- The Biden administration awarded 45 grants totaling $185 million for communities to develop plans for mitigating the damage of highways (Washington Post). Meanwhile, a committee in the California legislature is also considering ways to reconnect neighborhoods split by highways (CalMatters).
- Carbon emissions from SUVs rose to nearly 1 billion tons last year as sales of the gas-guzzling vehicles soared. That's as much carbon as the United Kingdom and Germany produce combined. (The Guardian)
- The U.S. pedestrian death rate rose nine times faster than the population during the COVID pandemic. (Streetsblog)
- Amtrak is popular among people making shorter trips like Memphis to New Orleans, particularly in the Southeast, fueling efforts to expand service. (Trains)
- On-demand transit is becoming more important in rural areas as the population ages. (KCUR)
- Uber is more likely to deactivate drivers' accounts after complaints if those drivers are people of color or immigrants. (Wired)
- Bay Area Rapid Transit and other agencies around the country are spending the last of their emergency COVID funding and staring down a fiscal cliff. (Governing)
- Several groups combined forces to upend the status quo and keep San Francisco's JFK Promenade closed to cars. (CNU Public Square)
- A review of Seattle's not-very-successful Vision Zero program suggests doing more of the same. (Public Cola)
- The Portland Bureau of Transportation is offering carless downtown travelers free coffee and gift cards to encourage walking, biking and taking transit. (Bike Portland)
- Hawaii legislators want to spend an extra $50 million on street safety this year. (Civil Beat)
- A Nebraska state senator wants to extend the Omaha streetcar before it's even built. (WOWT)
- France is investing 100 billion euros in rail through 2040, mainly on express commuter trains in cities outside Paris. (Reuters)
Streetsblog
Thursday’s Headlines Are Reconnecting
By Blake Aued
The Claiborne Avenue Expressway. Photo: CNU, CC
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
A ‘Demographic Time Bomb’ Is About To Go Off — And the Transportation Sector Isn’t Ready
A top firm is warning that the "silver tsunami" will have big implications for the climate, unless U.S. communities act fast.
January 15, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Shoot for the Moon
What if the U.S. spent anything near what it spends on highways on transit instead?
January 15, 2026
Passenger Rail Is Headed for a Reckoning — and the First 90 Days of 2026 Will Decide It
Railfans: it's time to go full steam ahead.
January 15, 2026
Analysis: What It Would Take To Put America First in Transit Again
No, it won't be easy. Yes, it can be done.
January 14, 2026
Opinion: Transportation Researchers Still Care About Equity. This Week They’re Proving It
This Thursday, progressives in transportation will fight back against the Trump administration.
January 14, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Still Value Life
The EPA is backtracking on stronger ozone and fine particulate regulations, which could kill thousands of people.
January 14, 2026
