Thursday’s Headlines Bid Buttigieg Bon Voyage
Some parting words — and actions — from Secretary Pete.
By
Blake Aued
1:00 AM EST on January 16, 2025
- In a Q&A with The Verge, outgoing Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said he’s hopeful that Republicans in Congress whose districts have benefited from new electric vehicle and battery plants will resist the Trump administration’s urge to roll back Biden’s policies. But just in case, the U.S. DOT is shoveling money out the door as fast as it can, including $5 billion for 500 sustainable transportation projects last week (Streetsblog USA)
- For some reason, the solid kind of bollards — not the flimsy plastic ones — are out of vogue with city governments, but they’re a cheap way of protecting pedestrians and cyclists from oversized vehicles. (MinnPost)
- Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey proposed an $8 billion transit funding plan (Bloomberg) that covers the MBTA’s $700 million budget hole using revenue from a tax on the wealthy (Streetsblog MASS)
- A Nashville judge dismissed a lawsuit from two anti-tax advocates and upheld the legality of November’s transit referendum. (Scene)
- A small group of Republican state legislators in Democrat-dominated Mecklenburg County will lead Charlotte’s push for a transit referendum this fall. (Observer)
- Seattle is hiring 50 transportation planners to finally finish projects from a 2016 ballot measure. (The Urbanist)
- Worried that the funding could expire before it’s spent, Milwaukee planners are redirecting $25 million earmarked to extend The Hop streetcar. (Fox 6)
- Washington, D.C. residents can apply for e-bike vouchers of up to $1,500 starting Feb. 1. (WUSA)
- The Vegas Tesla loop isn’t even a crappy subway — it’s a glorified underground crosswalk. (Jalopnik)
- The Baltimore Banner has tips for e-biking around Charm City.
- Take a look back at Providence’s old trolley and streetcar system. (Journal)
- Big Trouser wins again as the annual Phoenix No Pants Light Rail Ride has been canceled this year. (New Times)
Blake Aued has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
Philadelphia Figured Out to Stop Double Parking — Will Other Cities Follow Suit?
Philadelphia's automated enforcement pilot has reduced double parking and cleared loading zones for commercial vehicles in the year since it launched.
August 24, 2026
Monday’s Headlines Were Born in a Small Town
When it comes to federal transit funding, small cities get more bang for the buck than big ones.
August 24, 2026
Friday’s Headlines: Streetcars Get Mixed Reviews
As Omaha builds a downtown streetcar line, how have similar projects in other cities panned out?
August 21, 2026
New Report Underscores Success of Speed Cameras in Oakland
Speeding is down at camera locations. But advocates caution against relying too much on cameras without concrete infrastructure
August 20, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: How Money for Highways Could Have Built 36 Paris Metros
The money we spent on urban freeways could have transformed American cities for the better.
August 20, 2026