- Author Paris Marx suggests that Elon Musk — who's been in the news a lot lately, along with other tech tycoons, for their transportation boondoggles — only proposed the hyperloop to try to block California high-speed rail so he could sell more cars, and never intended to build it. (Jalopnik)
- Elaine Chao, Donald Trump's transportation secretary, met with the January 6 committee, possibly to talk about how she and other cabinet members considered removing him from office after the Capitol riot. (CNN)
- More on the $2.2 billion in RAISE grants for infrastructure the U.S. DOT distributed for 166 projects. (Washington Post, Roll Call)
- By offering fairness, value, simplicity and flexibility, fare-capping is a promising way to get more people to ride transit. (Metro Magazine)
- Speeding drivers kill 10,000 people a year in the U.S. So if the government will put speed governors on scooters and e-bikes, why not on cars that can go well over 100 miles per hour? (City Lab)
- Gas-tax holidays are regressive, likely to benefit oil and gas companies more than drivers, will drain government transportation coffers, and could result in shortages even if they were effective at driving down prices. (Bloomberg Law)
- Improving transit could restore trust in big-city government. (Planetizen)
- Tempe's new streetcar is the latest of several Valley Metro extensions. (Arizona Republic)
- The Charlotte Area Transit System is looking for input on a new light-rail station. (WCNC)
- Anne Heche is under investigation for driving under the influence of drugs when the actress crashed into a Los Angeles house. She is currently in critical condition and not expected to survive. (TMZ)
- Paris is set to become one of the top bike-friendly cities on the planet. (Momentum)
Streetsblog
Friday’s Headlines Are About Elon-ed Out
By Blake Aued
Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Image: Steve Jurvetson, CC
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Confirmed: Non-Driving Infrastructure Creates ‘Induced Demand,’ Too
Widening a highway to cure congestion is like losing weight by buying bigger pants — but thanks to the same principle of "induced demand," adding bike paths and train lines to cure climate actually works.
January 9, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Are Unsustainably Expensive
To paraphrase former New York City mayoral candidate Jimmy McMillan, the car payment is too damn high.
Talking Headways Podcast: Poster Sessions at Mpact in Portland
Young professionals discuss the work they’ve been doing including designing new transportation hubs, rethinking parking and improving buses.
January 8, 2026
Exploding Costs Could Doom One of America’s Greatest Highway Boondoggles
The Interstate Bridge Replacement Project and highway expansion between Oregon and Washington was already a boondoggle. Then the costs ballooned to $17.7 billion.
January 8, 2026
Mayor Bowser Blasts U.S. DOT Talk of Eliminating Enforcement Cameras in DC
The federal Department of Transportation is exploring how to dismantle the 26-year-old enforcement camera system in Washington, D.C.
January 8, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are Making Progress
By Yonah Freemark's count, 19 North American transit projects opened last year, with another 19 coming in 2026.
January 8, 2026
