Monday’s Headlines Smooth the Way

Sean Duffy, President Trump's nominee to head the U.S. DOT, breezed through Senate hearings.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EST on January 27, 2025

Gage Skidmore

A Senate committee voted unanimously to advance Sean Duffy's nomination as transportation secretary after the former Wisconsin congressman reassured Democrats that he will make traffic safety a priority and expedite projects funded by the Biden administration (Smart Cities Dive). But Streetsblog's Kea Wilson still has questions about whether Duffy will follow the law or Trump's likely unconstitutional executive orders.
At Davos, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi wondered why people won't forgive robotaxis' mistakes the way they do human drivers'. (Business Insider)
Chaotic school dropoffs are a microcosm of all the U.S. transportation system's problems, writes Anna Zivarts, author of "When Driving Isn't an Option: Steering Away From Car Dependency." (Romper)
Dallas has less than half the bike lanes of other big Texas cities, and a plan to add another 200 miles is moving through the city council. (WFAA)
Maintenance problems, missed deadlines for federal grants and a change to state tax law are threatening the future of Milwaukee's streetcar. (Wisconsin Public Radio)
Federal officials are re-evaluating the Interstate 11 project in Arizona due to an environmental lawsuit. (12 News)
Seattle's Sound Transit approved an emergency measure to expedite light rail repairs after an uptick in outages. (KING 5)
A study suggests a two-way cycle track and other safety improvements at Michigan's popular Belle Isle park, where people are driving too fast, and cyclists and pedestrians feel unsafe. (Detroit News)
Las Vegas is building mini-roundabouts to curb speeding. (3 News)
A St. Louis woman was killed and her young son seriously injured while she pushed a stroller in a bike lane because the sidewalks were too icy and clogged with snow. (Fox 2)
A tax on gambling could help fund Pennsylvania transit, but not everyone is betting on the idea. (WESA)
Stuck in traffic for a movie premiere, Timothee Chalamet hopped on a Lime bike the rest of the way. (Strong Towns)