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.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on August 31, 2023

Convincing most automakers to use Tesla’s chargers was a big win for the Biden administration.

|Wolfram Burner

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)