Monday’s Headlines Took the Keys Away
A demographic disaster is coming as a generation of aging suburbanites become either dangerous drivers or trapped in their homes.
By
Blake Aued
12:10 AM EST on March 2, 2026
- As baby boomers move into their 80s, what happens when 70 million get too old to drive and become trapped in their car-dependent suburbs? Lloyd Alter calls for more driver testing, vehicle inspections and, of course, walkable neighborhoods. (Carbon Upfront!)
- The Trump administration’s latest budget proposal would eliminate funding for transit out of the Highway Trust Fund and take away flexibility to spend grants on transit projects. (Jacobin)
- A Climate Town video explains how a loophole in 1970s fuel economy standards led to trucks and SUVs making up 80% of the cars sold in the U.S. (YouTube)
- The Trump administration is shifting $2.3 billion in funds earmarked for zero-emissions buses to ones that burn fuel. (Canary Media)
- Richer neighborhoods tend to have more shade trees than poorer ones, according to an MIT study.
- A company developing a wireless e-bike charger has filed for bankruptcy. (Electrek)
- The first section of the Purple Line extension in Los Angeles is scheduled to open in May. (The Source)
- Philadelphia trolleys are getting automated parking cameras just like those installed on buses. (NBC 10)
- Seattle has fallen well short of its goals for a “very frequent transit” network, primarily due to cuts during the pandemic. (Seattle Transit Blog)
- Sound Transit has secured property for Ballard and West Seattle light rail extensions (KING) and is seeking permission from the state to issue longer bonds to alleviate a $35 billion long-term funding shortage for capital projects (Axios).
- Creating a department of transportation helped Richmond accelerate safety projects to deal with an alarming surge of pedestrian deaths. (WTVR)
- Des Moines received a $20 million federal grant to build a new transit operations and maintenance center. (We Are Iowa)
- The Omaha streetcar is two years behind schedule, and some businesses might not survive construction. (Flatwater Free Press)
- On Thursday, Oregon lawmakers delayed a vote on setting a date for a transportation funding referendum until today. (KATU)
- Protected bike lanes should be standard in Portland, not optional amenities, writes an officer at Bike Loud PDX. (BikePortland)
- New York Gov. Kathy Hochul refused to let the DMV flush an elderly driver’s “PB4WEGO” vanity license plate. (Jalopnik)
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
Friday Video: RIP, The D.C. Streetcar
Advocates are mourning the loss of the D.C. streetcar ... but they'e not entirely sad to see it die.
April 10, 2026
You’re Authorized to Read Friday’s Headlines
An important federal transportation funding bill is in the works. Here's what to look out for.
April 10, 2026
Review: ’60 Minutes’ Take On High-Speed Rail Ignored Facts And Offered Nothing New
When 60 Minutes announced a segment on high-speed rail construction in the United States,I feared the worst. What I got was unexpected.
April 9, 2026
Trump Wants to Slash Federal Funding for Public Transit, Rail (Again)
The president’s proposed budget threatens transit projects across the country.
April 9, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are the Taxman
Suspending gas taxes might be politically popular, but it doesn't save drivers money and takes away funding for infrastructure.
April 9, 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.