Today’s Headlines
Basics
Monday’s Headlines
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar is the first Democratic presidential contender out of the gate with an infrastructure plan. The somewhat vague $650-billion proposal — paid for by raising corporate taxes — includes expanding public transit in low-income neighborhoods. (Politico) Lyft went public on Friday, with stock trading at $72 per share, valuing the company at … Continued
April 1, 2019
Friday’s Headlines
Instead of relying on the rush-hour level of service for cars when weighing transportation projects — which induces demand and creates sprawl — cities need a broader metric that takes safety, walkability and sustainability into account. (Brookings) Federal infrastructure funding isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and maybe it’s best off left to state … Continued
March 29, 2019
Thursday’s Headlines
Millennials hating to drive is a myth, according to one study. While it’s true that millennials drive less and own fewer cars than previous generations, when adjusted for factors like income, education and number of children, they actually drive more than baby boomers did at the same point in their lives. Their love of cars … Continued
March 28, 2019
Wednesday’s Headlines
U.S. motorists set a record by driving 3.225 trillion miles last year — and Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao thinks that’s a good thing. (Transportation Today) In Houston’s immigrant communities, many people walk to bus stops. But a third of streets in one such neighborhood lack sidewalks, and the ones that do exist are often obstructed, … Continued
March 27, 2019
Tuesday’s Headlines
Uber drivers in Los Angeles are considering going on strike after the company — valued at $120 billion — cut their per-mile pay by 25 percent (Gizmodo). Maybe other states should follow the lead of Connecticut, where a bill would guarantee Uber and Lyft drivers 75 percent of the fees charged to passengers (Mirror). Vision … Continued
March 26, 2019
Monday’s Headlines
Uber and Lyft drivers are pushing to unionize for better pay. One driver told The Guardian he made $3.75 an hour after expenses to risk his life during a snowstorm. Employees of a Lyft contractor that operates bike-shares are unionizing, too (San Francisco Examiner). Meanwhile, as Lyft prepares to go public, the unprofitable company is … Continued
March 25, 2019
Friday’s Headlines
Drivers are killing pedestrians in greater numbers in part because people are increasingly forced to walk in places that were built on the assumption that no one would ever walk there, like freeways and wide surface arterial roads. Authorities have responded mainly by blaming victims, rather than provide safe places for people to walk. As … Continued
March 22, 2019
Thursday’s Headlines
Transit advocates are criticizing President Trump’s proposed budget for cutting transportation funding and failing to take advantage of an opportunity for infrastructure investment (Smart Cities Dive). Meanwhile, Trump’s Federal Transit Administration continues to allow projects to languish by refusing to disburse the funds it does have (Streetsblog). Most Streetsblog readers probably don’t agree with Trump … Continued
March 21, 2019
Wednesday’s Headlines
A referendum in Atlanta’s largest suburban county, Gwinnett, on joining the metro area’s transit system and investing a 1 percent sales tax in rail and buses failed by a 54 percent to 46 percent margin (AJC). The race was always about, well, race, as City Lab reported. Timing and turnout were issues, too. Although some … Continued
March 20, 2019
Tuesday’s Headlines
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey lifted regulations that had kept Uber out of the Grand Canyon State. Uber programmed the self-driving cars it tested on Arizona roads not to brake when they detected an obstacle in front of them. The backup driver was watching a video when an autonomous SUV struck and killed a woman crossing … Continued
March 19, 2019