Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Streetsblog

Wednesday’s Headlines to Keep the Good Times Rolling

    • The Washington Post reports on the usual handwringing among Democrats as they wonder if President Biden will go to far or not far enough on infrastructure. One noteworthy tidbit: The plan set to be released this evening won’t include Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s bill allocating $500 billion for clean transit.
    • Still, Vox says it also doubles as a climate plan, and looks at various infrastructure bills that could be included in the final version.
    • How money for infrastructure is spent matters more than how much is spent. (Transportation for America)
    • Never mind, the infrastructure bill won’t include a vehicle mileage tax after all (The Hill) — but it probably should! (Streetsblog)
    • In addition to Build Back Better, thanks to previous federal COVID-19 bills, states now have budget surpluses to tackle their own infrastructure backlogs. (Pew Trust)
    • Uber and Lyft promised to reduce traffic and promote transit use, but instead they did the opposite. (New York Times)
    • Also from the Times: Employees who’d been deducting transit costs from their paychecks tax-free are unable to access the funds now that they work from home.
    • The lack of a standardized charging network is a major roadblock to transitioning to electric vehicles. (Vice)
    • Better data could help transit agencies improve service for low-income riders, the elderly, women and other marginalized communities. (World Economic Forum)
    • The Federal Highway Administration is investigating the Texas DOT’s proposed widening of I-45 in Houston — which would destroy hundreds of Black residences and businesses — for potential Civil Rights Act violations (Texas Observer). Up the road in Austin, the city council is hoping to mitigate damage from a proposed I-35 project (Monitor).
    • The FHWA also gave New York State permission to move ahead with its environmental review of congestion pricing, something the Trump Administration had blocked for no reason. (Streetsblog)
    • Northwest Arkansas residents spend a higher share of their income on housing and transportation costs than New York City or Chicago residents because of sprawl and the high cost of driving. (Democrat-Gazette)
    • Cities outside Savannah are opposed to expanding Chatham Area Transit because they don’t want to pay for it, and due to unfounded concerns about crime. (Morning News)
    • Bird is bring 300 e-scooters to Topeka on April 1. (Capital-Journal)
    • A program called BikeMatchDC has provided bikes for 200 essential workers since the pandemic began. (Greater Greater Washington)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday’s Headlines Are on the Ballot

There's a decent chance you live in a jurisdiction where transit funding is on the ballot this November.

October 11, 2024

The 1,000-Page Document That Decides Your Street Designs Just Got a Refresh

For better — or more often, for worse — a single federal document dictates what nearly every American street looks like. Meet the MUTCD.

October 11, 2024

Opinion: Our Loneliness Epidemic Reveals America’s Failed Urban Planning

"As we consider the multitude of ways to address our nation’s loneliness crisis, we must have serious conversations about how we can better shape our built environment to enable extended networks of care."

October 11, 2024

Talking Headways Podcast: The Architecture of Urbanity

Vishaan Chakrabarti on goldilocks density, defining urbanity, the ennui of young architects and much, much more.

October 10, 2024

Thursday’s Headlines Are Nonbiased

Human cops disproportionately stop Black drivers, while automated cameras don't show the same bias, according to one recent study.

October 10, 2024
See all posts