- The U.S. is already producing record amounts of crude oil, but Republicans want to drill even more. (Roll Call)
- It will surprise no one who's been on Twitter lately that Elon Musk is single-handedly responsible for the problems with Tesla's so-called "Full Self-Driving" technology. (Washington Post)
- The cost of lithium — a key component of EV batteries — is falling, but no one knows for how long. (New York Times)
- Sure, a lot of drivers think they can break the law with impunity, but hundreds of thousands of "sovereign citizens" literally think the law doesn't apply to them. (Jalopnik)
- An obscure 1920 maritime law is clogging up U.S. roads with trucks filled with goods that could be transported more efficiently by water. (The Atlantic)
- If you don't mind paying the $2,000 gas-guzzler tax, you can buy this $100,000 Dodge with a 1,000-horsepower engine. (Car and Driver)
- Vice dubs the recently deceased King of Prussia rail line in Philadelphia the second-worst transit project in the U.S., behind the much-maligned LaGuardia plane train.
- Some good news on the ridership front: The D.C. Metro is ramping up train service as numbers continue to break post-pandemic records. (DCist)
- Arizona legislators are meddling with Phoenix's transit expansion plans because they know they would lose at the ballot box. (Republic)
- Deploying social workers on the Twin Cities' transit system would be a challenge because it overlaps with so many jurisdictions. (MinnPost)
- Tennessee's $3 billion transportation plan mostly consists of new highway lanes. (Tennessean)
- The Hampton Roads region of Virginia is continuing to explore light rail. (WTKR)
- Remember Shit My Dad Says? Here are Things Mountain Bikers Say. (Bike Mag)
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
