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

Photo: Picryl

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)