Wednesday’s Headlines Make a Michigan Left
Should left-hand turns be banned? Plus, the latest on the infrastructure bill(s) and biking for the 'Gram.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on June 16, 2021
Join us in July at the National Shared Mobility Summit — a month of virtual sessions on one topic: THE BIG SHIFT. Our existing physical, social, economic, technological and institutional infrastructure overwhelmingly favor private car ownership and private car use. This year, we ask, “How might we shift the the whole system!” Register now and save 25 percent with code BIGSHIFT21.
- The American Prospect breaks down the eight infrastructure bills winding their way through Congress.
- A bipartisan group of moderate senators is getting close to coming up with an infrastructure proposal, and it won’t include a gas tax hike or corporate tax hikes. (Politico)
- When it comes to transportation, the end of the pandemic should not mean returning to the status quo, writes Massachusetts Sen. Ed Markey in Commonwealth.
- Transportation doesn’t poll very well, so politicians should be talking about access to opportunities instead. (Human Transit)
- Cadillac’s AI is much more polite than human drivers. (Axios)
- Most crashes at intersections involve left turns, so maybe they should be banned. (Popular Mechanics)
- Taxis are back, thanks to Uber and Lyft’s driver shortage and surge pricing. (The Points Guy)
- Detroit is one of 28 U.S. cities considering removing urban freeways. (WDET)
- Pothole-filled New Orleans is desperate for federal infrastructure funding. (Voice of America)
- The Ben Franklin Parkway is a moat of cars separating Philadelphia’s cultural treasures from the rest of the city. (Philadelphia Citizen)
- As the Fayetteville region grows and congestion gets worse, leaders are coming around to Complete Streets. (Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
- London’s poorest neighborhoods also have the worst air, but policies like congestion pricing aim to change that. (The City Fix)
- Here are the world’s most Instagram-worthy places to bike. (Travel + Leisure)
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
Friday Video: Five Bike Advocacy Mistakes You Don’t Even Know You’re Making
For one thing, make sure that political leaders who say "no" to livable streets experience consequences for their decisions.
March 27, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Take a Free Ride
Waymo has remote response teams, but when a robotaxi gets stuck, emergency responders have to get behind the wheel.
March 27, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: Congestion Pricing Data Collection
New York's congestion pricing data whiz discusses the program's first year.
March 26, 2026
How DC’s Mayor and Council Chair Thwarted Every Effort to Better Its Streetcar
There are two reasons why D.C. doesn't have the streetcar system it was promised — and their names are Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson, one urbanist argues.
March 26, 2026
An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Thursday’s Headlines
There's so much the U.S. could have done to insulate residents from spiraling gas prices, other than suspend taxes.
March 26, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.