Wednesday’s Headlines Are Too Fast, Too Furious
When it comes to speeding, why don't regulators and automakers save drivers from themselves?
By
Blake Aued
12:24 AM EST on November 29, 2023
- After last weekend’s fiery crash at Niagara Falls, Slate wonders why anyone is allowed to own a vehicle that can go 175 miles per hour. If the National Transportation Safety Board had its way, cars would be equipped with speed governors. (Fast Company)
- Global emissions from motor vehicles fell by four percent between 2010 and 2022, but they would have fallen 30 percent without the trend toward bigger trucks and SUVs, according to a new study. (The Guardian)
- The key argument against car dependency is one of fairness, according to a London School of Economics scholar. Advocates should focus on how reforms meet basic needs and against the perception that something is being taken away.
- The Washington Post interviewed rails-to-trails advocate Ryan Chao about the opportunities presented by turning abandoned rail infrastructure into spaces for walking and biking.
- Mixed-use, compact development that discourages driving is dependent on well-connected street grids, according to a new study. (CNU Public Square)
- MinnPost takes issue with a recent Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial on light rail safety, arguing that turnstiles are unfeasible and Metro Transit should use human fare checkers instead.
- Nashville is shooting for another transit referendum in November 2024. (Scene)
- Post-pandemic, the San Diego trolley is the busiest light rail line in the U.S. with 34 million riders last year. (Axios)
- Honolulu has worked out a deal with the Federal Transit Administration to free up the final $125 million for a long-delayed light rail line. (Civil Beat)
- With 66 traffic deaths so far this year, Portland is on a record pace. (KOIN)
- With nearly 400,000 residents, Arlington, Texas, is the largest city in the U.S. without any form of fixed-route mass transit. (Fort Worth Report)
- Utility Austin Energy is doubling its e-bike rebate program. (Monitor)
- Charlotte is reopening dedicated bus lanes on Independence Boulevard. (Queen City News)
- Construction has started on Oklahoma City’s first protected bike lane. (The Oklahoman)
- The New York Times ran a feature on Peachtree City, the Atlanta suburb where everyone gets around by golf cart.
- This Toronto wedding was truly a streetcar named desire. (Yahoo)
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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