- To get people on bikes, cities need to protect cyclists. Three of the top four reasons why people don't ride bikes involve fear of riding in traffic, including drivers' aggressive behavior and the possibility of getting hit by a car, according to a Melbourne study. (Treehugger)
- $406 million for 140 earmarks for transit projects are included in the federal omnibus spending bill, such as funding for track improvements in Connecticut, zero-emissions buses in Hawaii and microtransit in suburban Atlanta (Mass Transit).
- It also includes a $121 million boost for Amtrak, though that's less than what the White House requested (Trains).
- President Biden announced $1.6 billion in infrastructure funding for the Brent Spence Bridge between Kentucky and Ohio. (Washington Post)
- Size doesn't matter — at least when it comes to commuting. MIT researchers used Chinese workers' cellphone data to calculate that their average commute is five miles, regardless of their cities' population. (Archinect)
- The transit industry is having a hard time attracting office workers. (Transit Center)
- Cities should be updating their regulations in preparation for the rollout of EV chargers. (Smart Cities Dive)
- The Texas DOT's preferred option for widening I-35 in Austin would put the freeway below grade, add two lanes, displace 107 homes and businesses and require the city to pay $800 million if it wants caps over the freeway. (KUT)
- Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is proposing more incentives to buy electric cars, bikes and even lawnmowers. (Colorado Public Radio)
- The Charlotte Area Transit System now says the Silver Line under development would pick up more passengers by skirting uptown rather than going through it, as some transit advocates want. (WFAE)
- Cleveland planners want to rezone the city and its suburbs to encourage transit-oriented development and discourage sprawl. (Plain Dealer)
- The Oregon DOT should use congestion pricing to unstick traffic on I-5 and fund the struggling transit agency TriMet. (Willamette Week)
- A road diet in Des Moines unexpectedly resulted in drivers going even faster, but crashes still declined. (Axios)
- The two-car trains that serve Japan's rural communities are dying. (RFI)
- Regulators in Australia want electric vehicles to make some kind of noise to warn pedestrians. But what should it sound like? (The Guardian)
Streetsblog
Friday’s Headlines Want to Feel Safe
By Blake Aued
Source: Portland Department of Transportation
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday Video: Why The Latest Wave of E-Bike Restrictions Are So Stupid
New Jersey just set a new standard for over-reaction on e-bikes by passing a victim-blaming law. Here's why no state should follow suit.
Friday Video: The Fight to Expand A South Carolina Freeway … For Bikes
Greenville is looking for the good kind of induced demand — by expanding a popular rail-trail.
January 23, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Pollute All They Want
If the courts and Congress won't do it, the EPA under President Trump will just have to repeal itself.
January 23, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: A Week Without Driving
Anna Zivarts discusses the lessons of her national campaign and yearly event with several politicians who brought it to their communities.
January 22, 2026
Aisle Be Damned: Dems and GOP Unite in Oregon In Bid To Legalize Kei Trucks
Tiny trucks bring people together across the political spectrum — and they could help save lives and budgets.
January 22, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are Getting Their Butts Kicked by China
China alone accounted for 72 percent of the new metro and light rail lines that opened last year, more than doubling the rest of the world combined.
January 22, 2026
