Thursday’s Headlines Are About Done
Transit funding is on the chopping block while sidewalks are impassable and ride-hailing fuels climate change.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on October 14, 2021
- Remember how Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin want fellow Democrats to come down on their $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, which requires all 50 Democratic senators to vote for it? Well, transit and rail funding that was already cut from the $1.2 trillion bipartisan bill are likely to be pared down. ( Roll Call)
- Hailing an Uber or Lyft is more damaging to the environment than driving your own personal car. (Green Car Reports)
- Cities from coast to coast are being sued because their busted sidewalks aren’t ADA compliant. (Time)
- In a City Lab interview, “Fighting Traffic” author Peter Norton warns that autonomous vehicles aren’t a cure-all.
- MIT scientists say deep learning technology can help predict crashes and make streets safer.
- Former transit riders who took up e-bikes and e-scooters during the pandemic are sticking with them. (New York Times)
- Washington, D.C. is taking steps to mitigate the damage climate change is doing to transportation infrastructure. (Greater Greater Washington)
- The Colorado DOT, which long built highways with no regard for the environment, is finally starting to reckon with climate change. (Denver Post)
- Portland is poised to approve a plan to encourage residents to stop driving so much. (Bike Portland)
- Atlanta NIMBYs are out in full force opposing a plan to rezone neighborhoods to allow for more density. (Saporta Report)
- A Texas prosecutor says police didn’t arrest a teenage pickup driver accused of running over six cyclists while rolling coal or properly collect evidence because the driver is the son of a city official. (Jalopnik)
- A new protected bike lane opened in downtown Seattle. (My Northwest)
- Four-fifths of UK residents want to limit car use. (Forbes)
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
Friday Video: Everybody Loves to Ride the D (The New D Train in LA, That Is)
It's Woodstock for NUMTOTs — minus the mud and free love.
May 15, 2026
Friday’s Broken-Down Headlines
Sidewalks are too often neglected, but there are ways for cities to step up and fix these essential public spaces.
May 15, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: Sidewalk Nation
Law Professor Michael Pollack on who manages, owns and feels ownership of sidewalks — "America's most overlooked resource."
May 14, 2026
‘Our Roads Are More Than Just Highways’: Democrats Urge U.S. Senate Not to Defund Multimodal Programs
A Trump administration proposal recommends massive cuts to popular programs – and it will cost American communities more than they can afford, Senate Democrats say.
May 14, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Pump It Up
Until you can feel it (gas prices, that is). But you don't really need it (suspending gas taxes).
May 14, 2026