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.
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