Thursday’s Headlines Walk on the Wild Side

Federal regulators may soon consider how safe cars are for people outside the vehicle as well as inside. Imagine that!

By Blake Aued

1:14 AM EDT on September 12, 2024

The new rules will save an estimated 67 lives per year.

|Creative Commons

For the first time, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing rules requiring cars to undergo testing for preventing pedestrian head injuries, which is particularly important as trucks and SUVs keep getting taller and heavier (Associated Press, Streetsblog). What's stopped them from doing this earlier? Well, as Streetsblog alum Angie Schmitt explains, a lot of it has to do with styling, and regulators didn't want to stop automakers from designing macho-looking trucks.
The electric vehicle market has stalled because, at an average price of $44,000, consumers simply can't afford them. (Inside EVs)
Siemens is building the first bullet train factory in the U.S. (Forbes)
Smart Cities Dive has a roundup of articles about the ups and downs of the intercity bus industry.
From mayoral candidates racking up dozens of traffic tickets to a host of recent reckless driving incidents, BikePortland editor and publisher Jonathan Maus writes that Portland's "dysfunctional driving culture" is getting out of control.
Nebraska's state auditor is questioning whether Omaha can use an economic development tool called tax increment finance to fund its streetcar project. (KETV)
Ridership on Tampa's TECO streetcar has tripled since it went fare-free in 2019, but a state grant expired, so now it needs a new source of funding. (Trains)
MinnPost details the long, slow death of St. Paul's Riverview streetcar project.
Dallas is making slow progress on its Vision Zero plan. (Express)
Des Moines received a $13 million federal grant for Vision Zero. (KCCI)
A $10 million federal grant will help Kansas City overhaul Prospect Avenue, one of its most dangerous streets. (KCUR)
Seattle's new Lynwood light rail extension is useful for getting to a Seahawks game, and a lot cheaper than parking. (MyNorthwest)