Wednesday’s Headlines
Increasingly more reliable SUVs mean that “Peak Car” isn’t here yet, according to a Bloomberg columnist. That means Americans will continue to drive more miles and kill more pedestrians in the years to come. Thanks to the growing popularity of e-bikes, which need to be charged, the future of bike-share is likely a hybrid of … Continued
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on March 13, 2019
- Increasingly more reliable SUVs mean that “Peak Car” isn’t here yet, according to a Bloomberg columnist. That means Americans will continue to drive more miles and kill more pedestrians in the years to come.
- Thanks to the growing popularity of e-bikes, which need to be charged, the future of bike-share is likely a hybrid of docked and dockless. (Forbes)
- New York City and Los Angeles are both considering congestion pricing — charging drivers who enter the parts of cities with the heaviest traffic — which is a good idea, says the Eno Center for Transportation. Gov. Andrew Cuomo also wants to tax second homes in New York City to fund transit. (Curbed) Read Streetsblog NYC for more.
- The Washington Post calls Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s gas-tax hike a “model plan” other states should follow, although Streetsblog’s Angie Schmitt says it’s only making things worse by raising funds for major highway projects when the population isn’t growing and transit is suffering.
- An MIT researcher throws cold water on the idea that driverless cars are the future. (Arizona Republic)
- According to KWBE, no one in Nebraska seems to know why drivers are killing more pedestrians. Here’s a hint: More people walking, more people biking and more people driving on roads designed only for cars.
- A teen driver in Woodstock, Ga. who killed two women and a child while they crossed the street received three years of probation and had her license suspended for a year. (AJC) Streetsblog USA called for an entirely new way of looking at crashes.
- In case your blood pressure’s not high enough yet, K102.5 in Kalamazoo wins the Victim Blamer of the Day award for this piece on Michigan’s jaywalking crackdown.
- Streetcar Extra: The Times-Dispatch looks at how long-gone streetcars shaped development in Richmond, Va., in the early 20th Century by making the first suburbs possible. The Spokesman-Review looks back on a furor over a fare hike to 7 cents 100 years ago. Ridership in El Paso, Texas, has seen a sharp dip since the streetcar opened there four months ago. (KVIA) And while the Royals will probably be terrible this year, at least the Kansas City streetcar is rooting for them. (Star)
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:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
When Are Parking Debates Just A Smokescreen for Hate?
A new paper finds that mosques are more likely to face pushback over parking than other houses of worship. What should planners do about it?
October 20, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Do the Robot
Cities and states are filling the void, but the feds really need to step in to set rules for autonomous vehicles.
October 20, 2026
The Math On Car Ownership For New Parents Doesn’t Add Up
An expecting Oakland parent makes the case for car-free parenting.
October 20, 2026
Why US Roads Are Full of SUVs and Trucks, Part I
Everyone says that Americans just love SUVs and pick-ups. But is that really true — or are there solvable structural reasons why our streets look like a monster truck rally?
October 19, 2026
Aging in Place Is a Mobility Problem, Too
How Spain is going the extra mile to help seniors age in place, even if doing it is an uphill climb.
October 19, 2026