Stories worth reading – July 9, 2015
Here are a few curated stories we’re reading and talking about this week:
Congress has no good way to fund a long-term transportation bill, will likely have to settle for another short-term extension
Forbes
“There is zero chance Congress will fully bankroll a six-year bill—at a cost of at least $90 billion—any time soon.”
As Uber becomes a ridesharing behemoth, should Lyft settle for being #2?
New York Magazine
Can Lyft survive as No. 2? What could make it No. 1? Or should it become a different product altogether? Those are the kinds of existential questions being hashed out in Lyft’s San Francisco headquarters, and among investors wondering whether to bet on the underdog. To better compete, Lyft is adding new services, refining its image, trying to position itself as the more lovable brand for riders and drivers.
Several states have found ways to raise new transportation revenue as federal money declines
Pew
Tired of waiting for federal transportation dollars, eight states, all but one of them headed by Republican governors, either hiked gas taxes or scaled back a planned cut to bring in more money.
Must-Pass Highway Bill Dominates Jammed July
National Journal
With a month-long recess looming in August, Congress is going to try to pack as much as possible into July. In the next three weeks, members will have to contend with several pieces of must-pass legislation, meet a July 31 deadline to fill the nation’s Highway Trust Fund, and lay the groundwork for even more critical legislation due in the early fall.
We can make our roads a lot more bike-friendly. Here’s how
Greater Greater Washington
For the past 40 years, planners have thought the best way to deal with cyclists was to treat them like vehicles. But that policy has left only “fearless” cyclists using the roads. Bikes don’t have to remain a rarely-used alternative. We can change the paradigm.
When Transit Goes Down at the Polls, Here’s Some Advice on How to Regroup
Streetsblog
In a postmortem, Jarrett Walker at Human Transit says public perception of [Vancouver’s] TransLink is at odds with its cost-effective performance. Regional transit agencies, he writes, are generally in a difficult political position, susceptible to blame-shifting from elected leaders with more power than the agency wields itself.
Uber, but for carpooling: Google jumps into the ridesharing business with an upgrade to Waze
The Washington Post
Unlike Uber, Google’s entry into ridesharing will be more limited. You won’t be able to just call up a ride wherever you are; according to Haaretz, drivers will only be able to offer two rides a day, and they have to begin either near where they work or near where they live.
Sound Transit planning heats up for light-rail expansion and public vote
The Seattle Times
But when the euphoria wears off, Sound Transit leaders, and perhaps the public, will face the fact they’re a long way from having a clear plan. What they can guarantee is that it is miserable getting around right now.