Streetsblog

Friday’s Headlines Are Paying Attention

Too many drivers are distracted by screens, on the phone or answering texts behind the wheel, one reason why they kill so many people.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on July 8, 2022

Image: PathPartners, CC

Drivers are increasingly distracted by all the screens and other gadgets on their dashboards, and it’s contributing to the rise in traffic deaths. Polls show that almost everyone agrees driving while distracted is dangerous, but most still use their cellphones while driving anyway, and automakers are largely silent on the subject. (Los Angeles Times)
Drivers are distracted; they’re also angry, stressed out, drinking more and rusty behind the wheel after the pandemic. (Harvard Gazette)
The governors of New York and New Jersey reached a cost-sharing agreement on the Gateway Project, a new tunnel under the Hudson River that promises to unclog train traffic up and down the Eastern Seaboard. (New York Times)
Portland is charging a new 20-cent “climate fee” for street parking, with the anticipated $2 million in revenue going toward transit passes and Biketown rides for low-income residents. (Willamette Week)
Charlotte’s outgoing mayor pro tem says the Silver Line is too important to screw up. (Observer)
The Maryland Transit Administration is scaling back the Baltimore light rail schedule next week due to a driver shortage. (CBS 13)
Birmingham is getting a new 10-mile bus rapid transit line. (Bham Now)
A Chicago woman who lost her fingers in a car crash now creates sidewalk art around the city. (ABC 7)
European rail industry leaders envision a high-speed rail network as an alternative to air travel. (CNN)
In Singapore, car-buyers have to bid on a limited number of permits, pushing prices into six figures, while the small city-state spends big on public transit. It’s a strategy that’s starting to draw attention from other global cities grappling with pollution and congestion. (City Lab)
Are “Westworld”‘s self-flying drones the future of transportation? (The Conversation)