- Transit ridership has yet to fully recover from the pandemic, and now the fiscal cliff is at the door in Chicago and Philadelphia, where transit agencies are facing unprecedented cuts now that emergency federal funding has run out. (Eno Center for Transportation)
- Service cuts could reach 40% for the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace (CBS News) while Illinois lawmakers say they'll continue working on a funding and reform bill through the end of the year (NPR).
- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and other top Democrats say SEPTA funding is a priority, but won't promise to reject a budget without it (Mass Transit). Philadelphia's transit agency isn't the only one facing problems — Pittsburgh could eliminate 41 bus routes and end service earlier (Union Progress).
- Bikeshares in Washington, D.C. and Columbus, Ohio will soon offer cargo e-bikes (Government Technology). Being able to rent a cargo e-bike is a game-changer for those who can't afford the hefty price tag to buy one (Reasons to Be Cheerful).
- A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from withholding King County, Washington's transit funds based on new culture-war requirements. (Seattle Times)
- A new Colorado law increases the punishment for assaulting a transit worker, as such assaults have tripled since 2008. (CBS News)
- Waymo may be programming its San Francisco vehicles to drive more like humans, even breaking a few laws on occasion. (SFist)
- Bike lanes have always been controversial in Houston, but when Mayor John Whitmire started ripping them out, they became even more politicized. (Houstonia)
- Some Philadelphia residents are suing to stop the city from installing concrete barriers on a bike lane where a driver killed a cycling doctor last year, sparking an outcry from others. (ABC 6)
- The Kansas City streetcar's Main Street extension is 99 percent finished. (KCTV)
- A new light rail station opened at LAX (Trains), as did a new light rail line serving South Phoenix (Fox 10).
- One of the 18 pieces of art along the aforementioned Metro Valley light rail line is a literal phoenix. (Arizona Republic)
Today's Headlines
Tuesday’s Headlines Toll for Thee
While a few states, like Minnesota and New York, have been able to avoid it, the long-feared fiscal cliff for transit agencies is here in Illinois and Pennsylvania.

Chicago transit agencies are facing a combined $700 million budget deficit.
|Rene SchwietzkeStay in touch
Sign up for our free newsletter
More from Streetsblog USA
Friday Video: Amtrak Is Way More Successful Than You Think
Why do so many people still treat Amtrak as a failure — and what would it take to deliver the rail investment that American riders deserve?
Friday’s Headlines Are Hanging Out Down the Street
The same old thing we did last week — until the neighbor wrote a letter to the editor.
Report: Lessons from California’s HSR Project
A new paper from the Mineta Institute looks at California's high-speed rail project—and how to do better moving forward.
Talking Headways Podcast: Life After Cars
Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon of The War on Cars podcast on their new book, opposing views, Turtle Jesus and potential off-ramps towards car-free cities.
Traffic Congestion Is a Housing and Transit Problem, Not a Highway Problem
To truly solve tangled traffic in California (and across the U.S.), we need to take the problem out of the hands of the road builders and address the root causes of congestion: building more affordable housing near jobs and improving public transportation options.
Truckers Back NYC Busway Plan That Trump Blocked
The federal government has obviously lost its trucking mind.





