Thursday’s Headlines Have Some Good News
The U.S. and global outlook may be bleak, but many cities are embracing better transportation policies.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on September 2, 2021
- Climate change plans often overrate electric vehicles by ignoring the pollution from generating electricity, overstating the speed by which EVs will replace fossil fuels, and underestimating peoples’ desire for cars. (Planetizen)
- Despite a recent survey’s findings to the contrary, Wired thinks the 15-minute city is finally having its moment.
- Cool grandad Donald Shoup does his thing again — shaming cities over free parking. (Bloomberg)
- DART’s overhaul will mean most bus riders will experience fewer waits and easier transfers. (Dallas Morning News)
- The Texas DOT should invest its I-45 funds in transit and bike lanes. (Houston Chronicle)
- Could Elon Musk build one of his tunnels under water-logged and unstable South Florida? Maybe. But at the very least it would be a lot harder and cost a lot more than he’s letting on. (Smart Cities Dive)
- D.C. Metro train operators are prone to fatigue. (Washington Post)
- Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is turning to Uber and Lyft after public school bus drivers quit en masse over a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city employees. (Sun-Times)
- Charlotte’s Gold Line streetcar is officially open. (WFAE)
- This is a great time to extend Minneapolis’ Midtown Greenway. (MinnPost)
- Pittsburgh is now allowing e-bikes on buses and trains. (City Paper)
- A Phoenix city council member is calling for fare-free transit. (KJZZ)
- Clearwater, Florida, scuttled a development deal because city officials said it had too much parking. (Tampa Bay Times)
- Birmingham’s transit authority has a new CEO. (Al.com)
- North Dakota police are cracking down on distracted driving this month. (Bismarck Tribune)
- Here’s a cool vision of what passenger rail in Washington state could look like. (The Urbanist)
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:
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.
More from Streetsblog USA
Thursday’s Headlines Have a License to Chill
Many young people aren't all that interested in driving, or can't afford to own a car. Will transit advocates let Uber win them over?
May 28, 2026
America Keeps Building Stadiums Like Transit Doesn’t Matter
What would it take to build a truly transit-oriented sports stadium in Washington D.C., rather than repeating the mistakes of the past?
May 28, 2026
Why BUILD America 250 Would Be Uniquely Bad For Passenger Rail
Congress' first draft of the new infrastructure law would be a massive step backwards for passenger rail, one advocacy group says — and not just because the last one raised the bar.
May 27, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Missed an Opportunity
The BUILD America 250 Act is headed for a House vote, and it looks like more of the status quo for federal transportation funding.
May 27, 2026
California Climate Funding Fight Pits Transit and Housing Advocates Against Oil Industry Giveaways
In a time when global events are sceaming, "WE NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUELS," California considers a measure to cut transit (and affordable housing) funding to reduce oil prices.
May 26, 2026
