Thursday’s Headlines Are Down on the Corner, Out in the Street

• Corner stores are making a comeback as cities roll back exclusionary zoning policies. That’s key to reducing auto dependency, because people aren’t going to walk if they don’t have anywhere to walk to. (CityLab)
• An advisor to President Biden spoke at the recent Climate Week conference about the health benefits of decarbonizing transportation. (Smart Cities Dive)
• A new study produced scientific evidence that people are less likely to walk during heat waves, which are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. (Cities)
• Consolidation in the railroad industry has resulted in more extremely long freight trains that delay Amtrak trains on shared tracks, block pedestrian crossings and are more likely to derail. (Boondoggle)
• Sound Transit is moving ahead with the West Seattle Link Extension despite cost estimates jumping by about $3 billion. (The Urbanist)
• Milwaukee drivers could now see jail time if they’re convicted of reckless driving repeatedly. (WISN)
• A loophole in California law has long meant that autonomous vehicles, lacking a driver, can’t be ticketed. A new law allows police to issue the manufacturer a “notice of noncompliance,” but it’s unclear what happens after that. (NBC Bay Area)
• The first draft of a new Pittsburgh bus route map prioritizes more frequent service along popular routes. (WESA)
• A construction industry-funded poll in Maryland found that two-thirds of voters want to spend more on roads, but only a third want to spend more on transit. (Maryland Matters)
• Hurricane Francine knocked at least 80 New Orleans bikeshare bikes out of service, and now less than a third of Blue Bikes bikes are actually available to ride. (WWNO)
• Less than half of Europeans drive on a daily basis, while 40 percent take transit, according to a study of 83 cities. (Euronews)
• Straphanger writes about staying in a car-free Swiss village where residents get around by e-bike, electric bus, gondola and even a self-service funicular.

source https://usa.streetsblog.org/2024/10/03/thursdays-headlines-are-down-on-the-corner-out-in-the-street