Thursday’s Headlines Have an Epiphany
Automakers are starting to realize what Streetsblog has known all along: Many U.S. drivers want a small, inexpensive electric vehicle, but all they're being offered are ginormous cars most of them can't afford.
The Ford F-150 Lightning weighs 6,015 pounds.
- The CEO of major automaker Stellantis acknowledged that electric vehicles are too heavy, too expensive and not efficient enough (Car Buzz). Meanwhile, a top Ford executive also admitted that his company's electric offerings are unaffordable, but he fingered the wrong culprit — according to The American Prospect, it's Ford's decision to produce only trucks and SUVs and the fact that prospective buyers are badly underpaid.
- Much like oil, U.S. demand for EV battery minerals has foreign policy consequences. (Politico)
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg talked up complete streets during a visit to the University of Illinois. (News-Gazette)
- Uber reported its first-ever profitable quarter. (Forbes)
- Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed a compromise bill to put a transportation sales tax extension before metro Phoenix voters this fall (ABC 15). But with Republicans stripping funding for light rail expansion while prioritizing roads, is it really much of a compromise?
- San Francisco is lowering speed limits on 23 streets. (Standard)
- Honolulu bus riders are unhappy that the city transit agency changed some bus routes to accommodate passengers on its newly opened light rail line. (Civil Beat)
- The Southwestern heat wave could have played a role in recent delays on Dallas light rail. (Morning News)
- Trenton officials hope that redesigning State Route 29 will restore access to the Delaware River. (WHYY)
- Cedar Rapids and Iowa City are prioritizing their most vulnerable residents, like immigrants, when making transportation decisions. (The Gazette)
- Meet Boston's "bicycle mayor," whose job is to think about equity, inclusion and safety. (WGBH)
- Many Atlanta refugees were never taught how to ride a bike because it was forbidden in their home countries for women and girls. But now they're learning. (AJC)
Read More:
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday’s Headlines Are Tired Out
Whether it's from degradation or the dust resulting from wear and tear, it's becoming increasingly clear that tire and brake emissions are harmful, perhaps even exceeding tailpipe emissions.
Study: What Road Diets Mean For Older Drivers
"After a road diet, all motorists seem to drive at a rate that feels comfortable to a mildly-impaired older adult."
Op-Ed: Why Is Fare Evasion Punished More Severely than Speeding?
A.B. 819 offers California the opportunity to decriminalize fare evasion and replace punitive measures with more equitable approaches.
Talking Headways Podcast: Local Culture and Development
We chat with Tim Sprague from Phoenix about supporting local culture through development projects and the importance of sustainable development and transportation.
City of Yes Yes Yes! Adams Calls for Elimination of Parking Mandates on ALL New Housing
Mayor Adams today announced the historic end to one of the city’s most antiquated — and despised — zoning laws requiring the construction of parking with every new development.
