Today's Headlines

Thursday’s Headlines Are Third Spaces

What happened to the neighborhood pub or indie coffee shop? They became places you drive past rather than walk to.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on July 30, 2026

Public gathering spaces are falling by the wayside thanks to cars and single-use zoning. Photo: Streetlab

Car-centric planning has all but eliminated “third spaces” for free or inexpensive community gatherings (Transit Sleuth). One solution is to turn urban vacant lots into temporary parks (Smart Cities Dive).
The Federal Transit Administration is prioritizing low-emissions over zero-emissions buses when it awards $610 million worth of grants. (Mass Transit)
Amtrak has brought 163 stations into compliance with the ADA. (Railway Supply)
Lyft’s rebranding of its Bay Area bikeshare could be the first step toward a bid for global dominance. (Fast Company)
Transit agencies in Dallas, Jacksonville, Seattle, Los Angeles and St. Petersburg are among Metro Magazine’s most innovative of 2026.
The U.S. DOT has scrapped a $9-billion plan to expand Washington D.C.’s Union Station. (Engineering News-Record; paywall)
A CBS News story about the Austin Transit Partnership choosing Stadler to manufacture its new light-rail trains oddly hypes robotaxis as an alternative.
Nashville is building raised crosswalks as part of its Vision Zero efforts. (WSMV)
St. Louis drivers love to park on the sidewalk. (First Alert 4)
Detroit cyclists are frustrated by lack of enforcement against drivers parking in bike lanes. (Click on Detroit)
St. Petersburg is installing “zipper” barriers to protect cyclists from drivers on several major corridors. (Fox 13)
Brazilian cities are designing Complete Streets that revolve around people. (Arch Daily)