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Today's Headlines

Wednesday’s Headlines Are in a Good Place

How should we react to public indifference about the danger cars pose to society? Perhaps a sitcom has something to teach us.

NBC publicity photo
  • Planetizen uses the hit TV comedy "The Good Place" to explore the ethics of urban planning and car dependency.
  • Cities that are reforming their parking laws are a diverse group that's growing exponentially. (Parking Reform Network)
  • The U.S. added 700 public fast-charging stations in the second quarter of this year, bringing the total to 9,000. At this rate, charging stations will outnumber gas stations by 2030. (Bloomberg)
  • Electric vehicles can be part of the power grid and essentially serve as generators during natural disasters. (Slate)
  • Concrete bollards are better at protecting cyclists than flimsy flexposts that drivers can easily mow down, according to Pittsburgh City Paper.
  • Almost 40 cities have raised their People for Bikes city bike scores by at least 20 points since 2020, with Minneapolis and St. Paul making the biggest leaps.
  • The New York Times talked to Uber and Lyft drivers — but not any cyclists, pedestrians or transit riders, of course — about why traffic in the city is getting worse.
  • Dallas-area transit riders are pushing back against potential cuts from cities that want to cut their contribution to the regional transit agency. (KERA)
  • Austin officials hope a $48 million EPA grant can alleviate the worst environmental effects of widening I-35. (Monitor)
  • Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) had $200 million removed from the U.S. DOT budget for the Inglewood people mover, but the funding could be restored. (Daily Breeze)
  • L.A. received a $139 million federal grant to improve public transportation before the 2028 Olympics. (Spectrum News)
  • Salt Lake City council members aren't sold on Mayor Erin Mendenhall's vision for the Green Loop, a linear park with walking and biking trails similar to the Atlanta Beltline. (Tribune)
  • Canada's historic $30 billion investment in transit won't cover operating costs, which are transit agencies' biggest need. (National Observer)
  • A Cycling UK survey found that 70 percent of respondents want the new Labor government to invest more in bike lanes. (The Guardian)

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