Let Wednesday’s Headlines Clear Our Throat
Congestion pricing is doing what its supporters promised it would do.
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EDT on May 14, 2025
- The New York Times gathered data on what has changed since congestion pricing was implemented, and the answer is, pretty much everything is better. Governing Magazine agrees that the program is delivering results by reducing traffic, improving commute times and raising revenue for transit.
- City and state DOTs should be using data to fix dangerous intersections before people are killed, rather than after. (The Hill)
- Monorails are kind of a joke these days, but as cities get denser, they could be making a comeback. (Popular Science)
- Next year, Bay Area voters will decide on funding measures that could make or break the region’s transit agencies. (Politico)
- Seattle is finally testing a car ban at the popular Pike Place Market after decades of debate. (Cascade PBS)
- Austin’s CapMetro is raising bikeshare fees for the first time in 12 years to cover the cost of buying e-bikes. (KVUE)
- The manager of Portland transit agency TriMet is not happy with The Oregonian‘s coverage of its ridership.
- Maybe R.E.M. was wrong — do go back to Rockville. With its high walkability score and access to transit, the Maryland town is one of the greenest in the U.S. (CNU Public Square)
- L.A. is known more for its traffic than its transit system, but the A Line is the longest light rail line in world. (Secret Los Angeles)
- Speaking of L.A. traffic, even with President Trump’s threatened tariffs on films produced outside the U.S., why would anyone want to shoot a movie in a place so traffic-choked when they could shoot in Europe instead? (The Guardian)
- Poland is planning more than 1,000 miles of high-speed rail, with a central hub that doubles as an airport. (Express)
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
Thursday’s Headlines Are a Gas, Gas, Gas
Key House Republicans killed an irresponsible, politically motivated bill to suspend the federal gas tax.
September 17, 2026
Traffic Noise Kills 6,330 Americans a Year; We Stopped Counting in 1982
Removing just five decibels of noise from our neighborhoods would save lives. So why aren't we even measuring it, never mind taking action to quiet our streets?
September 17, 2026
What You Missed in the Transportation Reauthorization This Summer
Congressional negotiations over America's next big transportation law hit some speed bumps this summer — but that doesn't mean there isn't work to be done.
September 16, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Pay Through the Nose to Drive
The average American car owner spends about $15,000 a year on their vehicle, according to a AAA analysis of Bureau of Labor statistics.
September 16, 2026
Exclusive: NYC Hires Company To Install E-Car Charging Posts In Public Space
The small expansion of e-car charging stations is a small down payment on the city’s larger plan to permanently allocate more public space for the automobile.
September 15, 2026