Tuesday’s Headlines Have Unintended Consequences
President Trump's tariffs could push people to buy smaller cars or forgo driving altogether in favor of transit.
By
Blake Aued
12:05 AM EDT on May 6, 2025
- Pedestrians hit by “supersized” SUVs are 44 percent more likely to die than those hit by a conventional car (The Standard). Fortunately, it seems we may be on the downhill slope of Peak Car Bloat, as consumers are now showing less interest in oversized trucks, even if it’s mainly out of affordability rather than safety concerns, but still (Motor 1).
- As President Trump’s tariffs drive up the cost of a vehicle by thousands of dollars, more people are likely to hop on a bus or train to save money. (CNN)
- Eight local governments, including King County, Washington (MyNorthwest), are suing the Trump administration for imposing anti-diversity, equity and inclusion conditions on transit and other federal grants (Courthouse News Service)
- Bloomberg‘s Big Take podcast focuses on the mass transit funding crisis.
- The U.S. House held hearings on the Highway Trust Fund. (Eno Center for Transportation)
- Congressional Republicans plan to use oil and gas leases to generate revenue to pay for tax cuts. (Oil Price)
- Oregon Republicans want to cut more than $700 million in funding for transit, walking and biking. (BikePortland)
- Denverite got a look at the dozens of stations being installed along the Colfax Avenue bus rapid transit line.
- Philadelphia’s foot traffic has rebounded since the pandemic at higher levels than anywhere but San Diego and Manhattan. (WHYY)
- One Minneapolis neighborhood had to fight for 40 years to get speed humps. (Streets.mn)
- Columbus, Ohio is installing flashing yellow left-turn yield signals at high-injury intersections. (Axios)
- Transport for London is spending almost $100 million to build bike lanes and lower speed limits on more than 200 streets. (GB News)
- National Geographic has a guide for exploring Paris by bike.
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:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
Where the Battles Against Harmful Highways and Hyper-Scale Data Centers Collide
Hyperscale AI data centers and highways are both harmful forms of fossil fuel infrastructure that get built without much community input — and it's time to fight back against both, one of our favorite podcasters argues.
September 22, 2026
I Survived the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market Crash
A survivor of a mass casualty reflects on what she's learned about car culture, grief, and resilience.
September 22, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Are a Speed Trap
There's a downside to enforcing traffic laws when cities do it to raise revenue rather than to save lives.
September 22, 2026
What Would It Take to Get ‘Fast, Free Buses’ Nationwide?
It might sound crazy — but is it crazy enough to work, even as governments take aim at steep transit cuts?
September 21, 2026
The Five Questions Every Community Should Ask Itself Before It Debuts a New Bike Path
…or plaza, or transit route, or any other investment in public space
September 21, 2026