Today's Headlines

Tuesday’s Headlines Are a Gas, Gas, Gas

It's untenable, but we might miss the gas tax when it's gone.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on May 19, 2026

Suspending the federal gas tax was a gimmick when John McCain and Hillary Clinton proposed it in 2008, and it remains a gimmick now (CNN). It wouldn’t save drivers much money, while also further decimating the highway trust fund, which also funds transit (Wired).
Governing says it’s kind of a shame that gas taxes are becoming an unfeasible way to fund roads, because it’s much simpler than any of the alternatives.
The most lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as far as public transit ridership, has been on commuter rail, according to an Eno Center for Transportation study.
Quick-build safety projects don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. (Fast Company)
A bill sponsored by Oregon Democrat Van Hoyle would make it easier to obtain federal funding for bikeshares and e-scooters. (Cities Today)
California cities are threatening to sue the California High-Speed Rail Authority if it tries to tax or control zoning in areas near stops. (Newsweek)
Experts say climate change will likely put New Orleans permanently underwater before the end of the century, and it’s probably too late to stop it from happening (The Guardian). Past experience shows that relocating people is not going to be easy (New York Times).
Washington state freight and passenger rail lines are at odds when it comes to sharing tracks (The Front)
The U.S. DOT approved plans to reduce car traffic in a popular Utah ski area. (KSL)
Amtrak’s new Airo trains have arrived on the West Coast Cascades route. (KING 5)
CNU Public Square continues its series on the New Urbanization of Northwest Arkansas.
Disneyland’s Autopia attraction is now made up of electric vehicles after California regulators cracked down on the fumes. (Climate Colored Goggles)
What we had, and what we lost … (Cincinnati Enquirer)

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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