Thursday’s Headlines Are Down on the Corner, Out in the Street
Bring a nickel, tap your feet as you avoid having to get into your car to drive out to the big-box strip mall.
By
Blake Aued
1:03 AM EDT on October 3, 2024
- Corner stores are making a comeback as cities roll back exclusionary zoning policies. That’s key to reducing auto dependency, because people aren’t going to walk if they don’t have anywhere to walk to. (CityLab)
- An advisor to President Biden spoke at the recent Climate Week conference about the health benefits of decarbonizing transportation. (Smart Cities Dive)
- A new study produced scientific evidence that people are less likely to walk during heat waves, which are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. (Cities)
- Consolidation in the railroad industry has resulted in more extremely long freight trains that delay Amtrak trains on shared tracks, block pedestrian crossings and are more likely to derail. (Boondoggle)
- Sound Transit is moving ahead with the West Seattle Link Extension despite cost estimates jumping by about $3 billion. (The Urbanist)
- Milwaukee drivers could now see jail time if they’re convicted of reckless driving repeatedly. (WISN)
- A loophole in California law has long meant that autonomous vehicles, lacking a driver, can’t be ticketed. A new law allows police to issue the manufacturer a “notice of noncompliance,” but it’s unclear what happens after that. (NBC Bay Area)
- The first draft of a new Pittsburgh bus route map prioritizes more frequent service along popular routes. (WESA)
- A construction industry-funded poll in Maryland found that two-thirds of voters want to spend more on roads, but only a third want to spend more on transit. (Maryland Matters)
- Hurricane Francine knocked at least 80 New Orleans bikeshare bikes out of service, and now less than a third of Blue Bikes bikes are actually available to ride. (WWNO)
- Less than half of Europeans drive on a daily basis, while 40 percent take transit, according to a study of 83 cities. (Euronews)
- Straphanger writes about staying in a car-free Swiss village where residents get around by e-bike, electric bus, gondola and even a self-service funicular.
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.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
Talking Headways Podcast: Second-Hand E-Bikes Can Be The Way Forward
Upway is helping people, even AOC, get an e-bike.
April 16, 2026
Florida Town Gives New Residents Free Golf Carts to Replace Their Cars
...and recording their highest sales numbers ever.
April 16, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Shouldn’t Have to Buy a Car
Average Americans are getting priced out of the auto market, which is just another reason to invest in alternatives.
April 16, 2026
Where the Hottest Blocks in Your City Are — And How To Cool Them Down
A cutting-edge tool is helping city leaders identify where they most badly need street trees, bus shelters, and more.
April 15, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Hop on Board Carefully
Riding the bus is safe. Walking to and from the bus stop, not so much.
April 15, 2026
