Streetsblog

Tuesday’s Headlines Are Under Construction

Led by Midwest states, 16,000 road and bridge projects are set to get underway nationwide as Democrats urge spending on repairs and transit instead.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on March 29, 2022

Tuesday’s Headlines Are Under Construction

The federal government funds road construction like the above at four times the amount that it spends on transit. Photo: file

Americans drove less in 2021 than 2020, but traffic deaths still reached their highest level since 2005 (Consumer Affairs). Pedestrian deaths are up 46 percent over the past decade (U.S. PIRG).
U.S. states are moving forward with 16,000 road and bridge projects this year, 20 percent of which are new construction. (World Highways)
Gas tax cuts and rebates reward affluent drivers with gas-guzzling vehicles and disincentivize electric vehicles, transit, walking and biking. (Reuters)
A UK judge granted Uber a 30-month license to operate in London, ending a battle with the city over safety protocols (BBC). Meanwhile, a New York City rideshare driver writes about how Uber and Lyft can do more to keep drivers, not just passengers, safe (USA Today).
A bill signed by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee will ban the sale of most new non-electric vehicles in the state by 2030. (NBC News)
Georgia Republicans want to use federal infrastructure funding to build more highways, while Democrats are urging them to spend it on maintenance and transit. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser wants to triple the number of cameras that catch drivers who speed, run red lights, pass school buses and illegally use bike and bus lanes. (Washington Post)
Commuter rail ridership is rebounding in Boston, where it’s hit 49 percent of pre-pandemic levels after falling to 12 percent a year ago. (CommonWealth)
San Francisco’s Van Ness bus rapid transit line is finally ready to roll after 27 years. (Chronicle)
A Charlotte fare-capping proposal would let transit users ride for free once they’ve paid individual fares equal to the cost of an $88 monthly pass. (WFAE)
A Las Vegas mom whose 12-year-old was killed by a driver while walking home from school is putting up “sacred shoe” memorials where pedestrians have died. (KATV)

Blake Aued

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.

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