Federal Policy
Basics
USDOT Tackles Overlooked Barriers to ‘Complete Streets’ — And Sparks Debate
No "complete streets" policy will truly be complete until federal agencies dismantle the structural barriers that make safe transportation networks so hard to build in the first place, new U.S. DOT guidance says.
March 3, 2022
How my Chicago Auto Show tweets reignited the debate over unsafe vehicle design
It’s virtually impossible to ignore the increasing size of trucks and SUVs on the roads today. And seeing these vehicles up-close hammered home just how ridiculous this all is.
February 23, 2022
McConnell Tells States To Just Ignore Biden’s Progressive New Road Priorities
After the Biden administration told states that they should spend federal transportation dollars on projects that put safety, sustainability, equity, and road repair first, Sen. Mitch McConnell and Shelley Moore Capito told GOP governors to ignore the guidelines and spend the money any way they want.
February 11, 2022
Six Ways AVs Could Reshape Our Cities — And Not for the Better
A recent Congressional hearing on "the road ahead for automated vehicles" largely ignored the potentially devastating effect that personally owned AVs could have on the neighborhoods those cars drive through.
February 10, 2022
How the U.S. Transportation System Fuels Inequality
Transportation policies prioritizing private vehicle use leave the poor and people of color behind.
February 4, 2022
New Fed. Law Requires Some (But Not All!) States to Improve Bike/Walk Safety
The new-and-slightly-reformed Highway Safety Improvement Program could represent a turning point on U.S. roads, at least in the states that are required to spend the money right.
February 3, 2022
Here’s why Pritzker’s plan to skip this year’s scheduled gas tax hike is a bad idea
The proposal, which is projected to cost the state $135 million in revenue, is unfair to people who don't drive. And it may not even save much money for drivers.
February 1, 2022
Pittsburgh Bridge Collapse Underscores Urgent Need For Fix-It-First Policy
The collapse of a bridge in Pittsburgh is just a preview of potential disasters to come under the new infrastructure legislation, which continues to allow states to prioritize building new capacity for drivers over repairing existing stuff.
January 28, 2022
What’s In the Groundbreaking New USDOT Safety Strategy — and What’s Missing
For the first time in history, the United States Department of Transportation has committed to using every available resource to end roadway deaths and serious injuries on American roads — and now, they face the critical challenge of getting the rest of America to buy in with them.
January 27, 2022
How Automakers Can Stop Humans from Over-Relying on Automated Safety Tech
Automakers aren't doing enough to ensure that drivers are ready to take over if their vehicles' self-driving features make mistakes, an auto industry group argues
January 25, 2022
