Friday’s Headlines Are Shopping on Our Bikes
Contrary to popular opinion, better bike infrastructure helps retailers. Plus, the Biden infrastructure tour continues and more headlines.
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EST on December 10, 2021
- President Biden issued an executive order to make the federal government climate neutral by 2050, including only buying emissions-free vehicles by 2035. (New York Times)
- Cities like San Francisco are using free parking as a way to lure shoppers downtown during the holiday season. But studies show that what really helps retailers prosper are sidewalks and protected bike lanes. (City Lab)
- In what’s becoming a regular feature — Where’s Joe? — the president visited Kansas City on Wednesday to promote the bipartisan infrastructure package, now being branded as “Building a Better America.” (KMBC)
- As Austin fleshes out its $7 billion Project Connect transit plan, officials are floating the idea of banning cars from The Drag, which divides the University of Texas campus, in favor of light rail (KVUE). Another question is whether buses should be allowed to share a bridge over Lady Bird Lake with light rail (KUT).
- Milwaukee currently charges each homeowner an average of $250 to install a speed hump on their block, but is considering dropping that fee to about $80 with the help of American Rescue Plan funds. (Urban Milwaukee)
- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy’s office is seeking proposals to build and run an electric self-driving transit system in Trenton. (Governing)
- Boston-area towns are bracing for more fights with NIMBYs as they encourage transit-oriented development. (Globe)
- Pittsburgh approved a request for 5,500 parking spaces at what was supposed to be a walkable and transit friendly development, and mayor-elect Ed Gainey announced he will put on hold a transit project to the neighborhood. (City Paper)
- University of Minnesota researchers found that the Twin Cities’ Green Line reduced traffic on nearby roads by 22 percent. (Crossroads)
- Just months after Jacksonville approved a 6-cent gas tax hike to fund major transit and trail projects, a city councilman is proposing suspending tax because gas prices are up. (First Coast News)
- San Diego is considering banning new drive-through restaurants near transit stops. (Union-Tribune)
- Ann Arbor is installing 80 new electric vehicle chargers downtown. (MLive)
- RIP Carl the Kenosha Turkey, killed by a driver. (TMJ 4)
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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