Friday’s Headlines Are a Tale of Two Countries
The U.K. is serious about climate change. Fifty-one U.S. senators are not. Plus, fallout from the D.C. Metro derailment and more headlines.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on October 22, 2021
- Climate change provisions in Democrats’ reconciliation bill would phase out coal, but not if West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who’s supported by the fossil fuel industry, can help it (The Guardian). Contrast that to the U.K., which just unveiled a sweeping plan to become carbon neutral by 2050 (Grist).
- Brooklyn’s ambitious plans for car-free streets picked up steam during the pandemic. (City Lab)
- If D.C. Metro subway cars remained sidelined for long due to safety problems, it could affect the region’s economic recovery. (Washington Post)
- Seattle’s cargo-bike delivery hub reduced emissions by 30 percent per package. (Fast Company)
- Tampa Bay Mayor Jane Castro is backing legislation tightening requirements for developers to build sidewalks or pay a fee. (WTSP)
- This $40 million Miami “mobility hub” sounds an awful lot like a parking garage. (Miami Today)
- Pittsburgh received $560,000 in grants for climate change, complete streets and Vision Zero projects. (Tribune-Review)
- The Colorado DOT will pass on $34 million in federal COVID relief grants to Denver’s transit agency, but only if the Regional Transportation District spends it on service between Boulder and Longmont, a pet project of Gov. Jared Polis that’s not one of RTD’s top priorities. (Colorado Public Radio)
- The Utah Transit Authority wants to build a bus rapid transit line, but opponents object to the cost. (KSL)
- Newport adopted green and complete streets policies. (Daily News)
- The University of North Carolina is partnering with Chapel Hill and Carrboro on an expanded bike-share program. (Chapelboro)
- Forced by Congress to switch to microwave meals to cut costs, Amtrak is considering bringing back real dining cars. (Eater)
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
Every Friday’s Headline Is Sacred
When transit funds are wasted, God gets quite irate.
October 16, 2026
Friday Video: When Walkability Isn’t Enough … Even in the Great Cities of Europe
What happens when livable places get overwhelmingly popular before we can build more of them — or when other failures of design and governance make them bad places to live?
October 16, 2026
Newsom Signs Bill to Better Align California Transportation Spending With Climate Goals
SB 1087 updates California’s landmark sustainable communities law, strengthening the connection between regional climate plans and transportation investments.
October 15, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Passion Problem in Public Transit
Where should the most enthusiastic supporters of transit try to work?
October 15, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are Trouble for Tesla
Autonomous vehicles just can't seem to behave themselves.
October 15, 2026
