Monday’s Headlines Want to Be Denser
Cities aren't as dense as they used to be. Plus, redeveloping malls, the supply-chain impact on electric bus manufacturers and more headlines.
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EST on March 7, 2022
- Density is important for effective transit, but only 12 of the 50 largest U.S. cities are as dense as the average city in the 1950s, due to federal policies favoring highways. And those cities only achieved that density by directing it to certain areas while allowing sprawl elsewhere. (Governing)
- There are all kinds of options for redeveloping vacant malls and their vast parking lots, from apartments and condos to offices to breweries and theme parks. (Route Fifty)
- Inflation and supply-chain problems are hitting electric bus manufacturers. (Smart Cities Dive)
- Although the expected post-pandemic eviction wave never happened, one major Midwestern rental housing company is using the threat of evictions to jack up rents. (City Lab)
- Blowback from San Diego’s proposed road usage fee, which would help pay for a $160 billion regional transit expansion plan, has turned politics in the heavily Democratic city upside down. Turns out that, even if people want to stop climate change, they don’t want to pay for it. (Time)
- San Diego State scientists are researching ways to recycle used electric-vehicle batteries, a potentially major environment threat as EVs proliferate. (KPBS)
- A $2.3 billion Red Line extension could jump-start development on Chicago’s South Side. (The Real Deal)
- Colorado Springs may get a new mixed-use multimodal transportation center downtown. (Colorado Public Radio)
- Can transit agency MARTA sell bus rapid transit as a cheaper alternative to light rail in historically underserved Southwest Atlanta? (AJC)
- The Bay Area has 15 million parking spaces, two for every resident, showing the disconnect between the region’s progressive reputation and its land-use policies. (Examiner)
- The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia has suggestions for improving a compromise on the controversial redesign of Washington Avenue.
- Austin approved $41 million to build affordable housing and prevent displacement as it gears up for the $7 billion Project Connect transit expansion. (KXAN)
- Phoenix is working to prevent gentrification along the South Central line rail extension. (KJZZ)
- It’s not just light rail: Minnesota lawmakers have audit fever. (MPR)
- Giddyup! Houston created a pop-up bike lane to help people get to last weekend’s rodeo and livestock show. (Chronicle)
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: Take Transit to the World Cup … If You Can Afford It
Why are some cities forced to charge high fares to World Cup visitors who want to take the train, while others are giving away rides nearly for free?
May 1, 2026
Good Public Transit + Good Public Funding = Good Public Health
Transit agencies need to do more to remind policy makers of the connection between good public transportation and good public health, a report argues.
May 1, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Walk Warily
Don't be fooled by declining statistics. Walking in the U.S. is still too dangerous.
May 1, 2026
Boston’s New Climate Plan Is At Odds With Boston’s New Transportation Policies
Mayor Wu's climate plan calls on the city to cut traffic and "transform" its transportation system, but City Hall leadership is cancelling and delaying projects that would actually accomplish those goals.
April 30, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Logistics of Package Delivery
Benjamin Fong on out how e-commerce companies like Amazon have built their logistics systems and the difficulty of last-mile delivery.
April 30, 2026
