- The top story: The Minneapolis police officer who killed George Floyd last year was found guilty on all counts (with the top count being second-degree murder) — an all-too-rare jury finding that held a cop accountable. (NY Times)
- In a case reminiscent of the police killing of Floyd, San Diego's transit agency apologized and will pay $5.5 million to the family of a man who died in 2019 after a security officer knelt on his neck for six minutes. (Associated Press)
- Some people make the argument that intercity rail will never take off in most of this sprawling country unless it's not only faster than driving and cheaper than flying, but competitive timewise with taking a plane. But Vice makes the argument that the U.S. is better off incrementally upgrading service, as Amtrak is proposing, rather than spending decades trying to build out a hugely expensive high-speed rail network.
- A modest annual $20-billion investment in transit operating costs would dramatically improve service in cities nationwide. (Transit Center)
- Contrary to those who are writing off transit due to plunging ridership, the pandemic showed how essential transit really is. (Rice Kinder Institute)
- Urban subways are better at getting people to jobs than suburban commuter rail. (Pedestrian Observations)
- With traffic deaths up during the pandemic, states are starting to prioritize safety over speed. (California Healthline)
- California is falling short of its climate goals, but that doesn't mean progress isn't being made on the transportation front. (San Francisco Chronicle)
- Oakland's "flex streets" program that allows businesses to use public street space previously reserved for cars will expire in June unless the city renews it. (Berkleyside)
- Once a radical idea, Boston mayoral candidates are mow embracing the idea of fare-free transit. (Globe)
- Honolulu is lobbying Congress for another $800 million to finish a light rail line that's already $7 billion over budget and 10 years behind schedule. (Railway Age)
- Tampa isn't ready yet, but it's starting to prepare for a future where electric vehicles are prevalent. (WFLA)
- E-scooters have finally come to New York years after other cities (as Streetsblog reported), but now The New Yorker is sitting up and taking notice.
Streetsblog
Wednesday’s Headlines from All Over
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."
