Streetsblog

Thursday’s Headlines Are Cash Money

Who pays for transit if it goes fare-free? And why do rail projects cost so much more in the U.S.?

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EST on December 8, 2022

Photo: SCRTD, CC

Many transit agencies are considering going fare-free after the pandemic, but no one has figured out who should pay it if riders aren’t. (The American Prospect)
Improving the busiest rail corridor in the U.S., between Boston and Washington, D.C., will cost an estimated $100 billion. Which once again raises the question: how do other countries build projects like this for a fraction of the price? (Motherboard)
The federal government’s failure to regulate autonomous vehicles allows states to treat drivers as unwilling guinea pigs. (Streetsblog)
San Diego is revamping the car-centric Mira Mesa neighborhood by breaking it up into several higher-density, walkable villages with 90 miles of new bike lanes. (Union-Tribune)
The Federal Transit Administration gave preliminary approval to bus rapid transit on Atlanta’s Campbellton Road. (AJC)
Charlotte is likely to choose a route for the Silver Line that skirts the northern edge of town, which would spur development but won’t take as many people to their jobs. (WFAE)
Downtown Hartford became a sea of surface parking after the 1960s that the city is now trying to redevelop. (CNU Public Square)
Omaha officials think they can pay for a $350 million streetcar with taxes from new development along the line. (World-Herald)
Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will fund paratransit after the federal government said the city council’s decision not to approve a contract was against the law. (Detroit News)
Pedestrians make up an increasing number of Austin’s traffic deaths (Monitor), but the good news is that crashes are down 30 percent at intersections that have undergone Vision Zero improvements (KXAN).
These five bike routes will take you past some of Seattle’s best holiday lights. (Seattle Times)