- Thirty-four states have raised gas taxes to maintain roads as electric vehicles cut into revenue (Transport Topics). A vehicle-miles-driven tax is a potential alternative some states are considering, but it's a tough sell politically (Governing).
- Amtrak's CEO is stepping down amidst reports that the Trump administration will cut back funding for rail. (Fortune)
- Tariffs could make U.S. automakers regret abandoning sedans for bigger, more expensive pickups and SUVs. (Fast Company)
- Oil and gas executives are pressuring President Trump to make it easier to build pipelines. (New York Times)
- CNU Public Square argues that the alternative to building New Urbanist-style towns on greenfields isn't denser downtown development; it's traditional auto-centric sprawl.
- The head of New York City's transit system said congestion pricing will continue past today, the deadline the Trump administration set to end it. (CBS News)
- If the Texas legislature cuts funding for Dallas Area Rapid Transit 25 percent, Dallas, Fort Worth and Denton could get around it by forming a new agency to operate commuter rail. (Fort Worth Report)
- A $25 million U.S. DOT grant for a Seattle train station is now in jeopardy. (The Urbanist)
- Drivers killed 57 Seattle cyclists and pedestrians in the first half of 2024, down from 71 in the first half of 2023. (Axios)
- Portland is considering turning a block of 37th Street into a pedestrian plaza. (Oregonian)
- Mississippi lawmakers are considering raising the gas tax not to pay for roads, but to eliminate income taxes. (Mississippi Today)
- The French city of Lille is spending 700 million Euros to improve the tram system and make it one of the most bike-friendly cities in Europe. (European Commission)
- London is installing 570 "flat and flush" EV chargers that don't block the sidewalk. (Electrek)
- Arch Paper looks at Amsterdam's bike-friendly street design.
Today's Headlines
Friday’s Headlines Fill ‘Er Up
As electric vehicles cut into gas tax revenue, it looks like raising gas taxes is a more viable option politically than taxing miles driven.
By Blake Aued
Read More:
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
