The Hub 4/8/2022: Clean Air Council’s Weekly Round-up of Transportation News
“The Hub” is a weekly round-up of transportation related news in the Philadelphia area and beyond. Check back weekly to keep up-to-date on the issues Clean Air Council’s transportation staff finds important.
StreetsBlog USA: Buttigieg’s New Emissions Standards Fail To Close ‘Light Truck Loophole’ – Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg’s new emission standards require the average car to get 49 miles per gallon by 2026, but SUVs and bigger vehicles are exempt from the strictest standards. These mega cars make up the majority of the vehicle market – in 2020, 74.8% of new cars sold in the US were mega cars.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: More Parking-protected Bike Lanes Could Be Built Under Pa. House Proposal – Currently, state law requires vehicles to be parked within 12 inches of the curb on state roads. This law prevents local governments from installing parking-protected bike lanes, but this could change under the proposal that would remove this technicality in the state law. This bill is nicknamed Susan’s and Emily’s Law in remembrance of two bicyclists killed in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
WHYY: Federal Dollars To Help Delaware Ease Traffic Congestion Around Christiana Mall – Delaware will use federal funds to accelerate the planning, designing, and construction of key roadway projects that aims to reduce traffic congestion. One of the projects includes the expansion of a 2.5 mile stretch from the Christiana Mall to U.S 40, which aims to reduce traffic congestion in that area. That infrastructure project was scheduled to start in 2028, but with new federal dollars, it can begin earlier.
KSHB 41: Kansas City Breaks Ground on KC Streetcar Expansion – On Wednesday, April 6, Kansas City officials broke ground to expand the city’s streetcar. This expansion will add 3.5 miles of streetcar rails on Main Street connecting the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus to the River Market. This project received a grant of $174.1 million from the Federal Transit Administration. Expansion is expected to be completed in 2023.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette: PA Will See A $100 Million Increase In Federal Funds For Transportation Alternatives – Over the next five years Pennsylvania will receive approximately $100 million more from the Federal Highway Administration for transportation alternatives such as trails and bike lanes. This additional funding will allow PA to improve safety and accessibility for people walking and biking and connecting to public transportation.
Image Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette
