Former Kmart headquarters by Nicholas Eckhart licensed under Creative Commons.

Vacant suburban sites are in dire need of redevelopment. Will teleworking cause problems for the environment? Longer days and more meetings may be the future of office work.

Corporate firms abandoned America’s suburbs: Many major retailers have abandoned their big suburban office sites for metropolitan centers to attract young employees. Who and how should these “big empties” be redeveloped and is it even possible? (David Bernstein | Pro Publica)

Teleworking’s hidden effects on the environment: Amid the coronavirus spread and lockdowns, teleworking has become increasingly popular. At first glance, it may appear that this will benefit the environment with reduced car travel and air emissions. But the reality is mixed as energy use decreases and longer, non-work trips increase. (Eric Sunquist | SSTI)

Office work will never be the same: COVID-19 has not only changed where former office employees work, but how they will work for the foreseeable future. Technology will become increasingly important along with a distorted day of longer hours and more meetings. (Rani Molla | Recode)

California’s rail agency is ditching consultants for state employees: The California High Speed Rail Authority plans to cut private-sector consultants in a bid to reduce costs and bring more expertise in house. Eighty-eight consultant jobs will disappear and 70 employees will be hired for a $16 million a year net savings. (Andrew Sheeler | Sacramento Bee)

The collapse of rush hour: In this time of lockdowns and telecommuting, traffic patterns have completely changed. Specifically, demand at previous peak commuter hours (rush hours) have plummeted. If sustained, these changes could positively affect the costs and efficiency of transit, social justice issues, and more. (Jarrett Walker | Human Transit)

Quote of the Week

“Deaths from accidents are the biggest source of organs for transplant, accounting for 33% of donations, according to the United Network for Organ Sharing, UNOS, which manages the nation’s organ transplant system. But since the coronavirus forced Californians indoors, accidents have declined. Traffic collisions and fatalities in the state dropped by half in the first three weeks of sheltering in place.”

April Dembosky in Kaiser Health News discussing the reduction in organ transplants due to Coronavirus lockdowns.

This week on the podcast, we’re joined by Boris Lipkin, the Northern California Regional Director of the California High Speed Rail Authority.