- Shaped by Big Oil, auto barons, segregation, mortgage lenders and suburbanites, the American legal system has made car ownership a virtual necessity. Not only that — traffic laws prioritize the safety of car occupants, criminal penalties are less for those who kill with cars, and courts make it difficult to sue those drivers. (The Atlantic)
- Peak SUV is almost here, according to a story behind the Wall Street Journal’s paywall and summarized by the free site Jalopnik.
- Also behind the WSJ paywall: A former airline CEO has almost eliminated Amtrak's operating losses, but not all riders are happy about it.
- Insurance companies will no longer cover ride-hailing companies against sexual assault claims because high payouts to victims have made it too risky. (D Magazine)
- Seattle Times readers want to know why it takes so long — sometimes up to 20 years or more — to build a light rail line. More funding and streamlined planning could speed up the process.
- A Phoenix referendum on halting light-rail construction is coming up in about six weeks, but campaigning on both sides has been low-key so far. (Arizona Republic)
- A new rail line is already bringing a renaissance to four Connecticut town, even before the stations are built. (Hartford Courant)
- Cincinnati just launched its Vision Zero program but is already seeing a small reduction in crashes involving pedestrians versus 2018. (WCPO)
- A former top Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority official alleges he was fired after blowing the whistle on safety issues. (Boston Globe)
- Bike and pedestrian improvements will probably wind up on the chopping block as Marin County, Calif. starts work on three major thoroughfares. (Independent Journal)
- Shuttles that resemble golf carts are popping up in Oklahoma City, and officials are trying to figure out how they fit in with buses, the streetcar, e-scooters and bike-sharing. (Journal Record)
- Apple is trolling Google with a billboard touting iPhone privacy next to Alphabet subsidiary Sidewalk Labs’ data-thirsty “smart neighborhood” in Toronto. (Business Insider)
Today's Headlines
Wednesday’s Headlines
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
City Shuts Down Volunteer Crosswalk Painting Event in Los Angeles
LAPD cited People's Vision Zero volunteer organizer Jonathan Hale for misdemeanor "vandalism on city property."
Tuesday’s Headlines Set the Record Straight
Folks who think dirtier cars will be cheaper to drive are in for a rude awakening.
December 9, 2025
Opinion: Sean Duffy’s ‘Golden Age’ of Dangerous Streets
Sean Duffy is calling for a "golden age" of civility in American travel. He should start by ending barbaric policies that get people killed on the ground and in the skies.
December 9, 2025
‘I’m Always on the Bus’: How Transit Advocacy Helped Katie Wilson Become Seattle’s Next Mayor
"I really think that our public transit system is such a big part of people's daily experience of government," says the incoming mayor of the Emerald City.
December 8, 2025
Who Rides on the Sidewalk? In NYC, Cops Think Only Blacks and Hispanics
The NYPD has ramped up its enforcement against cyclists for squeezing pedestrians, but in a very suspect manner.
Monday’s Headlines: Why Is Vision Zero Failing?
If there really is a war on cars, the drivers are winning, according to a Washington Post investigation.
December 8, 2025
