Streetsblog

Tuesday’s Headlines Can’t Drive My Car

Instead of driving less because alternatives like walking and transit are just that great, Gen Z drives less primarily because they make less money.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on March 28, 2023

Younger people are more likely to leave the car at home, but that's often simply because they can't afford a car, according to the Brookings Institute. Photo: Wikipedia

Yes, younger people are driving less than previous generations did at the same age, but it’s probably not because of policy changes or generational preferences. More likely, they just can’t afford a car. (Brookings)
Technology isn’t going to save cities when it comes to getting drivers out of their cars. It will take the hard work of redesigning streets, increasing density and funding transit. (Government Technology)
As the federal government prepares to spend hundreds of billions of dollars on roads, the AARP is urging the Federal Highway Administration to put safety first.
Time interviewed Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, father of 18-month-old twins, about how parenthood has changed his life.
Efforts to ‘improve’ urban freeways like the Claiborne Express in New Orleans are just window dressing that won’t undo the damage those roadways caused to neighborhoods. (Strong Towns)
The Houston Metro put the University Corridor bus rapid transit project on hold over concerns that a concrete overpass would divide neighborhoods. (Houston Public Media)
Northern Virginia residents are suing to stop the expansion of I-495 toll lanes. (DCist)
Tennessee — specifically Nashville, one of the largest U.S. cities without passenger rail — would be a great target for Amtrak expansion. (Route Fifty)
Several Washington state traffic safety bills failed to clear a major legislative deadline. (PubliCola)
A startup that treats its drivers better than Uber and Lyft is challenging those ride-hailing companies in San Francisco. (SFGate)
No more overhead wire? Omaha’s proposed streetcar could be powered by batteries on parts of the route. (WOWT)
West Hartford’s Vision Zero task force is seeking quick-build solutions for street safety. (CT Insider)
Automated traffic enforcement cameras caught Seattle drivers in bus-only lanes 110,000 times last year, issuing 26,000 tickets and 84,000 warnings. (Axios)
Fed up with lack of enforcement on blocked bike lanes, a Seattle guerilla group took matters into their own hands. (Capitol Hill Blog)

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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