Monday’s Headlines Need Better Infrastructure
The lack of investment in infrastructure in the U.S. over the past few decades is costing us all a lot of time and making people very unhappy, according to the New York Times.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on October 23, 2023
- The New York Times Magazine took a deep dive into the cost in time, money and lives of not investing in infrastructure. Following a 100-year burst of ingenuity, travel times have been stagnant or worse since the 1970s, despite long commutes being a primary source of unhappiness among U.S. residents.
- As vehicles become more fuel-efficient or don’t need any gas at all, Congress and state legislators are looking for new ways to fund transportation. (Smart Cities Dive)
- Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman introduced a bill that would provide additional funding for transit during emergencies like the I-95 collapse in Philadelphia. (Transportation Today)
- Since a new California law legalized speed cameras, San Francisco is planning to place 33 of them in school zones and at dangerous intersections. (SFist)
- Should Milwaukee start charging to ride the streetcar? Three quarters of riders would be willing to pay for the fare-free service. (WTMJ)
- Dallas is looking at options for a streetcar line that would provide an essential transit link. (KERA)
- Atlanta Beltline transit advocates are mounting a response to a new NIMBY group. (Axios)
- The Tampa Bay Times editorial board calls on the community to leverage a small federal planning grant into another stab at expanding the region’s transit system.
- Birmingham’s sidewalks are crumbling. (AL.com)
- A Portland State University student calls for the campus to go car-free. (Vanguard)
- Raleigh and Durham have seen an uptick in biking since the start of the pandemic. (Axios)
- Ithica is considering legalizing jaywalking. (Voice)
- One San Diego resident is so upset about a new sidewalk that he used his SUV to block construction. (NBC San Diego)
- Phoenix’s Pantless Light Rail Ride is back. (New Times)
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
Friday’s Headlines: Streetcars Get Mixed Reviews
As Omaha builds a downtown streetcar line, how have similar projects in other cities panned out?
August 21, 2026
New Report Underscores Success of Speed Cameras in Oakland
Speeding is down at camera locations. But advocates caution against relying too much on cameras without concrete infrastructure
August 20, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: How Money for Highways Could Have Built 36 Paris Metros
The money we spent on urban freeways could have transformed American cities for the better.
August 20, 2026
Take Thursday’s Headlines Home, Country Roads
The Trump administration wants to build roads through pristine public lands.
August 20, 2026
A New US-Canada Bridge Opposed By Trump Has a One-of-a-Kind Bike Path
The bike-ped path on the brand new Gordie Howe International Bridge opened on Aug. 5 despite the president's opposition.
August 19, 2026