Wednesday’s Headlines Get a Gentleman’s ‘C’
Transportation for America gave the Biden administration middling grades. Meanwhile, President Trump is already pushing to fulfill promises to cancel federal support for EVs.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on January 22, 2025
- President Biden left many items on Transportation for America‘s wish list undone or incomplete, though he did take small steps on traffic safety, greenhouse gas emissions and reconnecting communities divided by highways.
- President Trump issued an executive order urging Congress to “consider” halting tax credits for electric vehicle purchases, and USDOT to pause the dispersal of grants for EV chargers. (New York Times)
- If “twenty is plenty” for cars, it ought to be for e-bikes, too, argues Lloyd Alter at Carbon Upfront!
- Without changes, last-mile deliveries will continue to increase emissions and congestion in cities. (World Economic Forum)
- Electrifying railways would improve both freight and passenger service, it’s cleaner, and it would be cheaper to do than previously thought, writes Benjamin Schneider at The Urban Condition.
- New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is asking for Trump’s in ending congestion pricing. (North Jersey)
- Atlanta residents would be healthier if the city were more walkable, a Georgia Tech professor told the AJC.
- Philadelphia received two grants to turn an old railroad viaduct into a public park. (WHYY)
- A light rail extension will spur more transit-oriented development in the Fort Worth area. (Report)
- An analysis of credit card transactions found that London’s ultra-low emissions zone where driving is restricted had no impact on spending at businesses within the zone. (Centre for Cities)
- In the 1960s, Seoul covered an urban stream and turned it into a highway. Since removing it, the area is cooler, the air is cleaner and wildlife is returning. (The Guardian)
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
‘Our Roads Are More Than Just Highways’: Democrats Urge U.S. Senate Not to Defund Multimodal Programs
A Trump administration proposal recommends massive cuts to popular programs – and it will cost American communities more than they can afford, Senate Democrats say.
May 14, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Pump It Up
Until you can feel it (gas prices, that is). But you don't really need it (suspending gas taxes).
May 14, 2026
Study: Trump’s Transit Proposal Would Cost the Country So Many Jobs — And Not Just in Cities
... but an increase in funding would be a job-creating juggernaut.
May 13, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Are Bought and Paid For
The Union of Concerned Scientists explains how the highway lobby keeps so many of us in our cars.
May 13, 2026
Opinion: It’s Time to Rethink Our Congestion Obsession
Policymakers constantly suggest that we need to spend billions of dollars and bulldoze countless acres of land to fix traffic jams. But do we?
May 13, 2026