Today's Headlines

Monday’s Headlines Zero In

Traffic deaths are going down, and they'd decline further if cities stopped letting residents block safety projects.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on March 16, 2026

The city of Espoo, Finland, has the largest population of any city on the DEKRA list that achieved Vision Zero in the last ten years. Photo: Brittanica

The number of people killed on U.S. roads is falling, showing that when cities invest in Vision Zero, they see results (Planetizen). Not all cities do make that investment, though, because Americans tend to prioritize their own convenience over others’ safety (Fast Company).
Fare-free transit sounds appealing, but it just shifts the costs of providing the service, and there are questions about whether attracting more riders really replaces car trips. (Governing)
Suburban and small-town residents, not just those in big cities, want and need transit, as shown by the overwhelming success of referendums across the country. (Transportation for America)
Former Uber CEO Travis Kalanick is starting a robotics and autonomous vehicle company. (CNBC)
The Portland city council is considering legislation giving ride-hailing drivers a larger share of fares. (The Oregonian)
Lyft settled a lawsuit filed by a blind Minnesota woman who said a driver wouldn’t let her bring her service dog. (CBS News)
Greater Greater Washington successfully sued D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration to the force the release of a report on congestion pricing it had withheld for four years.
Sound Transit is hoping to cut the cost of the West Seattle Link Extension by $2 billion. (MyNorthwest)
Milwaukee traffic deaths dropped by 20 percent last year to their lowest level since 2022. (Wisconsin Public Radio)
Supporters of a Tucson transit referendum had to spend $1.4 million to promote it after early polling showed soft support. It worked — the referendum passed with 60 percent of the vote. (AZPM)
San Diego is spending $44 million on a University Avenue bikeway, bus platforms and traffic calming. (NBC San Diego)
A North Texas regional council has approved a study of commuter rail. (Trains)
King County Metro started allowing all-door boarding. (Capitol Hill Seattle)
Planetizen highlights eight science fiction novels that can serve as guidebooks for urbanists.