Today’s Headlines
Basics
Wednesday Headlines
Climate change poses “catastrophic” and “likely irreversible” risks to global political stability, according to a new report by a national security think tank. The report calls for phasing out greenhouse gas emissions and reaching zero emissions “as quickly as possible.” (The Hill) Cities waste money building new roads when they should be maintaining what they … Continued
February 26, 2020
Tuesday’s Headlines
The U.S. was the only nation out of 140 at a global road safety conference that refused to sign a statement setting a target for reducing traffic deaths. (Forbes, Streetsblog) Traffic deaths in the U.S. were down 2 percent in 2019, to a still unacceptable 38,000, according to the National Safety Council (ABC News). One … Continued
February 25, 2020
Monday’s Headlines
Cities can only harness the full benefits of micromobility options like bike-shares and e-scooters if they’re fully integrated into public transit, according to a German study (Traffic Technology Today). But fully integrating micromobility devices and transit requires data, which companies have been reluctant to turn over to cities (Urban Mobility Daily). If Uber and Lyft’s … Continued
February 24, 2020
Friday’s Headlines
Under President Trump, the U.S. has become more car-reliant, while Congress has had to fight to protect major transit projects. Overall, Trump’s policy has been big talk and little action. (City Lab) One thing Trump has tried to do is roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. Luckily, his administration’s been too incompetent to pull it … Continued
February 21, 2020
Thursday’s Headlines
The problem with autonomous cars is that operators either pay attention or they don’t — and if they don’t, they won’t be ready to take the wheel if needed. (Fast Company) Case in point: Researchers stuck a piece of tape on a speed-limit sign and convinced Teslas on autopilot to drive 85 miles per hour … Continued
February 20, 2020
Wednesday’s Headlines
Presidential candidates Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar highlighted their support for passenger rail while campaigning in Nevada. (Roll Call) Axios (late to the party!) says that there’s more evidence that ride-hailing services are making traffic congestion worse. Uber is further disrupting the taxi industry by … letting people call an Uber like they … Continued
February 19, 2020
Tuesday’s Headlines
The number of annual trips made on foot or by bike in the U.S. didn’t change between 2001 and 2017. That’s because our streets continue to be unsafe for everyone. Yes, more adults are taking the risk, but they’re increasingly less likely to let their children walk or ride a bike, contributing to an obesity … Continued
February 18, 2020
Monday’s Headlines
There are an estimated two billion parking spaces in the United States. Cities should be converting them into sidewalks, bike lanes, pickup/drop-off zones or even new housing. (Green Biz) Most drivers would teleport to work if they could, but people who walk or bike would still walk or bike (State Smart Transportation Initiative). Related: Traffic … Continued
February 17, 2020
Friday’s Headlines
Sustainable transportation like walking, biking and taking transit is likely to overtake private car trips in the world’s largest cities within the next decade, according to a Mobility Futures study. (Reuters) After more hearings on autonomous vehicles this week, Congress remains at an impasse over how to regulate them. (The Verge) Sure, humans are crappy … Continued
February 14, 2020
Thursday’s Headlines
Michael Bloomberg and Pete Buttigieg have the best among a sad lot of presidential candidates’ transportation plans, according to Transportation for America. The Federal Transit Administration announced its New Starts grants for 2021. Among the projects rated highly are a Kansas City streetcar extension (KSHB), double-tracking a rail line between Gary and Michigan City (Northwest … Continued
February 13, 2020