The Interchange

Federal crash and roadway data underpin efforts to reduce collisions by identifying where and why severe injuries cluster on U.S. streets. Transportation agencies use standardized datasets to map high-injury corridors, spot recurring risk factors, and prioritize evidence-based interventions. Analytical tools help compare locations, track changes over time, and evaluate the impact of designs that manage speed, improve visibility, and protect people walking or cycling. The same information supports grant applications, performance targets, and public transparency, enabling local, state, and federal coordination. By moving beyond anecdotes to consistent metrics, practitioners can direct limited funds to the places with the greatest safety payoff and adjust strategies as new patterns emerge.

A proposed U.S. bill seeks to expand housing near high-capacity transit by aligning funding and incentives with transit-oriented development goals. The measure emphasizes adding homes within walking distance of rail stations and frequent bus corridors to reduce car dependence, support ridership, and lower household transportation costs. Provisions aim to encourage local zoning reforms, streamline approvals, and pair new housing with infrastructure investments so growing neighborhoods can handle added density. Affordability and proximity to jobs and services feature as core objectives, with an emphasis on equitable access to reliable transport. Supporters present the approach as a practical way to boost supply and climate benefits, while acknowledging debates over local control and community capacity.

Highway repair costs are escalating, putting pressure on public budgets and forcing agencies to reconsider which road and bridge projects proceed. Higher bids and limited dollars can delay resurfacing, reconstruction, and maintenance, even as aging infrastructure needs more frequent attention. Officials weigh tradeoffs between rebuilding aging assets to past standards, right-sizing overbuilt segments, and investing in designs that improve resilience to future wear and tear. Tighter budgets also heighten scrutiny of how funds are distributed among capacity expansion, state-of-good-repair, and safety upgrades. The squeeze invites broader conversations about long-term maintenance liabilities and whether reconfigurations can reduce lifecycle costs while meeting mobility and freight needs.

Amazon plans to eliminate 30,000 jobs as it confronts mounting cost pressures, signaling a major effort to rein in expenses and sharpen operational focus. The move represents a sizable adjustment for one of the world’s largest private employers and reflects a push to protect margins and prioritize investments with the greatest returns. Workforce reductions on this scale can affect internal teams as well as contractors and service providers connected to logistics, fulfillment, and delivery networks. Leadership frames the changes as part of a broad efficiency drive intended to streamline processes, simplify decision-making, and align resources with strategic priorities during a period of heightened financial discipline.