Thursday’s Headlines Take It To the Grave

A Republican leader is proposing new fees on cars to replace lost gas taxes. But the real reason the feds are running out of highway money isn't EVs, it's an addiction to road-building.

By Blake Aued

12:11 AM EDT on May 1, 2025

Missouri congressman Sam Graves.

|Defense Visual Information Distribution Service

House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair Sam Graves (R - Mo.) successfully pushed a proposal for a $250 fee on electric vehicles and $100 on hybrids to boost the Highway Trust Fund (The Hill). But the fund isn't being drained by declining gas tax revenue — it's being drained because Congress loves to build roads (The Equation, SBUSA).
Cutting service to make up budget deficits could hobble transit agencies for years, even if the cuts are restored, because some riders will buy cars, even if they can't really afford one (CityLab). This would lead to more congestion for— example, in Philadelphia, SEPTA cuts would put 275,000 more cars on the road (WHYY)
Robotaxis might replace human-driven taxis, but they're unlike to replace personal vehicles. (CleanTechnica)
Once merely a place to park, EV chargers, delivery and ride-hailing drivers and more are now competing for valuable curb space. (Traffic Technology Today)
Jarrett Walker eulogizes the late Pope Francis, who understood that cars "are often a source of much suffering." (Human Transit)
Washington, D.C. is filing lawsuits against Maryland and Virginia drivers who've racked up hundreds of unpaid tickets. (Axios)
Houston and Galveston are studying the possibility of light rail or bus rapid transit along the Highway 90 corridor. (Houston Public Media)
Without light rail, the Atlanta Beltline is more of a recreation trail than actual transportation. (Georgia Public Broadcasting)
After twice failing to find a contractor willing to build a bus rapid transit line under budget, Raleigh is bidding the project out in stages. (News & Observer)
Birmingham, Alabama is trying to build a world-class bike trail network. (Birmingham Times)
McSweeney's has a disillusioned urban planner's glossary to entertain you while you sit through a three-hour public hearing.