Wednesday’s Headlines Ba-Rum-Pum-Pum-Pum
Congress finally passed another stimulus bill, but is it enough? Plus, Virginia decriminalizes jaywalking and more headlines.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on December 23, 2020
Don’t forget our December donation drive! Thanks!
- If we let transit wither and die, how will people without cars get to work when the pandemic is over, and where will those with cars park when they get there? (The Atlantic)
- A $17-billion annual federal investment could bring every decent-sized city’s transit up to par with Chicago’s. (Government Technology)
- Even with a stimulus package, service cuts loom, and with them U.S. transit stands to lose a generation of choice riders. (City Monitor)
- The D.C. Metro’s share of the $14-billion Congress appropriated in the new coronavirus relief bill will stave off the worst of the cuts — for now (Washington Post). Over at Streetsblog SF, Roger Rudick looks at the impact on Bay Area transit.
- More on that recent Federal Transit Administration grant announcement: The South Shore Line received $50 million (Inside Indiana Business), Chicago is entering the next phase of the Red Line extension (WTTW), and Phoenix got $49 million for its Northwest light rail extension (KTAR).
- Police have applied jaywalking laws to people of color disproportionately since automakers made jaywalking a thing a century ago, but starting in March, police in Virginia won’t be able to stop people for the offense of crossing a street outside a crosswalk. (Mercury)
- Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has joined a regional consortium of states seeking to limit greenhouse gas emissions (CT Post). Massachusetts is officially in, too, reports Christian MilNeil at Streetsblog MASS.
- Birmingham has broken ground on its first bus rapid transit line (CBS 42), and Orange County, California, is laying tracks for a new streetcar (Register).
- Greenville, South Carolina’s B-Cycle bike-share is going electric. (Journal)
- Chicago pedestrians, be on the lookout for a driver who vaguely resembles a young Morrissey. (Tribune; H/T John Greenfield)
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
Speed Ills! Reckless Driving on the Rise in Car Ads, Study Shows
Car commercials featuring unsafe driving are rising — as are crash fatalities linked to speeding. Hmm.
May 12, 2026
Not For Granite: New Hampshire Man Isn’t Laughing At Anti-Cyclist Comments From State Elected Official
A voter sent this letter to state Rep. Thomas Walsh, but he speaks for all of us.
May 12, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Have a Side Hustle
Sean Duffy goes back to his roots with a new reality TV show.
May 12, 2026
Congress Gave States Enough Money to Fix Every Road in America; Some States Set It On Fire Instead
Every year, politicians pledge to fix our "crumbling roads and bridges." Even when we give them enough money to do it, they don't.
May 11, 2026
Monday’s Headlines Should Be Obvious
Solutions for traffic proposed by experts will probably come as no surprise to most Streetsblog readers.
May 11, 2026