Tuesday’s Headlines Are Ready for a Showdown
Transit funding didn't have bipartisan support in the Senate, but doesn't need it in the House. Plus, Vox explains why we should drive less.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on September 14, 2021
- House Democrats hope to use the party-line reconciliation bill to add back some of what the Senate cut from the bipartisan infrastructure bill, including $10 billion for transit, $10 billion for high-speed rail, $4 billion to cut climate emissions and $4 billion to remove urban freeways. (Washington Post)
- Safer streets for walking and biking, denser neighborhoods and charging drivers the true cost of parking are three relatively easy ways to reduce our over-reliance on cars. (Vox)
- The oil and gas industry is fighting to preserve tax loopholes for drilling that Democrats want to close to help pay for the reconciliation bill. (E&E News)
- While Oregon transportation officials recently approved an unpopular plan to widen and cap I-5 in Portland’s Rose Quarter, they might have laid the seeds for its demise by raising the estimated cost half a billion dollars. (Willamette Week)
- Detroit announced plans to build 700 speed humps this fall to slow down drivers, in addition to 4,500 already planned. But that still doesn’t meet demand — the city has had 17,000 requests. (News)
- Bay Area Rapid Transit hired a “homeless czar” to assist people who seek shelter on trains. (SFist)
- Seattle’s Sound Transit is now using “fare ambassadors” to conduct fare checks, rather than fare enforcement officers, with a greater emphasis on education and customer service. (Metro Magazine)
- Bird is bringing e-bikes and e-scooters to South Bend. (Tribune)
- In the latest blow to Uber and Lyft’s anti-labor business model, Dutch court ruled that ride-hailing app drivers are employees, not contractors. (Reuters)
- A continent-wide effort is underway in Europe to lower speed limits, saving lives and reducing emissions (Quartz). One such city is Glasgow, which set a Vision Zero goal for 2030 (Cities Today).
- A Swedish company called Polestar is developing an electric scooter/sled thingy for deliveries that can carry up to 400 pounds and fits in a bike lane. (Fast Company)
- Get ready to share the sidewalk with delivery robots. (Next City)
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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