- If U.S. officials can ever get over their fear of backlash from drivers, psychology and experience from European cities shows that restricting cars in cities will eventually become popular (BBC). London is an example, where the city is tearing up financial district roadways to turn them into bike lanes and pedestrian spaces (City Lab).
- Poor public transit is a barrier to health care, according to a new CDC report. (Johns Hopkins)
- Greater Greater Washington picks apart the New York Times' argument that distracted drivers are to blame for the rise in pedestrian deaths, rather than road design.
- The American trend toward bigger, heavier and deadlier SUVs is spreading to Europe. (The Guardian)
- The latest "driverless" cars actually do have drivers. They're just piloting the vehicles remotely like a drone or a video game. (New Atlas)
- All it took was a few Jersey barriers to drop drivers' speeds by six miles per hour on one Indianapolis street. (WFYI)
- Now that it's three-quarters finished, Minneapolis officials don't expect any more surprise cost increases for the Southwest light rail line. (MinnPost)
- Detroit is boosting frequency on one of its most popular east-west bus lines. (Freep)
- Double-tracking to boost passenger rail capacity along Lake Michigan's south shore is almost complete. (Northwest Indiana Business Magazine)
- Valley Metro's new light rail line opens Saturday. (Fox 10 Phoenix)
- There's still hope for rail service connecting New Orleans and Baton Rouge. (Engineering News-Record)
- A rat — or was it a squirrel? — went splat on a Chicago sidewalk's wet concrete, and now it's a tourist attraction. (NPR)
Today's Headlines
Thursday’s Headlines Plunge Ahead
Cities shouldn't be afraid of restricting cars. If they do, most people will not only get over it, they'll embrace it.
By Blake Aued
A car-free street in Tokyo.
Read More:
Stay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Alarming Report Shows that Two Auto-Braking Systems Can’t See People in Reflective Garb
The safety strips are useless in the eyes of automatic braking systems on two very popular car models.
January 10, 2025
The Smoke of Friday’s Headlines Gets in Your Eyes
Like cigarettes, big trucks and SUVs kill innocent people. So why not regulate them like cigarettes?
January 10, 2025
Talking Headways Podcast: Highway Robbery
Ben Ross and Joe Cortright on how highway modeling is used to expand highways around the country.
January 9, 2025
New from NACTO: Here’s How Your City Can Embrace Biking
Bike's are the fastest-growing mode of transportation — here's how to make the best of it.
January 9, 2025
Yonah’s List: All the Transit Expansion in the United States in 2024
A review of 2024 — plus a look at the light rail, metro, and bus rapid transit projects planned to open in 2025.
January 9, 2025
