Thursday’s Headlines Are Plowing Ahead
Psychologists looked at various personality traits that make people neighborly and found that — shocker — people who bike or walk care more about their community than drivers.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on November 2, 2023
- A recent study in the Journal for Environmental Psychology found that cyclists and pedestrians are more interested in the common good, which is not surprising because people on bikes or on foot interact with their surroundings rather than view them through a windshield. (Velo, StreetsblogNYC)
- A Republican appropriations bill in the U.S. House would cut Amtrak funding by two-thirds and block more federal grants for California high-speed rail (Trains, Reuters). The White House opposes the bill, which is also unlikely to make it past the Democrat-controlled Senate.
- As safety concerns about autonomous vehicles mount, Cruise is suspending all rides without a backup driver, while competitor Waymo is plowing ahead with expansion. (Smart Cities Dive)
- Because darkness comes earlier after the time change, November is the most dangerous month for Louisville cyclists, joggers and pedestrians, and that trend applies to the rest of the U.S. of well. (Courier Journal)
- New Orleans has the highest per-capita rate of cyclists killed by drivers in the U.S., and Axios mapped all five fatal crashes so far this year.
- Two Twin Cities governments reached an agreement on the last of the funding to finally build the long-delayed Green Line. (Construction Dive)
- Seattle needs new rail cars soon, or Sound Transit will start running out of space for riders. (Seattle Times)
- Kansas City voters will go to the polls next week to decide on renewing a tax that provides a third of the city bus system’s funding. (KCUR)
- During budget talks, Seattle council members are pushing for more transit ambassadors and a pedestrian-friendly Mount Baker redevelopment plan, but not streetcar funding (The Urbanist). However, the Cultural Connector streetcar could revitalize the city’s arts and entertainment district (KUOW).
- The Milwaukee streetcar’s L-line is now open. (CBS 58)
- Winston-Salem officials are walking the streets to see firsthand if they’re safe. (Triad City Beat)
- Madrid now has a way to measure the carbon footprint of public transportation. (Eltis)
- A Montreal Gazette columnist took a spill off his bike and wound up in a U.S. hospital, where he was very happy with his treatment — until he saw the bill.
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:
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday Video: RIP, The D.C. Streetcar
Advocates are mourning the loss of the D.C. streetcar ... but they'e not entirely sad to see it die.
April 10, 2026
You’re Authorized to Read Friday’s Headlines
An important federal transportation funding bill is in the works. Here's what to look out for.
April 10, 2026
Review: ’60 Minutes’ Take On High-Speed Rail Ignored Facts And Offered Nothing New
When 60 Minutes announced a segment on high-speed rail construction in the United States,I feared the worst. What I got was unexpected.
April 9, 2026
Trump Wants to Slash Federal Funding for Public Transit, Rail (Again)
The president’s proposed budget threatens transit projects across the country.
April 9, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are the Taxman
Suspending gas taxes might be politically popular, but it doesn't save drivers money and takes away funding for infrastructure.
April 9, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.