Tuesday’s Headlines Are Bigger Than Ever
Trucks are too tall, transit agencies don't have enough drivers, and the bike lanes cities built during the pandemic could help with climate change, too.
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EST on January 4, 2022
- Transit agencies all over the country are suffering from labor shortages that are impacting service and complicating efforts to recover from a dip in ridership during the pandemic. (Washington Post)
- Americans are buying more trucks, and those trucks keep getting taller and heavier, which might make those inside feel safer but is contributing to a spike in pedestrian deaths. (The Atlantic)
- All the parklets and bike lanes cities created during the pandemic could help fight climate change — if cities keep them around (Wired). And cities are in fact making many of those changes permanent (Fast Company).
- Next City predicts that fare-free transit will catch on in 2022.
- After reading up on “stroads” — fast, wide thoroughfares that combine the worst features of streets and roads — a pro-car writer started to re-evaluate her position. (The Drive)
- Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies routinely stop cyclists to search them for weapons or drugs, even though fewer than 10% are carrying anything illegal. (L.A. Times)
- Boston is eliminating minimum parking requirements for affordable housing to spur construction of more below-market homes. (The Real Deal)
- People without cars are lined up around the block in Oakland for COVID tests. (Jean Walsh/Twitter)
- A man who fell off his bike accidentally stabbed himself with a sword in the process. Yes, this happened in Florida. (WTSP)
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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