- A New York Times deep dive shows how often traffic stops for minor offenses can turn deadly. Police have killed more than 400 unarmed drivers over the past five years, often simply for "contempt of cop." They almost always get away with it, although cities pay out millions in wrongful death lawsuits. One reason why is that officers' training overemphasizes the danger of traffic stops.
- More than 20,000 people died in car crashes in the first half of 2021, an 18% increase, the largest six-month spike ever recorded by the U.S. DOT. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called it a "crisis."
- House Democrats' latest version of the reconciliation bill tackling climate change includes $10 billion for high-speed rail, $10 billion for transit-oriented development and $4 billion for complete streets (Bloomberg). It also includes a fee on oil and gas producers that emit the greenhouse gas methane (Reuters).
- Meanwhile, with the bipartisan infrastructure bill still awaiting a House vote, lawmakers passed another short-term transportation funding bill. (The Hill)
- A Consumer Reports investigation found that U.S. auto loan debt has reached a record $1.4 trillion. Even drivers with good credit are being pushed into subprime loans, and one in four are spending more on car payments than they can afford.
- The head of the National Transportation Safety Board said Elon Musk fans are attacking a newly appointed advisor who's been critical of Tesla deliberately to distract from an investigation into the company's self-driving technology. (CNN)
- Building out the charging infrastructure necessary for a widespread switch to electric vehicles is harder than you think. (Slate)
- The Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority is planning a $300 million bus rapid transit project in suburban Clayton County. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
- A Denver developer who specialized in dense, relatively affordable housing near transit now says he's switching to million-dollar homes because there are too many hoops to jump through. (Denverite)
- The Tucson streetcar has experienced record ridership since going fare-free during the pandemic. (KOLD)
- Buffalo transit advocates continue to push for light rail, although the Federal Transit Administration wants the city to consider expanding bus service instead. (WBFO)
- A Little Rock regional planning group is hiring a transit coordinator. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette)
Streetsblog
Monday’s Headlines Have a License to Kill
By Blake Aued
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
New Bill Would Help ‘REPAIR’ America’s Worst Infrastructure — By Reimagining It For People
The concept of "reconnecting communities" torn apart by federal infrastructure has come under fire by GOP leaders in Washington. This Senator says it's time to renew the program anyway — and more than triple its funding.
December 22, 2025
Monday’s Headlines Belong to All of Us
The success of car-free streets depends on how well they foster community connections.
Friday Video: The Secret History of Amtrak’s Mardi Gras Service
...and what it means for new passenger rail service across America.
Friday’s Headlines Walk the Line
If you're a capitalist, the market says there's a premium for living in a walkable neighborhood. So why not supply more to meet demand?
December 19, 2025
Talking Headways Podcast: Fighting to Win
Carter Lavin talks with Jeff Wood about the necessity of messy politics in obtaining street safety.
December 18, 2025
Streetsblog’s ‘Car-Free Carolers’ Bring the Joy, Mirth and Ho-Ho-Hope to this Holiday Season
Streetsblog's singers are back, belting out their parody classics to make a serious point: New York's roadways don't have to be dangerous places for kids and lungs, but can be joyous spaces for people to walk around, shop, eat or just ... hang out.
