- Cyclist and pedestrian deaths have skyrocketed in the U.S. over the past 20 years — an anomaly among developed nations — and the victims are disproportionately Black and Hispanic. For decades governments prioritized wide roads in poor and minority neighborhoods that outsiders can speed through, and neglected to invest in safety. (New York Times)
- Two-mile long freight trains often block intersections for hours, requiring children who walk to school to risk their lives climbing over a train that could start at any time or stay home. (ProPublica)
- Automakers pretty much refuse to sell small cars and trucks in the U.S., believing Americans don't want them. So rural farmers are importing tiny pickups from Japan. (The Economist; paywall)
- "Desire paths" trampled by people where there are no paved paths help urban planners understand how to build better public spaces. (Australian Broadcasting Corp.)
- California transit agencies and sympathetic legislators unveiled a five-year, $5 billion budget proposal to keep transit from going over a fiscal cliff. (CalMatters)
- The Culver City council removed a protected bike lane from a downtown safety pilot program that was widely watched in the L.A. region. (LAist)
- The "pause" on Philadelphia's King of Prussia rail line is also an opportunity to draw riders back by improving existing transit service. (Governing)
- Gov. Maura Healey hired the Massachusetts DOT's first-ever chief safety officer. (Boston Herald)
- Miami planners are floating a plan to turn U.S. Highway 1 into a boulevard with traffic calming measures and a bike path. (Miami Today)
- A light rail crash near Denver in March was likely caused by the operator falling asleep, according to a state investigation. (Colorado Public Radio)
- A Charlotte Magazine writer tried riding the bus and found it slow and frustrating, as did many of her fellow passengers.
- Lisbon is the latest city to ban car traffic through downtown, if only temporarily. (City Lab)
Streetsblog
Thursday’s Headlines Reap What We Sowed
By Blake Aued
A Detroit family walks down a street with no sidewalks.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Off Campus: Students Are Boosting Public Transit as Key to Affordability
One constituency is doubling-down on its support, even, in one recent case, taxing itself to bolster service.
June 12, 2025
Thursday’s Headlines Are a Disco Inferno
Senate Republicans want cars to "burn, baby, burn" more gasoline.
June 12, 2025
Greenlining Institute’s Hana Creger Talks How To Win Hearts and Minds on Climate
Do you want to start winning? Creger recommends better messaging.
Empty Bike and Bus Lanes Are A Feature, Not a Bug
People stuck in a car in a lane next to a bus or bike lane shouldn’t be mad at the bus or the bike lane. If they had access to the bus or bike lane, it, too, would quickly clog with cars and trucks.
June 11, 2025
Empty Bike and Bus Lanes Are A Feature, Not a Bug
People stuck in a car in a lane next to a bus or bike lane shouldn’t be mad at the bus or the bike lane. If they had access to the bus or bike lane, it, too, would quickly clog with cars and trucks.
