Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In
Today's Headlines

Wednesday’s Headlines Worry About November

A second Trump administration could undo a lot of the Biden administration's progress on transit and intercity rail, according to The Washington Post.

Amtrak is likely to be on the chopping block when Donald Trump moves back into the White House.

|Amtrak
  • A Trump victory could mean deep cuts to Amtrak and the D.C. Metro, less funding for bike and pedestrian projects, and threaten transit projects like the Red Line in Maryland. (Washington Post)
  • Online shoppers are switching to slower delivery methods not only due to the expense, but also the environmental impact of overnight shipping. (Transport Topics)
  • The U.S. House passed a bill with an amendment from Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert ending subsidies for bike commuters at the Department of the Interior. (Cycling West)
  • San Francisco was supposed to achieve Vision Zero in 2024, but instead drivers have killed 21 pedestrians so far this year. (KQED)
  • Since Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro couldn't reach a deal on transit funding with Senate Republicans, Shapiro could redirect formula funding from the federal infrastructure law from highway projects to transit agencies. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
  • Philadelphia transit workers authorized a strike if the union and SEPTA can't reach a deal on a new contract when the current one expires next week. (WHYY)
  • The Urbanist dismantles the Seattle Times editorial board's opposition to a $1.5 billion transportation levy on the November ballot.
  • California spread $850 million around to 11 rail projects, including a new Los Angeles light rail line. (Trains)
  • Millions of tons of lithium, a key ingredient in electric car batteries, might be buried underground in Arkansas. (New York Times)
  • Washington, D.C. is installing more automated cameras to catch red-light runners. (WTOP)
  • Valley Metro in Phoenix is switching to a new fare system, and riders have until the end of the year to transfer funds from their paper passes. (Arizona Republic)
  • Pedestrian Observations thinks the Japanese Shinkansen model is wrong for Texas high-speed rail.
  • The Netherlands are introducing a new satellite-based tolling system where drivers will pay by the kilometer. (Traffic Technology)
  • CleanTechnica lists examples from all over the world of why hydrogen buses aren't a viable option compared to battery electric models.
  • Ontario Premier Doug Ford is perpetuating the myth that bike lanes contribute to car congestion. (Windsor Star)

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.

January 9, 2026

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
See all posts