Friday’s Headlines Are Getting Safer
Here are all the things cities are spending federal grants for safe streets on.
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EDT on May 12, 2023
- Cities nationwide are using $5 billion in federal safe-streets funding to right-size roads, build pedestrian islands, add protected bike lanes and more. (Governing)
- Transit agencies cannot continue to use a policing-only approach to houselessness and mental health. (Transit Center)
- Cities should use rebates, parking, charging stations and other methods to encourage the use of e-bikes. (Greater Greater Washington)
- The New York Times reviews Henry Grabar’s new book about America’s obsession with parking, “Paved Paradise.”
- The California government should bail out struggling Bay Area transit systems. (Sacramento Bee)
- Three Republican-appointed federal appeals court judges ruled that Nashville can’t force developers to build or pay for sidewalks. (Courthouse News)
- Minnesota’s new transportation budget is good news for transit and active transportation. (Minnesota Public Radio)
- Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed a law increasing penalties for reckless driving. (Wis Politics)
- A Charlotte-area county has dropped out of the region’s transit system. (WFAE)
- A Kansas City streetcar extension is gaining momentum. (Flatland KC)
- An Illinois bill would allow Uber and Lyft passengers to sue those companies if they’re sexually assaulted by a driver. (WGN)
- The Federal Transit Administration gave the green light to a San Antonio bus rapid transit line. (Metro Magazine)
- A Massachusetts congressman wants to build high-speed rail all over the state. (Smart Cities Dive)
- Oklahoma City is planning a road diet on six-lane Classen Boulevard. (KOCO)
- Connecticut has seen a spike in hit-and-run drivers injuring or killing cyclists and pedestrians. (NBC Connecticut)
- Santa Fe’s bus system is a mess. (Reporter)
- Tucson transit will remain fare-free for the rest of the year. (Arizona Daily Star)
- When it comes to bike lanes, one candidate for mayor of Toronto is wrong and stupid, and the other is not. (Bicycling)
- The only thing better than riding a streetcar is drinking a beer while riding a streetcar. (Daily Hive)
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
Friday Video: Take Transit to the World Cup … If You Can Afford It
Why are some cities forced to charge high fares to World Cup visitors who want to take the train, while others are giving away rides nearly for free?
May 1, 2026
Good Public Transit + Good Public Funding = Good Public Health
Transit agencies need to do more to remind policy makers of the connection between good public transportation and good public health, a report argues.
May 1, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Walk Warily
Don't be fooled by declining statistics. Walking in the U.S. is still too dangerous.
May 1, 2026
Boston’s New Climate Plan Is At Odds With Boston’s New Transportation Policies
Mayor Wu's climate plan calls on the city to cut traffic and "transform" its transportation system, but City Hall leadership is cancelling and delaying projects that would actually accomplish those goals.
April 30, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Logistics of Package Delivery
Benjamin Fong on out how e-commerce companies like Amazon have built their logistics systems and the difficulty of last-mile delivery.
April 30, 2026
