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Today's Headlines

Tuesday’s Headlines Burn Rubber

Is the light rail renaissance of the 1990s and 2000s over? Bus Rapid Transit is the trendy choice now.

The Indianapolis Purple Line, a BRT project completed last year.

|IndyGo
  • Cities across the country, from Phoenix to Washington, D.C., are backing away from light rail and streetcar projects for financial and political reasons, with some considering bus rapid transit as an alternative. BRT ridership quickly came back after the pandemic, while light rail and streetcar numbers haven't recovered. (Eno Center for Transportation)
  • The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating whether driverless Waymos are operating dangerously around school buses. (Reuters)
  • Forty percent of Americans perceive mass transit as unsafe. (The Atlantic; paywall)
  • A New York Times profile portrays Houston Mayor John Whitmire as a Democrat who's willing to work with Republicans, but doesn't do much to explain his antipathy toward bike lanes, transit or scooters on sidewalks.
  • Portland transit agency TriMet is scaling back plans for bus lanes on 82 Avenue after threats of a lawsuit from businesses. (BikePortland)
  • Denver business owners that oppose bike lane projects are accusing bike advocates of bullying them, which local cycling groups deny. (Gazette)
  • Pittsburgh set a Vision Zero goal in 2024 and then cut car crashes by 32 percent that year. (City Paper)
  • A Utah DOT study found that road diets have little effect on traffic. (Axios)
  • If a Milwaukee alderman succeeds at shutting down The Hop, the Federal Transit Administration, which spent $70 million on the streetcar, could demand some of the money back. (Urban Milwaukee)
  • Detroit, the Michigan DOT and the Michigan Central Innovation District reached a $40 million deal for a new intercity bus and rail hub. (Mass Transit)
  • The Houston Metro is offering free rides to the polls during early voting and on Election Day. (Houston Public Media)
  • Seattle Bike Blog posted a list of endorsements for local offices.
  • Hollywood Boulevard has a googly-eyed new bike lane sweeper, pedaled by a Los Angeles woman who's training for the 2028 Olympics. (The Eastsider)

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