Monday’s Headlines on MLK Day
The U.S. needs a new place-based transportation policy focusing on sustainability and climate change. (Urban Institute) Melting permafrost will damage thousands of miles of roads. (Jalopnik) Shaming drivers is pointless as long as streets are dangerous for biking and carmakers keep selling ever-larger SUVs. (Treehugger) Bike mechanics are petitioning Walmart to stop selling crappy bikes … Continued
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EST on January 17, 2022
- The U.S. needs a new place-based transportation policy focusing on sustainability and climate change. (Urban Institute)
- Melting permafrost will damage thousands of miles of roads. (Jalopnik)
- Shaming drivers is pointless as long as streets are dangerous for biking and carmakers keep selling ever-larger SUVs. (Treehugger)
- Bike mechanics are petitioning Walmart to stop selling crappy bikes that break quickly and can’t be repaired. (Vice)
- The White House is backing a ride-sharing oversight bill introduced by Rep. Chris Smith after a fake Uber driver killed a New Jersey woman. (NJ.com)
- Vision Zero programs often don’t work because cities implement small recommendations and don’t do the big, expensive ones. (D Magazine)
- Denver’s Regional Transportation District is proposing a major overhaul of bus routes that will cut service to the suburbs while refocusing on the riders who stuck with transit during the pandemic. (Colorado Public Radio)
- Closed to traffic during the pandemic, Ocean Drive in Miami Beach is reopening to cars, but with new two-way bike lanes and a block that will remain pedestrian only. (City Lab)
- Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority CEO Jeffrey Parker has died in an apparent suicide, stepping in front a train Friday night. (Saporta Report)
- Utah is building a 15-minute city from scratch. (Streetsblog USA)
- An Illinois bill would allow smaller cities outside of Chicago to levy a gas tax for the first time. (WREX)
- San Francisco lowered speed limits on parts of seven streets to 20 miles per hour. (NBC Bay Area)
- Milan is building a 466-mile network of protected bike lanes. (City Lab)
- A citizen-drive plan in Berlin would create the largest car-free zone in the world. (Fast Company)
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
Michigan Bill Would Require Seniors to Regularly Re-Take Their Drivers’ Tests
...but would it really make roads safer?
April 8, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Have Good News and Bad News
Traffic deaths are back down to their pre-pandemic levels, but there is still much work left to be done.
April 8, 2026
How To Push A Livable Streets Project Forward — Even in the Era of Federal Clawbacks
A livable streets superstar is launching a new organization to push forward some of America's most iconic sustainable streets projects — even if Congress is clawing back their funding
April 7, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Take an Axe to Transit
The Trump administration wants to cut transit and rail funding to help pay for the war against Iran.
April 7, 2026
The Financial Costs of the Pedestrian Death Crisis Are Still Stratospheric
The human costs of the pedestrian death crisis are unacceptable even as deaths begin to fall. And the financial costs aren't any better.
April 6, 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.