Friday’s Headlines
Under President Trump, the U.S. has become more car-reliant, while Congress has had to fight to protect major transit projects. Overall, Trump’s policy has been big talk and little action. (City Lab) One thing Trump has tried to do is roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. Luckily, his administration’s been too incompetent to pull it … Continued
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on February 21, 2020
- Under President Trump, the U.S. has become more car-reliant, while Congress has had to fight to protect major transit projects. Overall, Trump’s policy has been big talk and little action. (City Lab)
- One thing Trump has tried to do is roll back Obama-era fuel efficiency standards. Luckily, his administration’s been too incompetent to pull it off. (Jalopnik)
- Joe Biden says he’ll raise corporate taxes to pay for his infrastructure plan (CNS News). Likewise, Pete Buttigieg doesn’t think gas taxes are a long-term solution to fund transportation (Public News Service).
- The watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington criticized President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell for holding up the appointment of a new inspector general at the U.S. DOT. The recently retired IG was investigating allegations that McConnell’s wife, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, steered contracts toward his Kentucky constituents.
- Smart Cities Dive interviews e-scooter company Spin’s president, Euwyn Poon, about the advantages of being part of an established company in Ford, rather than a tech startup, and why micromobility in the U.S. lags behind European cities.
- A Maryland bill would stop sidewalk closures during construction (WJLA). Meanwhile, Dallas officials want to charge contractors more to work in the right-of-way to get them to finish jobs more quickly (D Magazine).
- An Oregon legislator wants to give cities the authority to lower speed limits, which, you would think, would be obvious. (Bike Portland)
- About 26,000 Seattle bus riders will get a smoother ride starting Saturday, when a dozen routes move to new bus-only lanes on Columbia Street. (Seattle Times)
- Atlanta transit agency MARTA is considering rebuilding its main station in Five Points to reconnect the street grid. (Marietta Daily Journal)
- It’s a bit depressing that even in liberal Vermont, most drivers oppose paying more for gas to fight climate change. (NBC 5)
- The eight people Portland drivers have killed so far this year include two who were sleeping on the sidewalk. (Willamette Week)
- Where the rubber meets the road: Streets made of the bouncy substance used to be commonplace, and bringing them back could help protect pedestrians. (Forbes)
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
Thursday’s Headlines Shout, Shout, Let It All Out
A public input process that engages all stakeholders early on but doesn't drag out is the key to holding down costs for transit projects, according to the Urban Institute.
April 23, 2026
Judge Blocks Trump Admin’s Attempt to Demolish D.C. Bike Lane
But advocates across America aren't letting their guard down about the future of sustainable infrastructure in their own communities.
April 23, 2026
For Earth Day, the Trump Administration Wants To Expand Highways Across America
US DOT wants states to build more roads and take space away from bikes and give it to cars. It's foolish on so many levels.
April 22, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Are Fare in Love and War
Henry Grabar argues in favor of fare gates in The Atlantic.
April 22, 2026
Op/Ed: Oil Shocks Will Keep Coming. High-Speed Rail Can Boost Our Resilience.
California is creating a blueprint for how America can prepare for a volatile geopolitical future that will not end with the war with Iran.
April 21, 2026
