Tuesday’s Headlines Stay Healthy
More walkable neighborhoods would ease the burden on our overtaxed health care system, according to MIT.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on July 7, 2026
- An analysis of almost 30,000 Census tracts found that walkability is important to both physical and mental health. Key factors include short blocks, urban greenery and access to amenities like restaurants and cultural institutions. (MIT News)
- Trees not only cool cities; they improve mental health, provide food and prevent flooding. (Grist)
- Lloyd Alter says the current heat wave is a sign that we can’t wait until 2050 — we have to cut greenhouse gas emissions now. (Carbon Upfront)
- Only one in 20 Americans has ever ridden in a driverless car, and 71% said they wouldn’t be comfortable doing so, according to a Pew Research Center survey.
- Transit agencies should be investing in transit-oriented development because they boost ridership and revenue. (Passenger Transport)
- Studies show that variable speed limits — where digital signs display different numbers depending on the time of day and weather conditions —reduce crashes and deaths. (Jalopnik)
- Portland transit agency TriMet is facing a $300 million shortfall and laying off 400 staffers. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- Allegheny County, home to Pittsburgh, is targeting 10 dangerous intersections as it launches a Vision Zero 2050 program. (WTAE)
- The Post and Courier urges Charleston County, South Carolina to embrace Complete Streets.
- Amtrak canceled the City of New Orleans route for at least a week because of excessive heat. (Trains Pro)
- Two Seattle city council members want to slash funding for transit as Mayor Katie Wilson prepares to ask voters to renew a transit sales tax. (PubliCola)
- A new electric branch of Chicago’s South Shore Line in northern Indiana is expected to draw $2.7 billion in private investment. (Smart Cities Dive)
- A new law changed the Utah Transit Authorities’ governance structure. (Progressive Railroading)
- Waymo and Uber are ending their robotaxi partnership in Phoenix, while a few hundred miles west in California, teenagers are doing dumb things in Waymos. (Clean Technica)
- A WHYY podcast on e-bike, e-scooter and e-moto regulations featured Streetsblog reporter Sophia Leibowitz.
- A viral TikTok video shows a road-raging driver use a bike lane to get around traffic, then tailgate and confront a cyclist. (Yahoo!)
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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