Today's Headlines

When Tuesday’s Headlines’ Levee Breaks

Climate change contributed to the destruction wrought by Hurricane Helene, perhaps the worst since Katrina 20 years ago.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on October 1, 2024

Hurricane Helene makes landfall in Florida. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Warmer oceans and warmer air over land mean more intense and sustained hurricanes like Helene can cause incredible damage even hundreds of miles inland (New York Times). Coastal areas around the Gulf of Mexico are also more vulnerable because sea levels have risen twice as much as the world’s oceans as a whole (Washington Post).
U.S. traffic deaths are up 30 percent since 2014. (The National Desk)
Measures that discourage driving should be accompanied by investments in transit and bike and pedestrian infrastructure, along with zoning reforms that bring amenities closer to residents, in order to create more walkable cities. (Chicago Policy Review)
Chicago is about to become the largest city in the Northern Hemisphere without an intercity bus terminal — part of a nationwide trend of Greyhound bus stations closing. (CNN)
Transit ridership is up in Seattle as the number of people working from home falls, but a majority of commuters still drive to work alone. (Seattle Times)
Amtrak has revealed more details about plans for a high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas. (Newsweek)
Light rail collisions with pedestrians are up in the Twin Cities, so Metro Transit is starting a campaign to remind people to be more aware. (CBS News)
Connecticut cities are making progress on bike safety, but more needs to be done. (New Haven Register)
Birmingham’s Richard Arrington Jr. Boulevard was never really a boulevard, but it’s being converted into a two-way street with pedestrian safety improvements. (AL.com)
The Charleston Post and Courier applauds a new Ashley River bike and pedestrian bridge, but says the project can be improved to give cyclists and pedestrians a safer connection to the medical district.
WBUR has tips on where to bike safely in Boston and what areas to avoid.
Some folks might be nostalgic for AM radio, but mandating its inclusion in new cars doesn’t seem like something Congress should be wasting time on. (Jalopnik)