Wednesday’s Headlines Are Takin’ It to the Streets

After Saturday's protests, Sean Duffy threatened to withhold transportation funding from "rogue state actors" and cities where "rioters destroy transportation infrastructure."

By Blake Aued

12:03 AM EDT on June 18, 2025

Main photo: Gage Skidmore

As millions of Americans took to the streets last weekend to oppose the Trump administration's immigration policies, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reminded Americans of his earlier promise to withhold federal funding for cities who don't cooperate with ICE. The legality of this, as usual, is questionable at best. (The Independent)
The Army budgeted $16 million to repair Washington, D.C. streets after hundreds of military vehicles weighing up to 60 tons paraded through capital streets (NBC News). A full assessment of the damage has not yet been done (Washington Post).
Cities often have problems connecting older rail lines that stop at the city limits with their modern metros. The answer is through-running, or building short tunnels through the city center to connect those lines. (Works in Progress)
The California High Speed Rail Authority dismissed a Federal Railroad Administration effort to claw back $4 billion (Mass Transit). Even after all the setbacks, a majority of Californians still support the project because they know it will mean less time wasted sitting in traffic, fewer greenhouse gas emissions and more access to affordable housing (Los Angeles Times).
North Texas officials are discussing a new transit agency that would expand outside Dallas Area Rapid Transit's territory to include Denton and Trinity Metro. (KERA)
Pittsburgh traffic deaths fell for the fourth straight year in 2024. (Union Progress)
Two Oregon Democrats make the case for their transportation funding package in the state legislature. (Oregonian)
Sound Transit has chosen a preferred route for light rail to the Tacoma Dome. (The Urbanist)
Austin's Project Connect light rail project is moving forward despite lawsuits attempting to stop it. (American-Statesman)
No one was a hurt, but a Milwaukee streetcar was damaged when a driver blew through a red light and hit it. (Urban Milwaukee)
Atlanta is starting construction on a $33 million Fairburn Road complete streets project. (Fox 5)
The grace period for Savannah's new, lower speed limits has ended. (WJCL)
Bike ridership nearly doubled in Montreal during a transit strike. (CBC)