Tuesday’s Headlines are Awesome

  • Pete Buttigieg gave an interview to Rolling Stone that unfortunately focuses mostly on electric vehicles, but the transportation secretary did say he wants to team up with HUD on transit-oriented development and get rid of a lot of parking lots.
  • Cities with the most traffic also tend to have the most roads, which just goes to show, once again, that you can’t pave your way out of congestion. (Arch Daily)
  • The federal government is considering changing the definition of an urban area, which could affect small cities’ transit funding. (Associated Press)
  • New research by the Oregon DOT found that low-income and BIPOC neighborhoods have more traffic and higher speeds, which, combined with more walking, explains why residents are more likely to be injured or killed by drivers. (Bike Portland)
  • We told you last week about a Pennsylvania law giving sidewalk delivery drones the same rights as pedestrians, but at least nine other states and D.C. have similar laws. (Axios)
  • Philadelphia is planning to overhaul Ben Franklin Parkway  — of “Rocky” fame  — to make it friendlier to cyclists and pedestrians. (WHYY)
  • Driving in the Washington, D.C. area fell between 2007 and 2017, while more people rode bikes, took transit, walked and used ride-hailing services, according to a survey by regional planners. (Greater Greater Washington)
  • The privately owned Brightline received one last extension to work out agreements with state and local governments for a rail line between Orlando and Tampa. (RT&S)
  • Austin is staffing up to start work on Vision Zero, sidewalk, bike path and other transportation projects after a $460-million bond referendum last year. (Monitor)
  • Seattle has lowered speed limits of 415 miles of roads since December, 2019. (KING)
  • Kansas City crews started work replacing pipes for what will eventually be a five-mile streetcar extension. (Fox 4)
  • Boulder’s B-Cycle has added 100 e-bikes to the bike-share system. (Camera)
  • Cannabis has contributed $12 million in tax revenue to Michigan transit since the state legalized sales in 2018. (Ganjapreneur)
  • Mountainous Mexico City has built its first aerial tramway to serve poorer neighborhoods high in the hillsides. (Los Angeles Times)

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