Tuesday’s Headlines Power Down
In an election-year deal with automakers and unions, the Biden administration is backing off ambitious plans to encourage electric vehicle production, according to the New York Times.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on February 20, 2024
- The Biden administration is backing off new EPA rules requiring automakers to sharply curtail tailpipe emissions, and will instead let them roll out electric vehicles more slowly through 2030. (New York Times)
- An analysis of federal data found that when drivers pause at an intersection, they’re 47 percent less likely to hit a pedestrian. (SFGate)
- A Seattle resident who walks five miles a day asks, why do pedestrians have to bear the brunt of keeping themselves safe? (Seattle Times)
- The publisher of BikePortland says the city has failed to address a crisis of unsafe streets despite being well aware of the dangers.
- Walking in Los Angeles is so dangerous that more pedestrians were killed last year on Vermont Avenue than in the entire state of Vermont — and advocates for Measure HLA are using that fact to urge voters to force the city to build better infrastructure. (Business Insider)
- Seattle advocates are pushing for an eight-year, $3 billion transportation levy to add new bus and bike lanes, fill in sidewalk gaps and make other upgrades. (The Urbanist)
- A $317 million federal grant will help the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority replace aging rail cars. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
- The head of Boston’s Chamber of Commerce, a former MBTA official, is skeptical of new taxes to fund the transit agency. (Mass Transit)
- Austin is applying for federal funding to close its busiest transit corridor, Guadalupe Street, to cars. (Daily Texan)
- The bike group Propel ATL is pushing for a two-way cycle track on harrowing five-lane Memorial Drive. (Urbanize Atlanta)
- Pittsburgh Regional Transit is simplifying its fare system. (Union Progress)
- Looking for a folding bike? Momentum Mag has six recommendations.
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
What If All Cars Were Autonomous, Electric, and Free?
Can we really solve the problems of car dominance just by making cars less destructive?
April 14, 2026
“Why Do We Do This Bill?”: Preparing Congressional Staff for Surface Transportation Reauthorization
A top advocacy organization is preparing Congress to take a critical look at the upcoming transportation reauthorization — and it's not easy.
April 14, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Try, Try Again
Maybe another climate conference can succeed on phasing out fossil fuels where COP30 failed.
April 14, 2026
Push Grows To Move Parking Enforcement From NYPD To DOT
Two community boards want the job to go to the agency already in charge of the streets.
April 13, 2026
Can This Tool Predict Where Your City’s Next Car Crash Will Happen?
But will U.S. transportation leaders use it to take preemptive action to make roadways safer?
April 13, 2026