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
Why Cities Need More ‘Agile’ Streets
When projects are routed through a full capital-improvement workflow, solutions tend toward expensive, permanent interventions — not alternatives that might achieve 80 percent of the benefit at 10 percent of the cost.
March 26, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Feel Pain at the Pump
High gas prices are likely to persist, and people will be driving less in response.
March 25, 2026
D.C. Advocates Sue To Save Key Bike Lane From Trump Teardown
We previously reported that the Trump administration might soon move to dismantle key cycle tracks in the nation's capital. Unfortunately, we were right.
March 24, 2026
How a ‘Universal Basic Neighborhood’ Can Help Americans Live Longer
Want to increase your chances of living to 80? A new paper argues we need to start with our neighborhoods — and we need to do it for everybody.
March 24, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Keep Our Eyes on the Road
How much responsibility do tech companies bear for traffic deaths caused by distracted driving?
March 24, 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.