The Price for Thursday’s Headlines Is Wrong
The self-styled "king" Donald Trump finally made his move to end congestion pricing, which has been a huge success.
By
Blake Aued
12:05 AM EST on February 20, 2025
- Describing himself as a monarch, President Trump finally went and did it: He revoked federal approval for congestion pricing in the Manhattan business district (New York Times, Associated Press, et al), despite the fact that it’s working (Gothamist). Gersh Kuntzman at Streetsblog NYC notes the irony of Trump claiming victory for the “working class” that will suffer without the transit revenue the toll produces, and the irony of Gov. Kathy Hochul objecting to Trump arbitrarily blocking the policy when Hochul — checks notes — also once arbitrarily blocked the policy.
- The White House is planning to roll back environmental studies for pipeline and highway projects. (Bloomberg)
- The Eno Center for Transportation explains how to come up with more accurate cost estimates for infrastructure projects.
- The Hudson Tunnel project to improve rail service along the East Coast is set to conclude in 2035. (Mass Transit)
- Some Colorado cities, citing fears about “Soviet-style housing blocks,” are refusing to comply with new state laws on housing density and parking. (Colorado Public Radio)
- Baltimore kids can’t get to school on time because of unreliable transit. (Banner)
- The Portland Bureau of Transportation is facing a $38 million funding shortfall that could affect sidewalks and pedestrian safety improvements. (Willamette Week)
- Should bus lanes be open to private corporate shuttles? One Seattle-area city thinks so. (The Urbanist)
- Michigan transit agencies are objecting to a state budget that would give them their lowest funding levels in 70 years. (WCMU)
- San Francisco business owners objected to a central bike lane on Valencia Avenue that made national news, but — shocker — it turns out they hate the side bike lane that will replace it, too. (SFGATE)
- Macon bus ridership jumped 16 percent between 2022 and 2024, mirroring national trends. (WMAZ)
- Eugene residents are banding together to address the Oregon city’s lack of sidewalks. (KLCC)
- St. Petersburg firefighters working on a gas leak uncovered some long-lost streetcar tracks. (WRIC)
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.
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