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Thursday’s Headlines Offer a Helping Hand

Transit agencies are increasingly taking a non-carceral approach to issues of homelessness, drug use and mental health.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on July 21, 2022

Thursday’s Headlines Offer a Helping Hand

photo courtesy of BART

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Cities like San Francisco are using “ambassadors” — unarmed crisis intervention specialists — to address homelessness, drug use, mental health and other issues that former riders cite as reasons for staying away from transit, without arresting people. (Next City)
The bad news is, four in five cities plan to spend their federal infrastructure funding on roads and bridges. The good news is, half plan to prioritize road safety, at least. (Bloomberg)
The cities with the most pedestrian deaths also tend to have fewer crashes, probably because their highway-style roads mean drivers rarely encounter cross traffic, but their high speeds means it’s deadly when they do. (Streetsblog USA)
Looking to start commuting by bike? Here are NBC News‘ picks for the best e-bikes for new riders.
Los Angeles isn’t just electrifying its bus fleet. It’s buying electric construction equipment, too, hoping to prove to the private sector that battery-powered bulldozers are viable. (Government Technology)
Fort Worth is taking an equity approach to Vision Zero because most of its most dangerous corridors are in or near majority-minority neighborhoods. (Star-Telegram)
A decision is coming soon on Milwaukee’s proposed north-south bus rapid transit line. (Urban Milwaukee)
Following up on an earlier story about how Charlotte bus ridership has dropped 75% over the past decade, city officials want to expand service and increase frequency to spark demand. (WFAE)
The popularity of a free-transit-pass program is leading Philadelphia to expand it to more employers. (Inquirer)
Boise is steering developers away from drive-throughs on State Street to encourage more walking and biking. (Idaho Statesman)
Ann Arbor is replacing parking with bike lanes on Barton Drive. (MLive)
TikTok isn’t just for viral dance challenges and makeup tutorials — Gen Z transit fans are using it to dunk on the suburbs, too. (City Lab)

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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