Monday’s Headlines Are Seeking Shelter
Transit agencies face a conundrum when it comes to the growing number of homeless people on trains and in stations. Has Philadelphia found a solution?
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EDT on May 8, 2023
- Transit systems have become the last safety net for increasing numbers of homeless people, and — being transit agencies rather than housing or social service agencies — most of them aren’t sure what to do about it. (Vice)
- Northeastern and Western states tend to have better access to transit than those in the South and Midwest. And better transit access corresponds to less driving. (Transportation for America)
- The Federal Transit Administration awarded a total of $700 million in grants to buy new train cars for Chicago, Sacramento, South Florida, Cleveland, St. Louis and Utah.
- In the latest example of drivers using their vehicles as weapons. a Texas man killed at least eight people when he plowed his SUV through a crowd of migrants waiting for a bus. (CNN)
- A bike lane is coming to the street in San Francisco’s Presidio where a driver killed champion cyclist Ethan Boyes. (KTVU)
- The D.C. Metro wants the city to hold off for a year on making buses fare-free. (DCist)
- Metro is also increasing frequencies on the Red Line as ridership grows. (Washington Post)
- Suburban mayors in the Twin Cities area are calling for a small sales tax to support transit. (MinnPost)
- Tampa residents want to know why a city that big doesn’t have a light rail system. (ABC Action News)
- Seattle banned right turns on red. (The Urbanist)
- Complete streets advocates criticized Salt Lake City for rejecting a three-lane configuration on 2100 South. (Salt Lake Tribune)
- Orlando installed its first “floating” bus stop that allows passengers to enter and exit without the bus blocking the bike lane. (WESH)
- Denver is installing protected bike lanes and bus-only lanes on Blake and Market streets downtown. (CBS News)
- St. Louis’ transit agency is installing metal detectors at light rail stations. (Progressive Railroading)
- Durham is spending $1 million to fill in sidewalk gaps. (CBS 17)
- Houston’s bike lanes are so dirty, they broke the new sweeper the city bought to clean them. (Axios)
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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