Streetsblog

Tuesday’s Headlines from All Over the Place

Lots of stories about the post-COVID future ... if we can only get there already. Plus an op-ed by Streetsblog NYC board member Gabe Klein!

By Blake Aued

12:49 AM EDT on June 16, 2020

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The Atlantic has more evidence that transit isn’t responsible for the spread of COVID-19, despite the CDC’s recommendation that people drive alone and the ongoing panic that’s cut ridership by three-quarters. Still, a recent poll found that 70 percent of Londoners are anxious about commuting by bus or subway (City Lab). In the U.S., the federal DOT will distribute 100 million masks to airports, transit agencies and Amtrak (Reuters).
Meanwhile, in the U.K, demand for mopeds and scooters has tripled as commuters shun transit. (The Guardian)
One urban planner has another way to make transit safer: Go fare-free, which will reduce the likelihood of interactions with police. (Grist)
The push for new cycleways in Great Britain isn’t about pollution or the pandemic anymore. It’s about social justice and ensuring people without cars have transportation options. (Forbes)
To survive post-COVID, transit agencies have to do a better job of communicating their benefits, such as convenience, safety, and less pollution and congestion. (Planetizen)
Since the start of the pandemic, cities have been turning to microtransit to get seniors to the doctor or essential workers to their jobs, especially at odd hours. But the approach has its flaws (Undark). One such city is New Orleans, where the RTA is starting an Uber-like on-demand option in areas that lack transit service (Times-Picayune).
From the “trolley problem” to economic inequality, driverless cars are fraught with ethical issues. (ABC News)
New rankings put San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara, California; Madison, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C. at the top of the best cities for biking in the U.S. (WTOP)
Streetsblog NYC board member Gabe Klein has an op-ed in the Washington Post calling for cities to reckon with their racist pasts.
Sound Transit’s Tacoma Link extension is facing a $35 million shortfall. (News Tribune)
Two Las Vegas casinos want Elon Musk’s Boring Company to dig his stupid tunnels for Teslas on tracks. (The Verge)

Blake Aued

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.

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