As the U.S. Department of Transportation tries to end New York City's congestion pricing program, the move is getting some pushback from people who say the program is working.
In a letter rescinding federal support, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called congestion pricing "a slap in the face" to working-class Americans and small business owners.
But Renae Reynolds, executive director of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign, said congestion pricing has been successful, despite a delayed launch.
"A 50% reduction in traffic entering into the Central Business District, which translates to a reduction in people's commute times," said Reynolds. "That is measurable. We have seen so much time saved in folks entering though the Lincoln Tunnel."
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority filed a lawsuit against the DOT to keep congestion pricing around. Other experts have said they can't see a legal reason for the DOT to prevail, but it remains to be seen.
The program is also designed to improve air quality around the city, since less car and truck traffic leaves cleaner air to breathe. And it's generating income.
Eric A. Goldstein, senior attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, said those funds will be spent on improving public transportation - which can further improve air quality.
"When you have an effective public transportation program, you are reducing pollution," said Goldstein, "because you're getting people out of cars and motor vehicles, and you're keeping them out of those vehicles for their daily commutes."
Not having the money from congestion pricing would mean New York State has to fully fund the MTA's next capital project plan.
That's another reason Rachael Fauss, senior policy analyst with Reinvent Albany, said ending the program would affect the entire state.
"There are vendors that contract with the MTA in every single congressional district in New York State," said Fauss. "There's massive rail car manufacturing, bus manufacturing in upstate New York, and those businesses would be also losing out on contracts they would get with the MTA for its capital program."
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A new report shows housing and transportation are key factors that can keep young professionals from leaving Nebraska for opportunities elsewhere. Better pay is also near the top of the list.
To counter the brain drain happening across much of the Midwest, the City Of Omaha has launched a brain gain initiative, trying keep the state's young, professional talent in Nebraska.
Omaha Chamber of Commerce Director of Workforce Development Merrick Brtek said they did a survey to find out why young people are leaving.
"One of the reasons was job opportunities - that they were seeking job opportunities elsewhere," said Brtek. "Maybe they had their first career role here and were looking to advance, and they found an advancement role in another state."
Brtek said the city is helping young professionals understand that many of the priorities they're looking for elsewhere, including those advancement opportunities, already exist in Nebraska.
She added that Omaha is working to address the things that could be better, like creating more access to reliable mass transit, availability of affordable housing and higher wages.
Brtek said economic development teams are also shifting their focus to the younger demographic, trying to dispel the perception that good opportunities don't exist in Nebraska.
"We're trying to spend time working with kiddos that are a little bit younger, maybe high school students or college students, to make sure they're aware of the opportunities that are available," said Brtek. "Not just in Omaha but in the state of Nebraska to keep talent here, as well."
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau show Nebraska has been consistency losing population for the last 15 years, though some larger communities are seeing growth, mostly immigrants relocating from other countries.
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Communities in southern and eastern Montana were connected to passenger rail lines running from Chicago to Seattle until 1979. An effort to fund the revival of those routes passed the House but failed in the Montana Senate this week by a few votes.
The Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority has garnered support from county commissioners, city council members and Montanans across party lines since its creation in 2020, especially in communities that could again become rail towns.
Jason Stuart, vice chair of the authority, called rural rail a "critical lifeline."
"Folks need access to critical health care services and other services and the only way they can reach them is by car," Stuart noted. "Passenger trains would just be such a blessing for all these communities up and down, throughout Southern Montana and southern North Dakota."
He added it would bring economic opportunities as well. House Bill 848 had requested $2 million from the state's railroad car tax to go to the authority annually, about half of its average revenue.
Opponents, largely with the freight industry, argued they should not be expected to subsidize passenger rail.
Rep. Forrest Mandeville, R-Columbus, brought a late amendment suggesting each local government entity that is a rail authority member fund it with $50,000 annually.
Samantha Beyl, Rosebud County director for the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority, said the payments are not practical.
"Especially the rural towns, I don't see how any one county has an extra $50,000 laying around to do that," Beyl contended.
A $500,000 grant from the Federal Railroad Administration's Corridor Identification and Development Program helped support plans for the Big Sky North Coast Corridor, mapped from Glendive to Saint Regis through Billings, Helena and Missoula.
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Law enforcement agencies are still trying to get the message through about the dangers and costs that stem from distracted driving.
A Minnesota police chief is echoing calls for people to realize that a text message can wait.
April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.
This year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration rolled out its "Put the Phone Away or Pay" campaign in hopes of convincing drivers to resist looking at their cell phones when behind the wheel.
Winona Police Chief Tom Williams said he feels this is still a pervasive issue.
"We've kind of lost track of the responsibilities associated with operating a motor vehicle," said Williams, "and we're so attached to our phones and social media."
Williams encouraged drivers to seek out safe spaces to pull over -- like a well-lit parking lot -- to answer a text or email, if it's urgent.
Along some roadways around the country, transportation departments have added texting zones, similar to areas for a stalled vehicle.
Last year, there were 29 deaths linked to distracted driving in Minnesota, up from the previous year.
Like most states, Minnesota has laws that require hands-free cell phone use when driving.
Car technology has improved to keep motorists connected while still paying attention to the road. But Williams said many models out there are not equipped with those amenities.
"And people aren't necessarily always going to spend anything," said Williams, "for aftermarket additions to their cars."
Analysts say some newer cars have too many technological bells and whistles that can overwhelm a driver, even if they're hands-free.
They say things like collision warning features might be making drivers too reliant on those aids, diminishing their safety instincts.
Federal officials estimate distracted driving costs Americans $129 billion each year due to property damage, medical expenses and legal fees.
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