Tuesday’s Headlines Have Gone Country
Safe and sustainable transportation isn't just an urban issue: The one-fifth of Americans who live in rural areas — a more diverse group than commonly realized — account for half of all traffic deaths.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on August 1, 2023
- People in rural communities are just as likely to walk as urban residents if they have safe and accessible options, according to a new Smart Growth America report. About 1 million rural U.S. households lack a car, and for them it’s challenging to visit the doctor or go shopping.
- A driver killed 17-year-old U.S. cycling team member Magnus White while he was biking near his home in Boulder. (ESPN)
- Bills to regulate self-driving cars have been languishing in Congress for six years. (The Verge)
- The New York Times blames e-bike riders for getting run over by drivers. (Electrek)
- The Washington Post editorial board supports D.C. using cameras to enforce traffic laws.
- Metro San Diego’s top transportation planner is leaving after five years in which he pushed for transit expansion and measures to cut traffic congestion. (Union-Tribune)
- Also from the Post: Northern Virginia’s Fairfax County is considering reducing minimum parking requirements to encourage affordable housing and limit stormwater runoff from parking lots.
- Milwaukee streetcar ridership has risen year-over-year for 27 months straight. (Urban Milwaukee)
- Seattle residents successfully pushed the city to include more safety improvements when it repaves 15th Avenue NW. (The Urbanist)
- Pittsburgh is looking to lower costs for property owners to repair sidewalks by having city crews do the work instead of private contractors. (Trib Live)
- A Greater Portland bus rapid transit line will feature service every 10 to 20 minutes. (Maine Public)
- Despite being nicknamed the Motor City, Detroit has a strong biking culture. (Michigan Radio)
- A new Tempe development is the first car-free neighborhood in the U.S. (Momentum Mag)
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:
More from Streetsblog USA
How DC’s Mayor and Council Chair Thwarted Every Effort to Better Its Streetcar
There are two reasons why D.C. doesn't have the streetcar system it was promised — and their names are Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson, one urbanist argues.
March 26, 2026
An Ounce of Prevention Is Worth a Pound of Thursday’s Headlines
There's so much the U.S. could have done to insulate residents from spiraling gas prices, other than suspend taxes.
March 26, 2026
Why Cities Need More ‘Agile’ Streets
When projects are routed through a full capital-improvement workflow, solutions tend toward expensive, permanent interventions — not alternatives that might achieve 80 percent of the benefit at 10 percent of the cost.
March 26, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Feel Pain at the Pump
High gas prices are likely to persist, and people will be driving less in response.
March 25, 2026
D.C. Advocates Sue To Save Key Bike Lane From Trump Teardown
We previously reported that the Trump administration might soon move to dismantle key cycle tracks in the nation's capital. Unfortunately, we were right.
March 24, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.