- Carmageddon cometh: U.S. motorists drove 8.6 percent fewer miles in September compared to the previous year — the smallest decline since the pandemic started. Driving was up 2.8 percent over August. (Reuters)
- Transit ridership won’t bounce back until officials can convince the public it’s safe. (Globe and Mail)
- The Washington Post reports that the D.C. Metro is considering buyouts as an alternative to laying off 1,400 employees, while the paper’s editorial board urges the government to provide help for the financially struggling transit agency.
- A Reno hospital is turning the place it stores cars into a place to score COVID-19 patients. (The Hill)
- After their Prop 22 victory in California, Uber and Lyft are targeting drivers’ rights in Illinois next. (Crain’s, Streetsblog Chicago)
- Philadelphia is aiming to use traffic calming and enforcement cameras to curb speeding after a spike in traffic deaths. (Voice)
- Austin officials are considering charging developers for the cost of sidewalks, but they’re worried the street impact fee could result in wider roads or inhibit growth. (Monitor)
- Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto is touting a $600-billion “Marshall Plan” to transition Appalachia away from fossil fuels and promote green energy. He says the investment would create over 400,000 jobs. (State Impact)
- Texas is considering hitting electric vehicle owners with a $200 registration fee hike. (Houston Chronicle)
- The World-Herald has deets about Omaha’s new bus rapid transit line.
- Tampa is using murals to highlight new bike racks in downtown parking garages. (Tampa Bay Times)
- The newly elected (and excellently named) Portland Commissioner Mingus Mapps loves the bus and plans to ride his bike to work at City Hall. (Bike Portland)
Portland
Tuesday’s Headlines for You to Enjoy
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
In NYC, Unlicensed Drivers Comprise One-Quarter Of Street Fatalities: Data
Unlicensed drivers are linked to fatal crashes much more often now than pre-pandemic
Tuesday’s Headlines Need Exercise
Every hour in a car increases the risk of obesity by 6 percent, while walking a kilometer lowers it 5 percent.
January 13, 2026
Opinion: Stop Asking If People Want to Ride Bikes
"We shouldn’t be aiming to nudge a few percentage points in public opinion. Our goal should be to make freedom of mobility so compelling that people demand it."
January 13, 2026
When the Government Says You’re ‘Weaponizing’ Your Car
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers have been brutalizing and killing people who they perceive as threats. Is mass automobility multiplying their pretext to do it?
January 12, 2026
Should Monday’s Headlines Carry a Carrot or a Stick?
Human beings generally don't like being forced to do anything, so Grist wonders whether policies like car bans could actually be counterproductive?
January 12, 2026
Chicago Explores Black Perspectives on Public Transit
"We're not going to fix decades of inequitable investment in one year, and things like the high-frequency bus network and the Red Line Extension are really important, but the work isn't done."
