Today's Headlines

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.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on April 9, 2026

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

When states like Georgia suspend the gas tax in response to high prices, it doesn’t work because gas stations don’t lower the price and just pocket the money instead. That’s illegal, but challenging to prosecute (Jalopnik). Nor does suspending gas taxes change the fact that taxpayers are eventually going to have to pay for infrastructure and road maintenance somehow (Morningstar).
Autonomous vehicle companies are being stingy with information about how often remote drivers intervene. (The Verge)
The U.S. DOT is accepting applications for $686 million in grants to improve accessibility at transit stations. (Railway Supply)
An Arizona state representative is trying to jump-start a controversial interstate through Phoenix by splitting the project in half, over the objections of Democrats who call it a waste of money. (KJZZ)
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore unveiled a plan to build housing on state-owned land near transit stations. (CBS News)
A long-discussed South Jersey rail line is a priority for Gov. Mikie Sherrill. (MSN)
Why does City Center, one of Philadelphia’s most desirable neighborhoods, have so many surface parking lots that could be developed? (Inquirer)
Denver police are responding to rising traffic deaths by handing out twice as many speeding tickets as they did in the first part of 2025. (Gazette)
As traffic deaths rise in Charlotte, officials are considering reviving the city’s long-dormant red-light cameras. (Observer)
Raleigh will not completely eliminate subsidized “free” parking downtown, but will raise rates. (News & Observer)
Public opinion in Jacksonville is leaning toward either bigger train cars on the Skyway or replacing the monorail with a High Line-style walking and biking trail. (Florida Times-Union)
Vision Zero has caught on in Richmond, but the city needs to keep up a concerted effort to see results. (WRIC)
Consultant Jarrett Walker praised Vancouver’s grid-like new bus route map. (Human Transit)
China recently built the world’s longest outdoor escalator. At one kilometer long, it climbs to the height of an 80-story building. (Parametric Architecture)

Blake Aued

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.

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