The FHWA reports that Americans have returned to the road en masse this summer—beware obvious political motivations and a failure to compare VMT trends to population growth.

"New estimates released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) show that American driving between July 2013 and June 2014 is at levels not seen since 2008," reports an FHWA press release. That news has prompted the FHWA to call for "greater investment in highways that must bear growing volumes of traffic." Specifically, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx is quoted in the press release calling for Congress to pass the $302-billion GROW AMERICA Act.
"According to FHWA's 'Traffic Volume Trends' report – a monthly estimate of American travel – drivers in June 2014 logged 261.7 billion vehicle-miles traveled (VMT), the highest level for any June since 2010 and the biggest single-month gain this year. It is the nation's fourth consecutive month of VMT growth."
The VMT numbers are not compared to population, so take them with that fairly large grain of salt, but the FHWA is certainly making the case that Americans are driving more, especially in recent months.
FULL STORY: New Data Show U.S. Driving at Highest Level in Six Years [pdf]

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Native American Communities Prepare to Lead on Environmental Stewardship
In the face of federal threats to public lands and conservation efforts, indigenous groups continue to model nature-centered conservation efforts.

Proposed Bill Would Direct Funds to Road Safety
The Sarah Debbink Langenkamp Active Transportation Safety Act was spurred by the death of a U.S. diplomat who was killed on her bicycle.

Museum of Public Housing Opens in Chicago
The museum highlights the history of public housing in the United States using displays intimately woven with family artifacts.
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