Streetsblog

Wednesday’s Headlines Guzzle Gas

For all their whining about high gas prices, drivers sure are buying a lot of it. Plus, why infrastructure may have cost Dems the election.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EST on November 9, 2022

As of this writing, many races are still too close to call, but if Democrats lose, it may be because voters aren’t aware of the infrastructure act — one of their signature achievements. (Politico)
High gas prices didn’t stop drivers from setting an all-time high for gasoline usage in fiscal 2022. (Eno Center for Transportation)
In Dublin, bus riders are tired of waiting on “ghost buses” that appear on apps but never show up in real life (Irish Times). It’s a problem in the U.S., too, and the unreliability is costing transit agencies riders (Transit Center).
Transit, walking and biking may be better for the climate, but if electric cars aren’t part of the mix, vast swaths of American suburbia will turn into blight. (CleanTechnica)
Why are slow-moving e-scooters regulated when automakers get to run ads insinuating that speed equals freedom? (Forbes)
Congestion pricing discourages driving, but there may be more progressive ways to achieve that goal. (Current Affairs)
New Jersey turnpike widening opponents have seized on an engineering report that bolsters their case. (NJ.com)
Charlotte’s transportation plans emphasize transit, walking and biking. (ITS International)
After 12 years of planning, a Midtown Atlanta bike lane is finally becoming a reality. (Urbanize Atlanta)
Minneapolis has decided against the city shoveling snow off sidewalks itself, even though one property owner neglecting their responsibility can make a whole block inaccessible. (Axios)
The Maryland DOT is adding a sidewalk along a state highway. (WTOP)
Alexandria is conducting “walk audits” to find pedestrian safety issues around schools. (ALXnow)
More than 1,000 students in the Barcelona area participate in “bicibús,” where children bike to school en masse, stopping to pick up others along the way. (Reasons to Be Cheerful)