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Wednesday’s Headlines Go Underground

Why won't Elon Musk use his tunnel borers to help build subways? Because he hates transit and loves selling cars.

By Blake Aued

12:00 AM EDT on May 10, 2023

Photo: The Boring Company

Elon Musk’s Boring Tunnels would be useful if they lowered the cost of building subways, but instead he just wants to sell more Teslas by pitching them as an alternative to aboveground roads. (Business Insider)
More from “Paved Paradise” author Henry Grabar: One reason the U.S. has a housing shortage is that NIMBYs often use parking as a substitute for arguments based on race and class (NPR). But getting rid of parking minimums alone won’t lead to more affordable housing, or even less driving (Curbed).
Living a low-carbon lifestyle in the developed world is hard, but ditching your car and avoiding air travel is a good start. (BBC)
For decades, Oakland officials intentionally routed high-traffic and truck routes to and located heavy industries in Black neighborhoods, leading to widespread health problems. (Washington Post)
Florida legislators have passed a bill allowing roads to be built using — we kid you not — radioactive fertilizer waste. (WFTV)
In Georgia, regulators will vote soon on whether to allow power plants to burn scrap tires. (AJC)
Gov. Maura Healey says the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is safe to use, but its stations have fallen into disrepair. (Boston Globe)
The Dallas city council is set to vote next week on whether to support the Texas DOT’s plan to bury a portion of I-345. (D Magazine)
Cincinnati is considering lowering speed limits on some residential streets from 35 to 25, now that the state allows the city to do so. (WLWT)
Boise’s Valley Regional Transit is considering sacrificing little-used bus routes to beef up service on busier ones. (KTVB)
Low-emissions zones in Europe are proven to reduce emissions within them, and vehicles that divert around them aren’t making pollution worse elsewhere. (The Guardian)
A Montreal suburb is testing a traffic light that only turns green for drivers who aren’t speeding. (Streetsblog MASS)

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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