Boondoggles
Basics
St. Louis’s Tourist Trolley Gets a Lifeline — But Is That Good News?
A tourist line was built with $25 million in federal transit money. Will the feds now make St. Louis pay for its mistake?
November 11, 2019
Seattle Sues To Keep Car Tabs And Save Transit
Seattle leaders are not wasting any time to stymie a statewide ballot measure voters approved on Tuesday, announcing a lawsuit to block Initiative 976, which could drain tens of billions in transportation funding across the entire state by reducing annual vehicle registration fees.
November 7, 2019
Schumer Pushes Electric Cars — Here’s Why He’s Wrong
Message to the senior senator from New York: Electric cars are still cars — and they still suck.
October 25, 2019
Climate Change Fight Dies in Texas Oil Region
An oil-rich region of West Texas is about to get more than half a billion dollars in highway funds so it can continue to pump more crude and frack natural gas — perpetuating a cycle that is causing the destruction of human civilization.
August 28, 2019
Bond Voyage! Houston Faces $3.5B Transit Decision
Houston has a once in a generation opportunity to modernize its transit system this fall — and the city hopes to learn from Nashville's mistakes.
August 19, 2019
Federal Program Would Help Cities Tear Down Highways
A new pot of money would help undo the sometimes-racist legacy of urban highway construction.
August 14, 2019
Baby Steps on Climate Responsibility in New Federal Transportation Bill
A lot more money for highways. A little more money for bikes and bridge repair. But what else is in the new Transportation bill moving through Congress?
July 31, 2019
Are Uber and Lyft the Future of Transit? Not So Fast
Cities that turn to technology companies to save their transit systems are bound to be disappointed by the outcome.
July 22, 2019
Boondoggle: Virginia’s Unlovable I-81 Expansion
Officials have pointed to safety as a key reason for the need to expand the highway. Yet, in 2010, state officials raised speed limits to 70 mph along much of I-81, a move that likely made the road more dangerous.
July 1, 2019
Boondoggle: Portland Takes a Step Backward
Portland has made bold moves toward becoming a good place to get around without a car. But it's about to make a huge mistake in the Rose Quarter.
June 28, 2019
