Tuesday’s Headlines Living the Van Life
For small towns that can't support fixed-route transit, Uber-style microtransit can provide affordable rides for those who can't or don't want to drive.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on September 19, 2023
- Current Affairs critiques the popular urban planning website Strong Towns’ supposedly anti-car philosophy as libertarianism dressed up in progressive garb.
- Although it’s not great for big cities, microtransit can be a solution for small towns that lack the density or population to support fixed-route buses, ABC News argues.
- Nashville Mayor-elect Freddie O’Connell got his start in transportation advocacy, then politics, after his car broke down and he started riding the bus. (Axios)
- The Los Angeles suburb of Pico Rivera is pitching a 26-mile bus rapid transit line to connect a massive downtown development to regional rail. (Urbanize LA)
- The L.A. Metro is expanding priority bus lanes in West Hollywood. (CBS News)
- Sound Transit’s Tacoma streetcar opened for business last weekend. (Seattle Times)
- Memphis is the fourth-deadliest city for walking in the U.S., with 37 pedestrian deaths so far this year. (ABC 24)
- A College of Charleston professor says the school has dropped its opposition to a bike lane near campus. (Post and Courier)
- The South Florida city of Hollywood has plans for bike lanes and multi-use paths along two major streets. (Miami Herald)
- Boulder has completed its first fully protected intersection. (Beat)
- Arlington, Texas, is considering repealing a 2005 ban on motorized scooters. (KERA)
- Capital Bikeshare usage hit an all-time high in Alexandria last July. (ALX)
- Cincinnati’s streetcar also continues to break ridership records as it enters its eighth year. (Local 12)
- A Colorado cop who let a handcuffed suspect get hit by a train was sentenced to probation and community service. (Denver Post)
- Drivers have figured out a San Francisco center bike lane about as well as you’d expect. (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:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
OPINION: U.S. Should Scale Autonomous Vehicles Thoughtfully, Not Slam the Brakes
Streetsblog is skeptical that AVs will move the needle on car dependence. But our recent coverage has spurred many AV boosters to demand equal time. So today, we present one such piece.
July 31, 2026
‘Flock Off’: Mass Surveillance Surge Jeopardizes Lifesaving Crash Reduction Strategy
A surveillance company's controversial business model has made traffic enforcement look bad by association. The effects could cost hundreds of lives.
July 30, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are Third Spaces
What happened to the neighborhood pub or indie coffee shop? They became places you drive past rather than walk to.
July 30, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Cut to the Bone
Transit and rail only get a small share of the federal highway trust fund as is, and the Trump administration now wants to take away that.
July 29, 2026