The communities most exposed to the climate crisis are often the same communities already navigating the greatest transportation challenges.

Forward Pinellas executive director Whit Blanton told Dunedin commissioners a proposed merger of the three Tampa Bay MPOs would create a 25‑member regional board and could eliminate Dunedin's guaranteed seat; the plan aims to improve competitiveness for large federal and state grants, with a potential start date of July 1, 2028.

Caltrans District 11 staff described a newly launched Community Advisory Board (CAB) created to embed community and tribal voices into district planning; the CAB will inform a district guidebook and feed into a People and Communities First Action Plan cycle running 2025–2028.

Residents urged the council to avoid language that reads like a downtown bicycle ban, called for more bike infrastructure and education; the council and counsel said the law targets e-bikes/scooters on sidewalks for safety and moved to continue the hearing to Sept. 14 for clarified language.

Planners previewed an updated Athens in Motion plan that refocuses a vision network for walking and biking, shifts from tiered lists to opportunistic delivery pathways, and urges completing high‑impact projects while expanding low‑cost fixes like sidewalk gaps and traffic calming.

Key Highlights * Free bicycles are distributed to eligible Class 9 girls, eliminating commuting barriers. * Attendance and enrollment rates for girls rise as a direct result of improved mobility. * The scheme is administered through schools, bypassing separate online applications. * Eligibility hinges on gender, school type, class level, and up‑to‑date academic records. * Documentation includes Aadhaar, school ID, class 8 marks, and proof of Delhi residence. Detailed Insights The Delhi Vidya Vahini Scheme 2026 was launched to address the persistent challenge of transportation for adolescent girls in Delhi’s public schools. By providing a bicycle to each qualifying student, the government removes a key obstacle that often leads to absenteeism and eventual dropout. Unlike many welfare programmes that demand individual online registrations, this initiative is fully institutionalised; school authorities identify eligible candidates, verify their records, and upload beneficiary details to the education portal. Eligibility criteria are straightforward: the applicant must be a female student in a government or government‑aided school, currently enrolled in Class 9, with a valid school identity card and an updated academic record. The school conducts a verification process before adding the student to the beneficiary list, ensuring that only genuine candidates receive the bicycle. Students are required to submit a set of documents—Aadhaar card, school identity card, admission number, passport‑size photographs, proof of residence in Delhi, Class 8 mark sheet, and the current admission slip. Originals and copies are mandatory, and any discrepancies in names, dates of birth, or addresses must be rectified at the school level before the final approval. By removing transportation as a barrier, the scheme not only boosts attendance but also encourages girls to continue their education, thereby contributing to broader gender equity goals in the region. Key Concepts * Beneficiary List – The roster of students approved by the school to receive bicycles. * Verification Process – The school‑based audit of academic records and identity documents. * Institutionalised Scheme – A programme managed through existing school structures rather than a separate portal. * Documentation Requirements – The set of official papers students must provide for eligibility confirmation. * Attendance Incentive – The indirect effect of improved mobility on school presence.

Council voted 6–1 to place a city sales-tax measure on the November 2026 ballot to replace expiring Measure C dollars, after county-level efforts stalled; sponsors say the 0.5% measure would raise roughly $65 million a year and avert deep cuts to transit, streets and city jobs.

At a July 29 La Porte County budget workshop, Representative Pressel described two Community Crossings funding options (competitive grants vs. lane-mile distribution) and explained that a county would need to adopt a local wheel-tax surtax only to opt into the lane-mile distribution.

At a July 13 remote public hearing, dozens of riders, disability advocates, labor and climate groups urged the Select Committee on the Seattle Transportation Benefit District to send Council Bill 121226 to the November ballot and to reject amendments (notably 3, 4, 5 and 13) that would reduce transit funding or delay renewal.

Commissioners discussed the commission’s role advising on the Austin Climate Equity Plan, flagged data centers and a proposed bond as near‑term items, and organized informal working groups on development, purchasing, transportation and electric generation to prepare recommendations.

Caltrans staff and subcommittee members reviewed a draft Equity Index (EQI) User Guide and recommended clearer onboarding, language access, a 500‑meter buffer and searchable locators for SB 960 screening, improved layer visualization, and an external testing period; the subcommittee adopted April minutes by roll call.

After hours of public testimony about cuts to librarians, Communities In Schools and transportation, the Austin ISD Board adopted a revised 2026–27 budget that temporarily restores a full-time librarian to every campus using fund balance; the superintendent will propose offsets in August.

The Acadia Parish School Board voted to accept the FY2026–27 salary book but agreed to revisit bus-driver field-trip compensation after members and bus drivers raised concerns about a pay disparity with contracted drivers and principals' capacity to cover higher costs.

The board approved revised pay-to-ride guidelines prioritizing requests by distance and using intent-to-ride commitments to plan routes; members discussed chronic drop-off/pickup safety and potential enforcement or infrastructure fixes, noting pay-to-ride revenue covers only a portion of bus costs.

Progress on transportation equity comes in layers—a pilot program here, a clear legal definition there, a coalition that grows a little stronger each session.

Caltrans presented Complete Streets implementation under SB 960 to the Interagency Transportation Equity Advisory Committee, outlining district transit plans, funding streams, and design guidance for transit stops. Committee members urged more protective bike infrastructure, improved e-bike data, and clearer pathways for local engagement.

The Edina City Council adopted a Safe & Equitable Mobility Action Plan on May 5, 2026, setting targets of zero deaths and serious injuries by 2050 and an interim 50% reduction by 2035. The plan prioritizes high‑injury corridors, integrates equity metrics, and will be implemented through pavement management and grant seeking.

Riders, advocacy groups and residents urged Philadelphia City Council to restore repaving targets, make 0‑fare permanent and increase SEPTA funding; speakers linked transit reliability and street repaving to safety ahead of major events.

The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission Executive & Finance Committee voted to recommend the Draft FY2022 UPWP and budget to the full board, approving a new $50,000 Transportation Equity Framework task and noting a projected $35,000 shortfall that staff expect to address during the year.

Caltrans officials presented the Transportation Equity Index (EQI), a census‑block level spatial screening tool, and an analytical reporting tool during a California Transportation Commission SB‑1 equity workshop; presenters urged using EQI alongside local knowledge and community engagement.

At a CTC SB‑1 workshop staff outlined proposed updates to community engagement evaluation criteria and an expanded SB‑1 Transportation Equity Supplement, invited written comments by the first week of May, and answered questions on categorical exemptions, tribal engagement and anti‑displacement resources.

Administration proposed moving to a consistent two-hour K–12 late start on Wednesdays starting in 2026–27; a survey of 1,208 respondents showed 48% support and 43.5% opposition. Board members agreed to pause immediate action, seek more study and address middle-school transportation inequities first.