Thursday’s Headlines Build Back Better?
The Biden administration's planning grants are a start, but it will take decades and billions more to undo the damage of urban freeways.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on June 1, 2023
- The Biden administration, local officials and residents in dozens of cities are finding out that it’s harder to rebuild Black neighborhoods than it is to send them into decline with an uncrossable highway. (New York Times)
- Americans take just 12 percent of their trips on foot — one of the lowest walking rates in the world primarily due to lack of infrastructure and poor planning. (Big Think)
- State DOTs are increasingly giving cities more leeway to lower local speed limits. (State Smart Transportation Initiative)
- Conspiracy theories aside, the explanation for Trader Joe’s small parking lots is pretty simple: The stores are small, so not much parking is required. (KTLA)
- The ironically named Entitled Cyclist uses social media to document that it’s possible to get around by bike even in Los Angeles, a city built for cars. (NYT)
- A long-awaited study in Los Angeles is expected to recommend congestion pricing to relieve traffic in the car-choked city. (L.A. Times)
- Newly elected Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson should invest in slow streets and transit. (Crain’s Chicago Business)
- A $750 million waterfront development in Seattle does not include a safe path for cyclists. (Seattle Times)
- Tampa’s latest quick-build complete streets project is on high-injury 14th Street. (WFLA)
- The El Paso streetcar is up and running again after being shut down for a month in response to an influx of migrants. (Herald-Post)
- Drivers still have outsized influence in Berlin, one of Europe’s least car-dependent cities. (City Lab)
- Brazilian industries want the nation’s 15 largest cities to invest heavily in passenger rail. (Railway Gazette)
- Montreal announced plans to spend $30 million on 53 bike projects. (CTV)
- Drivers are already taking over Toronto’s newest bike lanes. (BlogTO)
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.
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’s Headlines Got Charlie Brown Again
Why won't Democrats punt and then try a field goal if and when they take more power next year?
August 14, 2026
Friday Video: How Red Curbs and Bike Racks Can Save Lives
What is daylighting, and how can cities use it to increase street safety?
August 14, 2026
Trump’s New ‘Roadway Safety Strategy’ Leaves Out The Good Parts
The Trump administration’s new blueprint for improving the nation’s poor road-safety record ignores well-established safety measures and leaves vulnerable road users completely out of the picture — a roadmap that advocates said would not change the ongoing road death crisis that is increasingly unique to the United States.
August 14, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Bikeable Forest Of Texas (Yes, Texas!)
Who knew that there was a town in Texas that even the Dutch would love?
August 13, 2026
Waymo Speaks: We Have More In Common With Urbanists Than You Might Think
The robo-taxi company wants to push back on some recent coverage, so let's have it.
August 13, 2026
