- Electric vehicles are only better for the environment for people who drive a lot. That's because they consume more resources to build, and it takes tens of thousands of miles for the benefits of not burning fossil fuels to outweigh the manufacturing process. (Harvard Gazette)
- Sidewalks make communities safer and improve social ties, yet most cities neglect them, devoting just one percent of their infrastructure budgets to pedestrian paths. (Governing)
- The City Fix debunks myths about car-free streets, like that they inconvenience drivers and just push the problem somewhere else.
- Technology like transit signal priority helps trains and buses stay on time. (MinnPost)
- Data from the New York City DOT shows that speed cameras do indeed slow down drivers. (Streetsblog NYC)
- Colorado's version of "cash for clunkers" will give car owners $6,000 toward the purchase of an EV or hybrid for turning in their gas-guzzler. (Colorado Public Radio)
- Austin is combining investment in transit with land-use reform to increase the density served by transit. (Monitor)
- Maryland is rethinking how the state prioritizes funding for local transportation, which hopefully should result in fewer road projects than under the Larry Hogan administration. (Maryland Matters)
- Albuquerque officials are wondering whether they'll get the electric buses they ordered now that manufacturer Proterra has declared bankruptcy. (Governing)
- Transportation options are growing in Tampa Bay. (83 Degrees)
- Capitol Hill Seattle profiles Tom Fucoloro, the founder of Seattle Bike Blog whose book about the history of cycling in Seattle is out now.
- London is expanding its low-emissions zone where driving is restricted to cover the entire city, including some parts that still have less-than-ideal transit service. (Reuters)
- Vienna is exploring whether transit riders are willing to double as parcel delivery people, which could cut truck trips into the city. (Eltis)
Today's Headlines
Thursday’s Headlines Are Powered Up
Are electric vehicles really better for the environment? Depends on how much you drive. Folks who leave their cars in the garage most of the time are better off with internal combustion.

Congress nixed an electric vehicle tax credit at the president’s request, which will make Teslas more expensive next year. Image: Wolfram Burner
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Tuesday’s Sprawling Headlines
Sprawl seems to be having a moment, but it remains a very shortsighted and environmentally disastrous way to solve the housing crisis.
Does Constant Driving Really Make Our Country Richer?
A new study reveals that constant driving is making America less productive and prosperous — and getting people on other modes could help right the ship.
‘We’re Not Copenhagen’ Is No Excuse Not to Build a Great Biking And Walking City
A team of researchers identified eight under-the-radar cities leading the local active transportation revolution — and a menu of strategies that other communities can and should steal.
Monday’s Headlines, Ranked
New reports rank the best cities for biking and the best complete streets policies. Plus, the robotaxi wars have begun.
Washington State Is About To Have the First Pro-‘Woonerf’ Law in America
Washington state is making it legal for cities to have people-centered streets in a first-in-the-nation law.
Friday’s Headlines Are Doomed
Philadelphia transit is falling off the fiscal cliff, with other major cities not far behind. And the effects of service cuts on their economies could be brutal.