Streetsblog

Monday’s Headlines Want to Be Denser

Cities aren't as dense as they used to be. Plus, redeveloping malls, the supply-chain impact on electric bus manufacturers and more headlines.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EST on March 7, 2022

Photo: John St. Clair/Flickr/CC

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Density is important for effective transit, but only 12 of the 50 largest U.S. cities are as dense as the average city in the 1950s, due to federal policies favoring highways. And those cities only achieved that density by directing it to certain areas while allowing sprawl elsewhere. (Governing)
There are all kinds of options for redeveloping vacant malls and their vast parking lots, from apartments and condos to offices to breweries and theme parks. (Route Fifty)
Inflation and supply-chain problems are hitting electric bus manufacturers. (Smart Cities Dive)
Although the expected post-pandemic eviction wave never happened, one major Midwestern rental housing company is using the threat of evictions to jack up rents. (City Lab)
Blowback from San Diego’s proposed road usage fee, which would help pay for a $160 billion regional transit expansion plan, has turned politics in the heavily Democratic city upside down. Turns out that, even if people want to stop climate change, they don’t want to pay for it. (Time)
San Diego State scientists are researching ways to recycle used electric-vehicle batteries, a potentially major environment threat as EVs proliferate. (KPBS)
A $2.3 billion Red Line extension could jump-start development on Chicago’s South Side. (The Real Deal)
Colorado Springs may get a new mixed-use multimodal transportation center downtown. (Colorado Public Radio)
Can transit agency MARTA sell bus rapid transit as a cheaper alternative to light rail in historically underserved Southwest Atlanta? (AJC)
The Bay Area has 15 million parking spaces, two for every resident, showing the disconnect between the region’s progressive reputation and its land-use policies. (Examiner)
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has suggestions for improving a compromise on the controversial redesign of Washington Avenue.
Austin approved $41 million to build affordable housing and prevent displacement as it gears up for the $7 billion Project Connect transit expansion. (KXAN)
Phoenix is working to prevent gentrification along the South Central line rail extension. (KJZZ)
It’s not just light rail: Minnesota lawmakers have audit fever. (MPR)
Giddyup! Houston created a pop-up bike lane to help people get to last weekend’s rodeo and livestock show. (Chronicle)

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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