- U.S. PIRG released its annual list of highway boondoggles, including several projects being pushed forward by the Biden administration's infrastructure act. An ongoing Streetsblog series breaks down each project in-depth.
- The Biden administration's "fix it first" infrastructure philosophy primarily benefits whiter, rural states because it pays to maintain roads that, under a more equitable approach, would never have been built in the first place, Eno Center for Transportation argues.
- Rather than the proven approach of designing safer streets, state officials are leaning on police and automated traffic enforcement to curb rising road deaths. Both pose problems, like disproportionately punishing low-income drivers. (Stateline)
- Various billionaires' plans to build "smart cities" from scratch haven't gone anywhere. (Smart Cities Dive)
- Car dealers really do not want to sell electric vehicles. (Clean Technica)
- Los Angeles is bracing for a traffic nightmare — when is L.A. traffic not a nightmare? — after arson shut down a portion of I-10 (City Lab), However, when such things happen, people generally figure out other ways to get around. Meanwhile, apparently setting freeways on fire is the best way to convince L.A. to boost transit service.
- Miami's new bus routes prioritize connecting people and jobs. (Human Transit)
- Houston is planning to build 2,000 new bus shelters over the next five years. (Mass Transit)
- Decatur, Georgia is a pedestrian-friendly town, but drivers injured four people in four separate crashes there in one day. Authorities blamed distracted driving. (AJC)
- Seattle Transit Blog took a deep dive into the West Seattle light rail line.
- British Columbia is considering a bill to provide 100,000 new homes near transit stations. (CBC)
- Overnight trains are making a comeback in Europe as an alternative to flights. (CNN)
Today's Headlines
Wednesday’s Headlines About the Biggest Boondoggles
Why are we still expanding highways in the year of our lord, 2023?

U.S. PIRG listed replacing the Interstate Bridge over the Columbia River between Oregon and Washington as one of its 2023 boondoggles.
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Thursday’s Headlines Are Charged Up for the Fourth
The Republican megabill is bad for the electric vehicle industry, but it could be worse.
Why is the Secretary of Transportation Begging Americans to Take More Road Trips?
Instead of making America easier to see on all modes, the US Department of Transportation is encouraging U.S. residents to just get in their cars and drive.
Wednesday’s Headlines Are for the Children
From mothers with babies in strollers to preteens on bikes, much of the U.S. is hostile to families just trying to get around without a car.
Trump Priorities Spark Sudden Reorganization of Key Transportation Research Body
"It's [an] unprecedented overreach into science."
Ambulance Data Reveals That Boston Drivers Are 4 Times More Likely to Run Over Pedestrians From Black Neighborhoods
"Overall, residents of predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods are about four times more likely than residents of predominantly white neighborhoods to be struck as a pedestrian."
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.