Today's Headlines

Tuesday’s Headlines Pay for Roads Whether We Use Them or Not

Over half of road funding does not come directly from road users, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on April 28, 2026

Tuesday’s Headlines Pay for Roads Whether We Use Them or Not

Photo: Jose Arukatty

The idea that drivers pay for roads through fuel taxes is a myth — funding sources also include property taxes, sales taxes and income taxes that people pay regardless of whether they drive or not (The Equation). Some states are now looking at funding mechanisms that discourage driving, rather than encouraging people to drive more so that they pay more in taxes (Brookings Institute).
More than 900 local transit agencies and advocates have formed a coalition to protect funding for bus service in the upcoming federal surface transportation authorization bill. (Metro)
The U.S. DOT announced a new program called Pathways to Safer Streets aimed at reducing traffic deaths. (Traffic Technology Today)
How are people going to get from their hotels to World Cup matches? In many host cities, parking and transit are limited and/or exorbitantly expensive. (Bloomberg)
Atlanta and Riverside, California are the most sprawling cities in the U.S., while San Francisco is the most compact. (Journal of the American Planning Association)
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announced new bus lanes on Denny Way to improve service on the notoriously unreliable Route 8. (Seattle Bike Blog)
Washington, D.C. is using advisory bike lanes to protect cyclists and keep them off the sidewalk on narrow, low-usage streets. Streets have one car lane and two for bikes, but drivers are allowed to move into the bike lanes to pass each other. (NACTO)
The A-line quickly became Denver’s most popular light rail line after it opened in April 2016, but growth has slowed at least in part because tickets are $20, so for a family it’s cheaper to drive to the airport and park. However, the Regional Transportation District’s fiscal problems make it tough to lower the fare. (Denverite)
A proposed Sacramento ballot measure would raise $75 million a year for road repairs, transit and pedestrian safety, but some are concerned about raising sales taxes up to 9.25 percent. (Cap Radio)
Dubai is extending its Metro Gold Line 42 kilometers, serving an additional 1.5 million residents. (Gulf News)
Mexico paid almost $6 billion to nationalize the privately owned Suburban Train System. (Mexico Business News)

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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