Streetsblog

All Aboard Monday’s Headlines

Amtrak is modernizing its trains on more than a dozen long-distance routes.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EST on January 23, 2023

Image: Rennett Stowe, CC

Amtrak is using federal infrastructure funds to replace 40-year-old rail cars on 14 long-distance routes. (Smart Cities Dive)
Despite raking in $200 billion in profits last year, oil companies are fighting proposed windfall taxes in California and Europe. (EWG)
Uber’s lobbying activities in France are under investigation. (The Guardian)
Maryland’s Purple Line is now five years behind schedule after another delay pushed the opening to mid-2027. (Washington Post)
Honolulu’s long-delayed light rail line may finally open this spring. (Trains)
Omaha is still moving forward with a downtown streetcar despite billionaire investor and Omaha native Warren Buffett’s opposition. (New York Times)
Bigger vehicles, more distractions and roads designed for speed contributed to Los Angeles’ 300-plus traffic deaths last year. (L.A. Times)
When Lime removed shared Blue Bikes from New Orleans in 2021, activists reimagined it as a community-owned program. (Grist)
Transit agencies in Chicago and Philadelphia have committed to hiring more minority-owned contractors. (Smart Cities Dive)
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says federal employees working remotely are killing the city’s economy. (Politico)
A developer is planning a walkable neighborhood in Houston’s East End. (Houston Public Media)
A new Vision Zero report reveals Nashville’s most dangerous streets. (WSMV)
Milwaukee joined the National Association of City Transportation Officials, the more safety-focused of two major professional transportation groups. (Urban Milwaukee)
When Starbucks customers repeatedly blocked an Arlington, Virginia, bike lane, the city took action. (ARLnow)
Denver’s “snow angels” help people clear snow off their sidewalks who can’t do it themselves (CBS News). Maybe they can take care of the bike lanes, too? (9 News)