Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Today's Headlines

Wednesday’s Headlines Go Small

A new federal rule might finally reverse car bloat. Plus, why can't kei cars come to the U.S.?

Nicolás Boullosa, CC|

A kei “van” awaits its passengers; standard size sedan for scale.

  • A proposed federal rule requiring automakers to ensure vehicles' front ends don't create an excessive risk of pedestrian head injuries could finally force them to scale back gigantic trucks and SUVs. (Slate, Streetsblog USA)
  • Europe and Asia are full of cheap microcars that pose less of a threat to cyclists and pedestrians, but regulators won't allow them in the U.S. (CityLab)
  • Hurricane Helene showed that transportation engineers are going to have to plan for more severe weather events, and figure out how to rebuild more quickly. (Wired)
  • The federal government will spend almost $19 billion more on roads and bridges in 2025 than it is this year. (Engineering News-Record)
  • Electric cars improve health by reducing air pollution, but that doesn't create nearly the health benefits of walking and biking. (London School of Economics)
  • Hillsborough County halted streetcar and bus service in Tampa on Tuesday in preparation for Hurricane Milton. (That's So Tampa)
  • The U.S. Supreme Court denied Uber and Lyft's appeal of a California ruling requiring them to pay drivers back wages. (Politico)
  • A Massachusetts program installs e-bike docks in low-income communities and allows residents to rent bikes for as little as $1 per day. (Fast Company)
  • Budget cuts at the Maryland Transit Administration could threaten a federal grant to help replace dozens of aging rail cars. (Baltimore Banner)
  • Sound Transit's new Lynnwood light rail extension is providing a ridership bump for Snohomish County, Washington buses. (The Urbanist)
  • Pittsburgh is installing new pedestrian-friendly traffic signals at 35 intersections along the future route of a bus rapid transit line. (Union Progress)
  • Construction on a road diet project for Midtown Atlanta's Spring Street is expected to start within weeks. (Urbanize Atlanta)
  • Syracuse is accepting public feedback on a Vision Zero plan. (WRVO)
  • At least 35 European cities are in the process of implementing zero-emissions zones. (Cities Today)

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

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.

July 2, 2025

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."

July 1, 2025

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.

July 1, 2025

Does Constant Driving Really Make Our Country Richer?

A new study reveals that constant driving is making America less productive and prosperous — and getting people on other modes could help right the ship.

July 1, 2025

This Threatened Toronto Bike Lane Gets More Rush Hour Traffic Than the Car Lane

Ontario leadership claim "no one bikes" on their cities' paths — but the data shows otherwise.

July 1, 2025
See all posts