Today’s Headlines
Monday’s Headlines
The auto industry frets that, if self-driving cars never run people over, fearless jaywalkers will grind traffic to a halt (New York Times). And the problem is? (Actually, in case you missed it, Streetsblog explored that question.) Democratic presidential candidates didn’t talk much about cities or infrastructure during last week’s debates. (Crain’s Detroit Business) With … Continued
August 5, 2019
Friday’s Headlines
Cities built way too many roads, and now they can’t afford to maintain them. (Strong Towns) A bipartisan transportation bill breezed through a Senate committee (Politico). Transportation for America praised aspects of the bill but said it doesn’t go far enough, while some conservatives are resisting raising the gas tax. Children should be included in … Continued
August 2, 2019
Thursday’s Headlines
Washington’s failure to produce an infrastructure package might not be a bad thing, because an auto-centric bill is worse than nothing. Instead, Congress should be focusing on intercity rail and other measures to get people out of their cars. (American Prospect) The YIMBY movement for denser housing is gaining traction among Democrats (The Atlantic). But … Continued
August 1, 2019
Wednesday’s Headlines
Drivers who spend hours sitting in traffic should spend 17 seconds watching this video on the benefits of bus rapid transit. (Fast Company) Uber, which lost $1 billion in the first quarter, laid off a third of its marketing department to cut costs. But don’t worry, it still has 800 marketing people left (Tech Crunch). … Continued
July 31, 2019
Tuesday’s Headlines
The Federal Transit Administration has awarded a total of $85 million in grants for low- and no-emission buses to transit agencies in Atlanta, Denver, Washington, D.C., Orlando, Milwaukee and 33 other cities and states. Fewer kids are riding bikes, but self-driving cars might help reverse that trend by making them feel safer pedaling down the … Continued
July 30, 2019
Monday’s Headlines
Autonomous vehicles are likely to increase traffic congestion, which means cities will need public transit more than ever. (World Economic Forum) From an environmental standpoint, a Furman University researcher says raising gas taxes is the most effective way to get people to drive less, or at least drive more fuel-efficient vehicles. (GSA Business Report) California … Continued
July 29, 2019
Friday’s Headlines
Why are infrastructure projects so much more expensive in the U.S. than abroad? (New York Mag) Although some urban neighborhoods successfully revolted against freeways, most were built according to plan, hurting property values, dividing cities along racial lines and accelerating white flight. (City Lab) Uber is testing a monthly subscription service that combines car rides, … Continued
July 26, 2019
Thursday’s Headlines
Drivers have killed more Americans since 2000 than died during the two world wars. From 2006–2012, drivers killed twice as many Americans as opioids. Where is the outrage? (Washington Post) Democratic presidential candidates are criticizing Uber and Lyft’s labor practices — but that hasn’t stopped them from using ride-hailing services. (Quartz) Los Angeles’s Sepulveda Pass … Continued
July 25, 2019
Wednesday’s Headlines
Climate change, the red and blue divide, segregation, sexism, invasion of privacy, wars and 3.6 million deaths — just a few of the problems the automobile has contributed to. How did we get here, and why do we still love cars so much? (New Yorker) Using U.S. DOT, EPA and Census data, CNBC ranks Alaska, … Continued
July 24, 2019
Tuesday’s Headlines
Will human cyclists accept this new type of autonomous delivery vehicle that’s designed to use bike lanes? (Wired) In a few years, cities could be using AI and virtual replicas of road networks called “digital twins” to streamline traffic in real time, raising concerns about data privacy. (City Lab) San Francisco has formally issued permits … Continued
July 23, 2019