Thursday’s Headlines
Is this how federal transportation policy should be made? Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao took at least 10 meetings at the request of her husband Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office, according to emails obtained by the watchdog group American Oversight through an Open Records Act request. Many are from Kentucky and friends of the … Continued
By
Blake Aued
6:36 AM EST on February 21, 2019
- Is this how federal transportation policy should be made? Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao took at least 10 meetings at the request of her husband Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office, according to emails obtained by the watchdog group American Oversight through an Open Records Act request. Many are from Kentucky and friends of the couple. (Politico)
- Miami-Dade is a lot better at building roads than improving transit. Since voters passed transportation referendum in 2002 that raises $250 million annually, 34 of 38 road projects are underway or have been completed, but the county has added just three miles of rail and fewer than 100 of the promised 600 additional buses to its fleet. (Herald)
- With relaxed parking requirements near transit stops and more density in single-family neighborhoods, Atlanta’s new zoning code moves the city away from its car-happy ways. (Public Square)
- Uber, Lyft, taxis and delivery vehicles are now prohibited from blocking bike lanes in Washington, D.C. (Curbed)
- The director of San Francisco’s Muni promises to cut light rail and subway delays by 10 percent. (Chronicle)
- Everything you ever wanted to know about the Durham-Orange, N.C. light rail project but were afraid to ask. (Raleigh News & Observer)
- Coast Bike Share is bringing 500 new GPS-equipped dockless bikes to Tampa. Users will have to pay a fee if they park them outside of a bike station. (Creative Loafing) Lyft has dropped 300 e-scooters near transit stops in Mesa and Scottsdale, Ariz. (ABC 15) Uber’s Jump arrived in Nashville as the metro council is considering how to regulate e-scooters. (Tennessean)
- Southside Indianapolis residents are clamoring for sidewalks after a driver hit a man in a wheelchair. (RTV6)
- Toronto cyclists shoveled snow out of blocked bike lanes themselves, then billed Mayor John Tory for their labor. (Narcity)
Blake Aued has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.
Read More:
More from Streetsblog USA
How to Fight a Freeway 101
A new guide gives advocates the basics to building a campaign against harmful infrastructure in their neighborhoods — and the best time to start is now.
November 9, 2026
Monday’s Headlines Come Heavy or Not at All
The Transport Workers Union takes aim at Amtrak's new policy allowing guns onboard trains.
November 9, 2026
The California DMV’s Culture of Obstruction
California’s DMV is responsible for managing some of the biggest risks on the state’s roads, but researchers say a culture of secrecy and obstruction makes it nearly impossible for the public to access basic information about dangerous drivers and disabled parking placard fraud.
November 6, 2026
Opinion: I (Almost) Killed a Pedestrian With My Car
Every driver has a story or two about a near-miss traffic crash, even when they were doing everything right. Can we get those numbers down with safer systems?
November 6, 2026