- President Obama laid the groundwork for high-speed rail in his 2009 stimulus package, but 12 years later “Amtrak Joe” Biden doesn’t seem interested in following through despite his long-standing support for transit. (American Prospect)
- Cities nationwide are considering making transit fare-free, but what most riders need more than free fares is better service. (Slate)
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says the U.S. can't afford to have a "dorm room debate" over what's infrastructure before passing a bill. (Politico)
- Electrifying the entire U.S. bus fleet would cost between $56 billion and $89 billion, according to an Eno Center for Transportation report. (Transportation Today)
- Bike-share and e-scooter company Lime is joining the National Complete Streets Coalition to lobby for safer places to ride. (Smart Growth America)
- Transit agencies are better off handling rail projects in-house, rather than hiring consultants. (Pedestrian Observations)
- Federal officials have approved the Gateway tunnel project connecting New York and New Jersey, which promises to speed up rail travel up and down the East Coast (NJ.com). But now New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is throwing a fit about having to pay for it (Streetsblog NYC).
- New York City ride-hailing drivers are forming a worker-owned cooperative to compete with Uber and Lyft. (NY Times)
- NIMBY suburbs surrounding San Diego are fighting a $160 billion transit expansion plan because they don't want higher-density housing. (Union-Tribune)
- Amazon bought a Philadelphia property transit agency SEPTA was eyeing for a trolley yard, which could delay upgrading the system. (Inquirer)
- Environmental justice is at the heart of the fight to stop the I-5 expansion in Houston. (Architect's Newspaper)
- Support is dwindling in the Oregon legislature for tolling to pay for highway projects like the Rose Quarter I-5 widening in Portland. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- The Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is aiming to link its underperforming streetcar to the popular Beltline walking and biking trail by 2027. (Saporta Report)
- The backlash to New Orleans' new protected bike lanes is underway. (The Advocate)
- Food delivery skyrocketed during the pandemic, and delivery services may be branching out to pot next, which should make that lukewarm takeout taste a lot better (CNBC).
Streetsblog
Wednesday’s Headlines Are Free and Fast
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Opinion: Transportation Researchers Still Care About Equity. This Week They’re Proving It
This Thursday, progressives in transportation will fight back against the Trump administration.
January 14, 2026
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
