Thursday’s Headlines, Big and Small

Smaller cities should try congestion pricing, too. Plus, the latest in the tiff between Sean Duffy and Kathy Hochul.

By Blake Aued

12:07 AM EDT on April 24, 2025

Louisville’s I-65 bridge is a great example of how charging drivers keeps cars off the road. Photo: Trimarc

Congestion pricing isn't just for big cities, and it works even without robust transit. For example, tolling at a Louisville bridge cut Ohio River crossings by 50,000 cars a day. (City Observatory, Streetsblog USA)
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is once again threatening to pull New York's funding if Gov. Kathy Hochul doesn't cancel congestion pricing (The Hill). However, an investigation by Streetsblog NYC found that no one ever raised concerns about congestion pricing during the first Trump administration, poking a major hole in Duffy's legal argument.
The U.S. DOT will no longer look kindly on federal grant applications for road diets, even though they've been shown to cut crashes in half. (ABC News, Streetsblog USA)
If Trump is really worried about wasteful spending, he should be funding intercity buses, which provide a high return on investment compared to other modes of transportation. (Smart Cities Dive)
Tariffs will raise costs for transit agencies, but could also be an opportunity to convince policymakers of the need for more funding. (Mass Transit)
A California lawsuit alleges that Tesla is manipulating odometer readings to make warranties expire sooner. (Ars Technica)
Chicago Magazine delves into the troubled Chicago Transit Authority to find out why the L is worth saving.
Philadelphia homeowners along five regional rail lines will lose $20 billion in property value if TESLA cuts their service. (WHYY)
Massive proposed cuts to Pittsburgh Regional Transit would choke city streets with traffic and leave thousands of people stranded at home. (NEXT Pittsburgh)
The Atlanta airport is raising parking rates (Fox 5), which is all the more reason to park at a MARTA station and ride the train.
Kansas City has finished track work on the Riverfront streetcar extension. (Fox 4 KC)
Seattle is taking the first steps toward expanding the use of cameras to enforce traffic laws. (The Urbanist)
Rebuilding Cincinnati's Brent Spence Bridge will require closing a section of a Northern Kentucky bike trail for five years. (Enquirer)
A Canadian judge told Ontario Premier Doug Ford not to tear up three Toronto bike lanes until the judge rules whether it's constitutional. (CBC)