Thursday’s Headlines Aren’t Terrified by Trains
Fear-mongering about trains and crime has a long history, intertwined with racism, and persists to this day. But is the fear justified? Probably not.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on August 10, 2023
- The common trope about rail bringing criminals to previously safe neighborhoods has its roots in racism and white flight, and there’s very little data to back it up. (City Lab)
- Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg seems to be backing off his initial commitment to equity when it comes to undoing the damage to Black neighborhoods caused by urban freeways. (Politico)
- Apartment managers should provide separate storage areas and charging infrastructure for e-bikes, according to one fire safety expert. (Smart Cities Dive)
- Even if you’re a fan of electric vehicles, the 9,000-pound Hummer EV is an environmental disaster, destroying roads and emitting more greenhouse gases than a typical gas-powered midsized sedan. (Fast Company)
- Is it really cheaper to charge an EV than to fill up a gas tank? The answer is, probably yes — but it depends on where you live and what kind of car you drive. (Washington Post)
- An “infrastructure boot camp” run by the National League of Cities, Bloomberg Philanthropies and other groups has helped small towns win $428 million in grants over the past year. (Governing)
- Lots of transit agencies are adopting fare-capping because it makes transit easier to use and more equitable. (Government Technology)
- Denver’s Regional Transportation District is putting equity first by making transit free for kids and cutting fares across the board. (Rocky Mountain PBS)
- A beloved Minneapolis radio station that caters to a Black audience could be demolished to make way for the Blue Line. (Star Tribune)
- Following a series of bus and trolley collisions, the Federal Transit Authority may step in to oversee Philadelphia transit agency SEPTA’s safety operations. (Inquirer)
- Turning car lanes into streetcar-only could actually make Kansas City traffic move faster. (Star)
- Bike lanes don’t cause significant delays for drivers, according to traffic studies in Maryland. (Greater Greater Washington)
- Boston Mayor Michelle Wu is offering free bike-riding lessons for kids citywide. (WBZ)
- Toyota’s slogan is, “Let’s Go Places,” but we don’t think they mean the second story of a house. (Jalopnik)
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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