- Miles driven have fallen by at least half in every major metro area in the country since March 1. How to keep it that once the economy gets going again? Encourage people who can to keep working from home. Switch from gas taxes to vehicle-miles fees to fund maintenance. And take this opportunity to make streets safer. (Brookings Institute)
- Commonwealth Magazine also says cities can’t return to pre-COVID levels of congestion, and proposes electrified transit systems that provide more service with less crowding, better health protocols and fewer emissions.
- Anticipating a traffic “avalanche” when the coronavirus pandemic dends, London is quickly planning ways to widen sidewalks and build pop-up bike lanes, with the hope that they can one day be made permanent. (iNews)
- Streetsblog's Kea Wilson also tackled this issue, analyzing what might happen if even a fraction of transit users ditch buses and trains for cars. Spoiler alert: Nothing good.
- Outside Magazine is tracking every cyclist death in 2020.
- The recession won’t stop Texas from spending $3.4 billion to widen an interstate through Austin. (Texas Tribune)
- In Boston, traffic is down by half, but road deaths have doubled as speeding increased (WBUR). Columbus, Ohio, has also discovered that emptier streets lead to more speeding (Underground).
- Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam won't allow local governments to cut funding for transit as the state pours money into an ambitious rail and bus expansion plan. (Greater Greater Washington)
- The $223 million in coronavirus relief Miami-Dade received from the Federal Transit Administration is enough to fund the transit system through fall 2021, even if no one pays fares in the meantime. (Herald)
- New York City is experimenting with UV rays on subways to see if they kill the coronavirus (The Verge). Let’s just hope they don’t start telling riders to drink Lysol.
- In Norway, more than half of all new cars sold are electric, and the government plans to phase out fossil fuels by 2025. The best part? Almost all of Norway’s electricity comes from clean, renewable hydropower. The country did it by basically deciding that electric car owners don’t have to pay any taxes, tolls or parking fees, bringing the vehicles' cost down. (The Guardian)
Streetsblog
Wednesday’s Headlines From Around the Nation
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday Video: Are Driverless Big Rigs a Good Idea?
What will automated trucks really mean for America?
Friday’s Headlines Have a Future
But these freeways shouldn't, according to the Congress for New Urbanism.
May 30, 2025
Talking Headways Podcast: Bike Guides to Build Your City
Bill Schultheiss on AASHTO and NACTO bike lane design guides, the importance of history, political will and the stress of being an expert witness in court.
May 29, 2025
Outrage Grows Over NYPD Bike Criminalization, But City Council Is In No Rush
Many members of the New York City Council want Speaker Adrienne Adams to act to protect immigrant cyclists from the NYPD, but she doesn't want to.
Thursday’s Headlines Live to Fight Another Day
Congestion pricing won a major court victory that suggests it's here to stay, and could eventually open the door for other cities to follow New York's lead.
May 29, 2025
Duffy Tells Congress He’s Not Delaying DOT Projects — As He Delays DOT Projects
Thousands of federal transportation grants remain in limbo as the Trump administration cuts staff and cracks down on DEI, bike lanes and environmental rules.
May 29, 2025
