Friday’s Headlines Fill ‘Er Up
As electric vehicles cut into gas tax revenue, it looks like raising gas taxes is a more viable option politically than taxing miles driven.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on March 21, 2025
- Thirty-four states have raised gas taxes to maintain roads as electric vehicles cut into revenue (Transport Topics). A vehicle-miles-driven tax is a potential alternative some states are considering, but it’s a tough sell politically (Governing).
- Amtrak’s CEO is stepping down amidst reports that the Trump administration will cut back funding for rail. (Fortune)
- Tariffs could make U.S. automakers regret abandoning sedans for bigger, more expensive pickups and SUVs. (Fast Company)
- Oil and gas executives are pressuring President Trump to make it easier to build pipelines. (New York Times)
- CNU Public Square argues that the alternative to building New Urbanist-style towns on greenfields isn’t denser downtown development; it’s traditional auto-centric sprawl.
- The head of New York City’s transit system said congestion pricing will continue past today, the deadline the Trump administration set to end it. (CBS News)
- If the Texas legislature cuts funding for Dallas Area Rapid Transit 25 percent, Dallas, Fort Worth and Denton could get around it by forming a new agency to operate commuter rail. (Fort Worth Report)
- A $25 million U.S. DOT grant for a Seattle train station is now in jeopardy. (The Urbanist)
- Drivers killed 57 Seattle cyclists and pedestrians in the first half of 2024, down from 71 in the first half of 2023. (Axios)
- Portland is considering turning a block of 37th Street into a pedestrian plaza. (Oregonian)
- Mississippi lawmakers are considering raising the gas tax not to pay for roads, but to eliminate income taxes. (Mississippi Today)
- The French city of Lille is spending 700 million Euros to improve the tram system and make it one of the most bike-friendly cities in Europe. (European Commission)
- London is installing 570 “flat and flush” EV chargers that don’t block the sidewalk. (Electrek)
- Arch Paper looks at Amsterdam’s bike-friendly street design.
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:
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday Video: Five Bike Advocacy Mistakes You Don’t Even Know You’re Making
For one thing, make sure that political leaders who say "no" to livable streets experience consequences for their decisions.
March 27, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Take a Free Ride
Waymo has remote response teams, but when a robotaxi gets stuck, emergency responders have to get behind the wheel.
March 27, 2026
Despite Spin, Calif.’s Transportation Commission Funded a Lot of Highway Expansion Last Week
The gaslighting is almost as bad as the funding decisions.
March 26, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: Congestion Pricing Data Collection
New York's congestion pricing data whiz discusses the program's first year.
March 26, 2026
How DC’s Mayor and Council Chair Thwarted Every Effort to Better Its Streetcar
There are two reasons why D.C. doesn't have the streetcar system it was promised — and their names are Mayor Muriel Bowser and DC Council Chair Phil Mendelson, one urbanist argues.
March 26, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.