Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Today's Headlines

Friday’s Headlines Have Bad News and Bad News

Two rather pessimistic stories wonder whether the U.S. will ever rid itself of the car death cult.

  • We know how to stem the tide of needless traffic deaths in the U.S. — redesign streets and regulate vehicle size. It's just that bureaucratic inertia and industry lobbyists prevent us from doing it. (The American Prospect)
  • Can city planners ever halt, let alone reverse, the car-centric sprawl of the past 100 years? (Deseret News)
  • Recognizing the often hidden costs of being stuck in traffic, the National Review urges conservatives to be open-minded about congestion pricing.
  • A new survey found that three-quarters of Americans would pay more for a house in a walkable neighborhood. The percentage drops with age, though, from 92 percent among Gen Z to 56 percent for the Silent or Greatest generation. (Realtor Magazine)
  • Trucks drive 175 billion miles each year in the U.S., and between a fifth and a third of those miles, they are empty. (Transport Topics)
  • The California budget deal still leaves Bay Area transit agencies $60 million short. (SFBay)
  • A short circuit probably caused an accident that killed a Boston train rider last year, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. (Railway Age)
  • A venture capitalist tried to talk Austin into spending $2.6 billion on a network of tunnels built by Elon Musk's Boring Company. (Fortune)
  • Denver cyclists can now register their bikes with the city to help identify them if they're stolen and recovered. (Denverite)
  • Kansas City's transit agency has dropped plans to build a transit-oriented high-rise and dissolved its development arm. (Flatland)
  • St. Louis has plans to improve 10 of its most dangerous intersections. (Post-Dispatch)
  • While some cities consider banning new drive-throughs, walkup windows are already popular in Minneapolis and St. Paul. (MinnPost)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Friday Video: Are We All Living in a ‘Carspiracy’?

How does "car-brain" shape the way we think about the world — even in relatively bike-friendly countries like the U.K.?

July 26, 2024

Friday’s Headlines Share and Share Alike

Bikeshares, and e-bikes and scooters generally, are becoming more popular. That's led to more injuries, highlighting the need for better infrastructure.

July 26, 2024

What the Heck is Going on With the California E-Bike Incentive Program?

The program's launch has been delayed for two years, and currently "there is no specific timeline" for it. Plus the administrator, Pedal Ahead, is getting dragged, but details are vague.

July 26, 2024

Talking Headways Podcast: Have Cities Run Out of Land?

Chris Redfearn of USC and Anthony Orlando of Cal Poly Pomona on why "pro-business" Texas housing markets are catching up to "pro-regulation" California and what it might mean for future city growth.

July 25, 2024

The Paris Plan for Olympic Traffic? Build More Bike Lanes

A push to make Paris fully bikable for the Olympics is already paying dividends long before the opening ceremonies.

July 25, 2024
See all posts