Monday’s Headlines
The “Seattle Squeeze” is on, as the Alaskan Way Viaduct is now permanently closed. Curbed has a rundown on what Sound Transit is and is not doing to help commuters. Even though it’s January, biking might be the best way to get around, reports the Post-Intelligencer. Less productively, KING chides pedestrians for slowing down traffic by stepping … Continued
By
Blake Aued
12:11 AM EST on January 14, 2019
- The “Seattle Squeeze” is on, as the Alaskan Way Viaduct is now permanently closed. Curbed has a rundown on what Sound Transit is and is not doing to help commuters. Even though it’s January, biking might be the best way to get around, reports the Post-Intelligencer. Less productively, KING chides pedestrians for slowing down traffic by stepping into crosswalks with the clock winding down.
- Although the latest Census numbers show fewer people are regularly cycling to work, the death of bike commuting has been greatly exaggerated. (Bicycling)
- Maryland’s Purple Line is a year behind schedule and $215 million over budget, according to contractors, although the state disputes those figures and says the contractor can do more to accelerate construction. (Washington Post)
- Massachusetts’s new bike plan update calls for treating all modes of transportation equally and reducing the number of short trips made by car. MDOT has $60 million to implement the plan through 2023. (Boston.com)
- Bay Area transit can be unaffordable for minimum wage earners and people on fixed incomes. Is BART’s pay-by-distance system to blame? (Curbed)
- A Cincinnati city councilman has filed a motion to look into Vision Zero as the number of pedestrians injured by drivers continues to rise. (WKRC)
- The federal shutdown could delay Uber and Lyft’s public stock offerings as they await feedback from laid-off regulators. (Fortune)
- While it’s difficult to provide efficient transit service in rural areas, ride-hailing isn’t the answer, either. Only 19 percent of rural Americans use Uber or Lyft. (Vox)
- With parking construction running at $45,000 a space, Vancouver is considering only building parking for visitors, leaving developers on their own. The city could reduce or eliminate parking minimums, as well. (The Columbian)
- Conservative website Townhall concern-trolls cyclists: Biking is dangerous, but instead of making it safer, just discourage people from biking.
Blake Aued has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday Video: Inside the Global Far-Right Push To Rip Out Bike Lanes
Toronto might be in the center of the fight to resist bike lane teardown today. But if some far-right politicians have their way, this fight won't be the last.
October 23, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Shoot Themselves in the Foot
Gas taxes pay for transit, too, so what happens when politicians pander to voters, and the highway trust fund runs dry?
October 23, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: A More Humanized Experience in Honolulu
If we look transit just as a distance issue, but as a time issue, performance should be discussed as one big whole.
October 22, 2026
Our Best Bet To Confront Climate Change in the Trump Era? Build More Apartments
Most climate strategies are hamstrung by Washington and culture wars across the country. But zoning reform may be the exception.
October 22, 2026
What ‘Flying Cars’ Could Mean For US Car Culture
Would fleets of flying cars be a dystopian nightmare, or a chance to create more walkable cities on the ground?
October 22, 2026
