Kei Cars: Affordable Transportation Option Unavailable in the U.S.
Transit and Infrastructure Updates
Several developments are occurring in transportation infrastructure:
- California has increased its electric vehicle chargers to 50% more than gas pumps.
- Bay Area legislators propose a 1% sales tax to support transit agencies facing a $600 million deficit.
- Detroit is studying the expansion of its downtown People Mover elevated light rail line.
- The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority launched the South Coast rail line.
- King County reinstated fare enforcement on its Seattle-area buses and streetcars.
Transportation Policy and Safety
Recent policy changes and safety concerns include:
- Washington state lawmakers are considering raising the gas tax instead of implementing a vehicle-miles tax.
- A parking reform bill was watered down.
- Three pedestrians were killed in separate crashes in the Florida Keys.
- A new train station could revitalize Cleveland’s Tower City Center.
Urban Planning and Development
Notable urban planning efforts are underway:
- A Czech immigrant is attempting to build a walkable New Urbanist city outside San Francisco despite regulatory challenges.
- Indianapolis’s Monument Circle, essentially a roundabout, is being considered for closure to cars.
Amtrak Restructuring
Amtrak is cutting $100 million and 450 jobs amid uncertainty about future federal funding.
