Monday’s Headlines from the Sun to the Snow
Why can't we have a bullet train for $6 a ride? That question and more answered in today's news digest.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on February 1, 2021
- With GM going all-electric by 2035, the U.S. has some serious work to do on its power grid and needs to build a network of charging stations. (New York Times)
- The CEO of an Irish shipping company suggests that cities should require that delivery vehicles be electric (CNBC). But how is that going to reduce congestion?
- Transportation Secretary nominee Pete Buttigieg was on NPR‘s “All Things Considered” to talk about climate change, transit funding and other topics.
- Political leadership is the biggest factor in committing to Vision Zero and seeing it through (The City Fix). On a related note, political blowback usually means congestion pricing proposals are DOA (Price Tags).
- Investment in property or bigger subsidies through various types of taxes can help pandemic-proof transit. (City Monitor)
- The Bay Area’s transportation commission divvied up the latest round of COVID relief funds, with BART and San Francisco Muni receiving the largest shares. (Examiner)
- A San Antonio council member and former transit planner appointed to a National League of Cities post plans to use her new position to advocate for federal transportation funding. (KSAT)
- A Federal Transit Administration grant will pay for the D.C. Metro to test air filtration and UV technologies that could reduce the spread of coronavirus. (DCist)
- The Seattle DOT says lowering speed limits and pedestrian-first intersections could reduce the number of people on foot killed by drivers by half. (MyNorthwest)
- A majority of New Yorkers are in favor of protected bike lanes, bus lanes and wider sidewalks — even motorists who would lose parking spaces. (Streetsblog)
- Tampa churchgoers are big mad that the city government wants them to pay for parking like everyone else. (Tampa Bay Times)
- Helsinki is adding 105 stations and 1,050 bikes to its bike-share network. (Eltis)
- A Spanish bullet train carries passengers between Madrid and Barcelona for just $6. (CNN)
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