Wednesday’s Headlines Would Like to Downsize
Why are drivers killing more pedestrians than they have since 1981? Blame SUVs, "car bloat," automakers' avarice and feckless federal regulators.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on December 20, 2023
- David Zipper in Slate traced the long history of ever-bigger and deadlier pickups and SUVs, from the marketing schemes that convinced the public to ditch station wagons for a more “manly” — and profitable — option to the federal government’s disastrous decision to classify them as commercial trucks for fuel efficiency purposes.
- The Boston Globe sounded a similar theme: That we should be rewarding cyclists and pedestrians by slimming down our streets and vehicles alike.
- Europe is light years ahead of the U.S. in terms of discouraging driving, and The Guardian delved into the various strategies cities like Paris, Barcelona and Brussels are using.
- Bus and train operators are facing quite a few challenges, from new technology (Government Tech) to increased violence (Los Angeles Daily News).
- A robust public transportation system is important for many reasons, but especially for people who are physically unable to drive. (Salon)
- Can AI help cities get people out of their cars by modeling driver behavior? (Reuters)
- NBC Washington interviewed the D.C. Metro’s general manager about the need for a permanent funding source to fill an anticipated $750 million budget shortfall.
- The Pacific Coast Highway literally has a “Dead Man’s Curve,” and four Pepperdine students were just the latest to die there. (CNN)
- Developers of a car-free Tempe community are looking to bring their model to other cities, starting with Mesa and perhaps Atlanta next. (City Lab)
- A small Federal Railroad Administration grant has brought new hope for passenger rail connecting Houston and Dallas. (Texas Monthly)
- Billionaire Dan Gilbert could be the one to lead Detroit to the transit promised land. (Michigan Advance)
- The Maryland Transit Administration is tapping Baltimore high school students who rely on public transportation to serve as advisors. (Fishbowl)
- In case you were wondering, some Austin sidewalks are red to indicate that they’re shared with bikes and scooters. (KUT)
- John Oliver spent half an hour dunking on Elon Musk. (AV Club)
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
Amtrak’s Penn Station Dog And Pony Show Avoided the Only Question That Matters
How much will this thing cost, and who's paying?
June 9, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines’ Goal Is Better Transit
The World Cup could lead to improved transit in U.S. host cities well beyond the end of the tournament.
June 9, 2026
Team Newsom Just Created a Massive Transit Funding Crisis. Now the Legislature Needs to Fix It. Again.
To meet climate goals, Californians need alternatives to cars. Unfortunately, Sacramento just made that job much harder.
June 8, 2026
Why, Robot: Driverless Taxis Spend As Much Time Without Passengers as Normal Taxis, Study Shows
Autonomous car boosters say AVs will reduce vehicle miles traveled. But they don't, a new study finds.
June 8, 2026
Monday’s Good, Bad and Ugly Headlines
For the most part, the BUILD America 250 Act runs contrary to what the American public wants.
June 8, 2026
