Monday’s Headlines Show the True Cost of Climate Change
Making cars slightly cheaper in the short run in exchange for accelerating climate change is not a good tradeoff.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on April 13, 2026
- The Trump administration usually cites the economy or the cost to consumers when it rolls back environmental regulations like fuel efficiency standards. That stance ignores the hundreds of dollars the average household is already paying as a result of climate change, as well as the future costs associated with allowing climate change to continue unchecked. History also shows that green legislation actually boosts the economy. (Grist)
- Prices for used electric vehicles jumped 25 percent in the past month, indicating renewed interest in the face of high gas prices. That’s also because EV batteries are lasting longer than expected. (Fast Company)
- Some New Yorkers are trying to keep robotaxis out of the city, while others view the driverless vehicles as inevitable. (Route Fifty)
- Atlanta’s first bus rapid transit line is set to open this Saturday. (Fox 5)
- Maryland’s long-awaited Purple Line is now 90 percent complete. (WJLA)
- Colorado has reached an agreement with railroad company BNSF to start passenger rail service between Denver and Fort Collins. (Colorado Newsline)
- Safety was on the minds of cyclists competing in the Tour de Houston on Sunday (ABC 13). Mayor John Whitmire has been removing protected bike lanes, including on Austin Street (Houston Press).
- Detroit launched an online map of all the bike lanes in the city. (WXYZ)
- Baton Rouge broke ground on a $60 million project adding new signals, sidewalks and bike lanes to Florida Boulevard. (WBRZ)
- Wilmington approved a Vision Zero program with the goal of no traffic deaths or serious injuries by 2036. (StarNews)
- El Paso announced a new Vision Zero quick-build program. (KTSM)
- Miami repurposed bricks from a rainbow Pride crosswalk removed by the Florida DOT. (CBS 12)
- The Kansas City streetcar unveiled new art and branding honoring the Current, the city’s women’s soccer team. (KMBC)
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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