- A bipartisan Senate infrastructure bill is expected to be unveiled today (The Hill). The main sticking point is transit funding — typically, 80 percent of transportation funding goes to roads and 20 percent on transit. Republicans want to spend less on transit, while Democrats have apparently given up fighting for more and just want to maintain the status quo (NBC News). Moderate Democrats are so focused on a deal that they'll probably allow the cuts (American Prospect). But more transit funding could be rolled into a Democrat-only reconciliation bill later (Roll Call).
- Federal data shows that transit ridership is coming back, with some communities reaching 80 percent of pre-pandemic ridership. (Mass Transit
- Surprisingly, the states that spend the largest percentages of their budgets on infrastructure are mostly red, including Nebraska, Tennessee, North and South Dakota, Alaska, Utah, Texas and Arizona. But most of that money was spent on utilities and highways. (U.S. News & World Report)
- For a variety of reasons, California lawmakers are reluctant to pour more money into high-speed rail. (Cal Matters)
- Massachusetts might be the only state left in what was originally a 13-state compact to combat climate change by taxing carbon. (Boston Globe)
- A planned park built on top of I-95 in Philadelphia has been pushed back two years. (WHYY)
- Lyft is bringing self-driving cars, accompanied by backup drivers, to Austin and Miami. (KXAN)
- Bike rental shops in the South Carolina beach town of Hilton Head are reporting record bike and part thefts. (WJCL)
- Asheville residents are pushing for more bike lanes after a spate of crashes. (Citizen-Times)
- Don't let Elon Musk anywhere near public transit. (Pop Dust)
- Tax the space billionaires, one congressman says. (Forbes)
- Why don't more people get on bikes? Maybe it's Hollywood's depictions of cyclists as dorky kids or even dorkier spandex-clad adults. (Slate)
Streetsblog
Monday’s Headlines Are On the Brink
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Why Transit Advocates Aren’t 100% Behind This Senator’s Bold Bill To Slash Highway Funding
A new Republican bill could bring rampant highway overspending to a halt and slash emissions by one-fifth. But don't get too excited because it would hurt transit, too.
March 17, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Are Underwater
More and more people can't afford their car payments or associated costs — which wouldn't be as big of a problem if they had a choice other than driving.
March 17, 2026
What If The Rising Costs of Car Dependency Were As Visible As Gas Prices?
Gas station billboards remind U.S. residents every day that driving is getting more expensive. What if they told a different message about the high costs of our autocentric transportation system?
March 16, 2026
Hired Actors, Paid Media: Big Tech Has Dumped $8M Into Car Insurance Rate Cut
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul's scheme to bring down insurance costs is backed by Uber cash and ads with professional actors.
Monday’s Headlines Zero In
Traffic deaths are going down, and they'd decline further if cities stopped letting residents block safety projects.
March 16, 2026
Trump’s Oil Crisis Is Already Costing Massachusetts Drivers Over $2.4 Million A Day In Higher Gas Prices
Massachusetts drivers are now cumulatively spending $20.9 million a day at the pump – more than twice the daily cost of operating the entire MBTA system.
