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.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on July 24, 2024

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)