Streetsblog

Thursday’s Headlines: RIP Norman Mineta

The former Bush administration transportation secretary has died. Plus, there are better ways for California to spend a tax surplus than handouts to drivers.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on May 5, 2022

Former Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta has died (CNN). President Clinton made him the first Asian-American Cabinet member in U.S. history, and he is remembered for helping create the TSA after 9/11 under President George W. Bush. But Mineta was also a strong advocate for mass transit as the mayor of San Jose and as a congressman (San Jose Spotlight).
A Biden administration carbon-reduction program could help long-haul truckers go electric. (The Trucker)
Maybe California should spend its massive tax surplus on things like transit and housing, rather than rebates to drivers. (Los Angeles Times)
Good policy aside, gas prices remain a wedge issue, as vulnerable Democratic New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan is breaking with President Biden on the issue. (The Hill)
D.C. Circulator drivers are going on strike. (Washington Post)
Washington state transit is about to go fare-free for riders 18 and under. (The Columbian)
The Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is now considering potential bus rapid transit routes, rather than light rail, on the Clifton Corridor to Emory University. (Saporta Report)
Austin transit leaders released a proposed route for the Orange light rail line. (KXAN)
An urban freeway in Milwaukee, Highway 175, could be razed and replaced with a boulevard. (Milwaukee Magazine)
It took drivers killing three pedestrians within an hour in Utah for the Deseret News to wonder if it’s finally time to get serious about road safety.
Hillsborough County, Florida, is poised to spend $20 million on sidewalk repair, but that’s not much when 900 neighborhoods are on the list. (Fox 13)
Cincinnati has several bike lane projects underway. (Fox 19)
North Carolina transit agency GoTriangle has finally provided a reckoning on how it spent $157 million for a failed light rail project. (Durham Herald-Sun)
A Swedish study found that the sleep and mood of residents was improved when a city switched from diesel hybrid to quieter fully electric buses. (Green Car Congress)

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.

Streetsblog

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

Accessibility

‘Diversity’ in Transportation Planning is Under Attack — But These Experts Say It’s More Important Now Than Ever

Minority-owned planning firms are as essential as they ever were, these four top experts argue — no matter what the White House says.

Steve Wright

September 23, 2026

Safety

Transgender Americans Harassed on Transit at High Rate, But Problem Goes Unrecognized: Study

Nearly 6 in 10 transgender respondents in a new study say that they've faced harassment onboard.

Ren Zaro Fitzgerald

September 23, 2026

Where the Battles Against Harmful Highways and Hyper-Scale Data Centers Collide

Hyperscale AI data centers and highways are both harmful forms of fossil fuel infrastructure that get built without much community input — and it's time to fight back against both, one of our favorite podcasters argues.