Wednesday’s Headlines Have Ample Parking
Car storage has eaten up big chunks of many cities. Some of those cities are starting to wise up.
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EDT on March 29, 2023
- The average U.S. city devotes a fifth of its prime downtown real estate to parking. The problem varies by size and density — Des Moines has as many parking spaces as Seattle — but it’s making cities less walkable everywhere. (Big Think)
- The good news is, the parking reform movement is spreading. More than 30 cities have repealed parking mandates in 2023, already matching 2022. (CNU Public Square)
- Sprawl isn’t the will of the people or the result of the free market. It was created by government subsidies favoring automobiles. (Planetizen)
- The Federal Transit Administration is making available $212 million in federal grants for transit agencies affected by natural disasters. (Smart Cities Dive)
- Texas is considering adopting variable speed limits on highways, which the National Transportation Safety Board said could have prevented a 2021 pile-up that killed six people. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
- In a debate over the meaning of equity, Seattle’s Sound Transit is revising its plans for the Ballard Link to axe a station in Chinatown at the expense of connectivity for riders. (The Urbanist)
- The feds’ recent rejection of Philadelphia’s King of Prussia rail line should wake up the SEPTA board to mismanagement. (Billy Penn)
- Understaffing at Pittsburgh’s new Department of Mobility and Infrastructure is causing delays on construction and repair projects. (WESA)
- A Minnesota tax on ride-hailing and delivery fees would address a shortage of transportation funding due to declining gas taxes. (MinnPost)
- With nearly a billion dollars worth of unpaid tickets, Washington, D.C. isn’t holding drivers accountable. (WUSA)
- A garbage truck crashed into Milwaukee’s streetcar. (Journal Sentinel)
- Berlin is more than doubling the length of its passenger rail system, extending all nine lines in all directions, over the objections of leftist critics who associate subways with Nazis. (Pedestrian Observations)
- Coventry, England is testing its new ultra-light-rail system. (Cities Today)
- Public transportation has been fare-free in Luxembourg for three years and counting. (Euronews)
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:
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday Video: RIP, The D.C. Streetcar
Advocates are mourning the loss of the D.C. streetcar ... but they'e not entirely sad to see it die.
April 10, 2026
You’re Authorized to Read Friday’s Headlines
An important federal transportation funding bill is in the works. Here's what to look out for.
April 10, 2026
Trump Wants to Slash Federal Funding for Public Transit, Rail (Again)
The president’s proposed budget threatens transit projects across the country.
April 9, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are the Taxman
Suspending gas taxes might be politically popular, but it doesn't save drivers money and takes away funding for infrastructure.
April 9, 2026
Michigan Bill Would Require Seniors to Regularly Re-Take Their Drivers’ Tests
...but would it really make roads safer?
April 8, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.