Thursday’s Headlines Are Safer Than Streets

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on July 14, 2022

Image: Transportation for America via Flickr

Drivers killed more than 6,500 pedestrians in 2020, a 4.5 percent increase over 2019, a disproportionate number of whom were Black, Native American and/or low-income, according to Smart Growth America's latest Deadly by Design report (ABC News, Streetsblog USA). New Mexico displaced Florida as the most dangerous state to walk in, but the Sunshine State still had seven of the 20 deadliest cities. (Route Fifty)
It's a tough needle to thread, but progressive cities need to do something about the perception of crime and anti-social behavior on transit if ridership is going to rebound. The question is how to address it without being too heavy-handed. (Governing)
An under-covered aspect of the Uber leaks exposing the company's bare-knuckled tactics is the damage its business model has done to public transportation and the environment (Streetsblog USA). Not to mention that Uber and Lyft have largely left disabled passengers behind (The Verge).
Shocker: The road-building lobby is opposed to the Biden administration's proposed rule on tracking tailpipe emissions. (Freight Waves)
The Texas DOT is poised to spend a record $85 billion building roads over the next decade. (Houston Chronicle)
The Seattle city council voted to send Sound Transit recommendations on the city's largest ever light-rail expansion. (KING5)
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey shocked even fellow Republicans when he rejected Maricopa County's request to let metro Phoenix voters decide whether to extend a half-cent sales tax for transportation. The veto jeopardizes not just future transit projects, but road construction as well. (Axios)
As it updates its 11-year-old bike plan, Dallas residents have a chance to tell the city that cycling is unsafe. (D Magazine)
Portland and Seattle are partnering on a "Slow the Flock Down" ad campaign aimed at speeding drivers. (Willamette Week)
Pittsburgh resident Monica Garrison started a group to inspire fellow Black women to ride bikes. (Yale Climate Connections)