Streetsblog

Friday’s Headlines to End the Week

What happened to small EVs? Never mind the 9,000-pound Hummer, even regular-sized models are now approaching three tons.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on April 8, 2022

It may not look it, but this is 5,765 pounds bearing down on you. Credit: Audi

Heavy EVs are going to kill a lot of pedestrians, with even relatively small electric sedans and crossovers weighing as much as a full-size gas-powered truck. (Jalopnik)
Transit workers have been under assault since the start of the pandemic, and the infrastructure act is an opportunity to better protect them. (Roll Call)
At least 50 Uber and Lyft drivers and other gig workers have been killed on the job since 2017. (The Guardian)
Planes, trains and automobiles: Bikes are already part of Uber’s app, and now it’s looking to create a super-app that includes all modes of transportation. (CNBC)
Plenty of experts have predicted that drivers would barely notice if governments suspend gas taxes to bring prices down, and sure enough, that’s been the case in Maryland. (The Daily Report)
A yearlong basic mobility pilot in Oakland found that residents who were given $300 debit cards for transit, bike-share and e-scooters drove alone 23 percent less often. (Smart Cities Dive)
Dallas has 4,000 miles of sidewalks, but half are damaged, another 2,000 miles need to be built, and there’s a big disparity between affluent and low-income neighborhoods. (Texas Standard)
Kansas City has broken ground on a 3.5-mile streetcar expansion, expected to be completed in 2023. (KSHB)
San Diego is the latest city to face a shortage of bus drivers as ridership starts to recover. (Union-Tribune)
San Diego drivers are also having a hard time figuring out a new street configuration that includes a single, shared car lane in the middle and bike lanes on either side. They’ve been used in Canada for years, though. (CBS 8)
Transit agencies worldwide persistently overlook the needs of women. (World Economic Forum)