- The pandemic and competition from ride-hailing are threatening to send public transportation into a death spiral, even as climate change means we need better transit now more than ever. (The Verge)
- Transit experts predict that it could take a decade for ridership to return to pre-pandemic levels. (Fortune)
- Batteries that have lost too much juice to power a car could still be used to store solar power or run things like streetlights, and that might be better for the environment than recycling them. (Wired)
- Subsidies for electric cars in the Build Back Better bill are greater than those for e-bikes, even though in terms of preventing climate change it should be the other way around. (Fast Company)
- Transit advocate Michelle Wu was elected Boston's next mayor (Streetsblog MASS). Also Tuesday, Minneapolis voters rejected a measure to reorganize the city police department (Fox 9). That's a transportation issue because many instances of police brutality, such as the killing of Philando Castile, start with a traffic stop.
- A Black man riding a bike was severely beaten in Houston by a racist driver who has only been charged with misdemeanor assault. (Raw Story)
- The Twin Cities' Metro Transit is suspending 16 bus routes and reducing frequency on others due to low ridership. (Pioneer-Press)
- Seattle has redesigned a Ballard bike trail in hopes of ending a 20-year standoff with nearby industries. (Seattle Times)
- Memphis' bike-share now includes 300 e-bikes. (Flyer)
- Fayetteville is looking to Austin for inspiration on how to become a more bike-friendly region. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
- The Alameda city council voted to end parking minimums. (East Bay YIMBY)
- Canada has ordered 1,000 electric school buses. (Clean Technica)
- Two Berlin political parties want to turn every fourth parking space into greenspace. (RBB 24)
Streetsblog
Thursday’s Headlines Are Over the Hump
By Blake Aued
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