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Wednesday’s Headlines Are Free for All

Why fare-free transit is inherently good despite mixed results. Plus, DOT climate grants, a damaging Manchin side deal and more.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on August 3, 2022

Get rid of these, argues Wired.

Evidence that fare-free transit gets cars off the road is mixed, but it should be free anyway, because transportation is a human right. (Wired)
The Federal Highway Administration is taking applications for $7 billion in grants to make infrastructure more resilient to climate change. Transit, bike and pedestrian projects are eligible, too. (Mass Transit)
You’ve heard of the Cornhusker Kickback, now get ready for the Mountaineer Milking: In exchange for supporting the climate change bill, Democrats have a side deal with Sen. Joe Manchin to expedite a West Virginia gas pipeline. (Washington Post)
Three Republican senators want to make it easier to drive drunk by proposing a bill to reverse an infrastructure act provision requiring passive drunk-driving detection in all new cars by 2024. (Streetsblog USA)
As it tries to implement the massive infrastructure law, the U.S. DOT is down 1,000 employees and slow to diversify its workforce. (Bloomberg)
A Pew survey found that more Americans want other people to buy an electric vehicle than want to buy one themselves. (Market Watch)
If everyone drove an EV, the world would be a lot quieter (The Conversation). But that presents a problem for people crossing the street, so what should an EV sound like? (The New Yorker)
General Motors has lost $5 billion trying to develop a robotaxi. (Futurism)
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, under fire from the feds for recent safety mishaps, could use its $400 million share of the federal infrastructure act to improve transit service. (Boston Globe)
Two Colorado transit agencies declined to participate in the state’s fare-free August program, citing driver shortages. (Colorado Sun)
Now that South Carolina has identified the state’s most dangerous streets for pedestrians, how about doing something about it? (Charleston Post and Courier)
A Detroit man shot eight people, killing two, because he was mad that a neighbor parked in front of his driveway. (Fox 2)
Take a scenic trip on a historic trolley in Northwest Arkansas. (Democrat-Gazette)

Blake Aued

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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