- That old muffler ad is obsolete — you are gonna pay a lot for it. While everyone complains about inflation, a closer look reveals that much of the overall increase in prices is attributable to cars. The cost of owning an automobile rose 23 percent last year. (Eno Center for Transportation)
- Once again, consumers' insatiable demand for the higher hoods and heavier weight of ever-bigger trucks and SUVs is deadly for anyone who happens to be standing in their way. These vehicles rarely come with live-saving technology that could mitigate their enormous blind spots. (Consumer Reports)
- Even the traditionally Republican-leaning U.S. Chamber of Commerce is now in favor of transportation equity.
- The U.S. DOT announced a $27 billion bridge repair and replacement program, funded by the infrastructure act (Traffic Technology). Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg launched the program in Pennsylvania (Fox 43).
- Seattle police will no longer stop drivers and cyclists for minor infractions like cracked windshields and not wearing a helmet, recognizing that the fines fall disproportionately on people without the ability to pay them. (Public Cola)
- A new Massachusetts law will force reluctant suburbs to change their zoning policies to subsidize affordable housing near transit stops. (Streetsblog MASS)
- A transgender man in Denver says he was beaten up at a light-rail stop and kicked out of an Uber on the same night. (Metro Weekly)
- Nashville residents are calling for justice on Dickerson Pike after a driver killed a third person in the past year. (News Channel 5)
- Berkeley is shifting road-paving funding from major arterials to neighborhood streets in "equity zones" encompassing less wealthy neighborhoods. (Berkeleyside)
- Some Portlanders spent the MLK Day of Service sweeping up debris from bike lanes. (Bike Portland)
- Buttigieg told CBS News that fatherhood — he and his husband, Chasten, recent adopted infant twins — has given him a new sense of urgency. Any parent can relate.
Streetsblog
Wednesday’s Headlines Are Too Thrifty to Drive
By Blake Aued
You’d probably pay as much for a used Civic now as these sports cars cost two years ago. Photo: MD111/Flickr
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
The Real Reason America Can’t Have The Tiny Japanese-Style Cars Trump Says He Wants
Trump is right that kei cars are super-kawaii — but he's wrong that clearing the regulatory decks is enough to bring them to U.S. shores.
December 16, 2025
Tuesday’s Headlines Were So Much Older Then, We’re Younger Than That Now
Getting around without driving can be tough for anyone, but particularly seniors and children.
December 16, 2025
Boston’s New ‘CharlieCard’ Raises Privacy Issues in an Age of High-Tech Tracking
The new CharlieCard provides several benefits, but riders should also be aware of the military vendor that's operating the new system.
Ride E-Scooters, Do Crime? Study Explores Relationship Between Micromobility and Vehicle Offenses
"I suspect there are confounding factors that make the link from e-scooters to crime spurious."
Find Out Exactly How Much Downtown Highways Cost Your City
"How much does it actually cost to be car dependent?" This Dallas-based analyst set out to answer that question for cities across the U.S.
December 15, 2025
Monday’s Headlines Are Under Repair
The Biden administration's Reconnecting Communities program received $14 billion in requests for $1 billion total funding. A new bill would greatly expand it.
December 15, 2025
