Wednesday’s Headlines Are Half Empty
Much like many subways, which still haven't recovered from the pandemic due to working from home, maskless riders and fears of crime.
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EST on January 4, 2023
- Three years after the start of the pandemic, half of U.S. subway riders haven’t returned even as other aspects of life return to normal. (The Hill)
- City Lab compiled examples from all over the world of “open streets” created during the pandemic that have been made permanent.
- Elon Musk’s Twitter misadventures are having an impact on Tesla, with the company selling fewer vehicles than expected last quarter. (New York Times)
- A “silver tsunami” is about to hit transit agencies, with half of bus maintenance workers expected to retire in the next three to five years. (Route Fifty)
- If we’re going to have parking lots, why not cover them all with solar panels? (CNET)
- Drivers killed 313 people in the Washington, D.C. region last year, the second straight year with over 300 traffic deaths. (DCist)
- Reviving the Red Line light rail project is just one part of bringing equity and local control to Baltimore transit. (Governing)
- Denver’s on-demand microtransit service is helping residents without cars who live in far-flung car-centric neighborhoods. (Denver Post)
- The Charleston Post and Courier praises the South Carolina DOT for no longer treating cyclists and pedestrians like afterthoughts.
- A car website argues that cars are people, too — two people, in fact. (Jalopnik)
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
New E-Mobility Study Actually Reveals Need For Safer Streets, Not E-Bike Crackdowns
A new look into emergency room data at one Manhattan hospital shows a need for more infrastructure, despite what you might have read elsewhere.
April 24, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Thrive With Women in Charge
Mayors like Barcelona's Ada Colau, Montreal's Valerie Plante and Anne Hidalgo in Paris transformed their cities.
April 24, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Urban Truth Collective
Tom Flood, Grant Ennis and Brent Toderian of the Urban Truth Collective discuss pushing back on falsehoods and conspiracies through positive messaging around cities.
April 23, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Shout, Shout, Let It All Out
A public input process that engages all stakeholders early on but doesn't drag out is the key to holding down costs for transit projects, according to the Urban Institute.
April 23, 2026
Judge Blocks Trump Admin’s Attempt to Demolish D.C. Bike Lane
But advocates across America aren't letting their guard down about the future of sustainable infrastructure in their own communities.
April 23, 2026