups to disrupt transit. A century ago, privately run “jitneys” undercut Spokane streetcars. (Spokesman-Review)