Streetsblog

Wednesday’s Headlines: Pete and Pete

The word of the day is "investment." Plus, undoing urban renewal in Atlanta, a deadly highway in Maryland and more headlines.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on May 12, 2021

From talking about equity to performatively riding a bike to work, other transportation secretaries said and did the same sorts of things as Pete Buttigieg. Can one of the cabinet’s weakest agencies really shift policy? (Governing)
The Eno Center for Transportation argues that “infrastructure” is better thought of as “investment,” and it’s been declining for a long time. The U.S. may no longer have the political will to spend big on things that will benefit us down the road (Washington Post).
“Investment” is a word that came up quite a bit in The Verge‘s recent lengthy interview with Buttigieg.
Voters nationwide seem willing to pass local tax initiatives to fund transit and other measures for fighting climate change. (Clean Technica)
The American Jobs Plan includes $20 billion in funding that could be used to mitigate the effects of the Downtown Connector and I-20 plowing through Black neighborhoods in Atlanta. (Journal-Constitution)
A rapid shift to electric vehicles is coming up in the next few years, and gas stations are going to have to adjust. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Cleveland is seeking input on its 30-year, $13 billion transportation plan. (Plain Dealer)
A woman and her husband were killed on the same stretch of Georgia Avenue a years apart, and county officials are finally pushing for action (WTOP). As writer Dan Reed put it, as long as it’s designed like a highway, drivers will treat it like one.
A Virginia prosecutor is seeking an investigation into state troopers who illegally stopped a Black motorist and terrified her by ordering her to get out of the car without telling her why. (CNN)
March’s federal COVID stimulus is allowing Sacramento expand transit. (Bee)
The college town of Fayetteville, Arkansas, is improving its bike network faster than any city in the country. (Next City)
As they try to fight climate change, European cities are turning again to the 100-year-old technology of trams. (Politic0)

Blake Aued

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.

Streetsblog

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.