Thursday’s Headlines Gouge Away

A House budget bill reverses the Biden administration's spending hikes for transit and passenger rail — cutting them below even what President Trump proposed.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EDT on July 17, 2025

Photo: Giorgio Trovato

House Republicans' transportation and housing bill cuts funding by almost 5 percent, with increased spending on aviation and highways, but less money for transit and Amtrak. (Mass Transit, Smart Cities Dive)
The Eno Center for Transportation has a history of funding for intercity rail.
Florida's Brightline is the deadliest train in the U.S., killing 182 people since 2017, mainly due to unsafe road crossings. (Miami Herald)
Should Los Angeles consider using cut-and-cover to build new subway lines? (Next Metro)
Without a funding source to replace fares, New York City buses can't be both free and fast, as Zohran Mamdani has promised. (Vital City)
Amtrak's Borealis route between Chicago and the Twin Cities has carried 250,000 passengers since opening a little over a year ago. (Minnesota Public Radio)
Minneapolis announced the locations of its first five speed enforcement cameras. (KSTP)
Denver is paying two contractors $75 million to build and repair sidewalks using a new voter-approved fee charged to property owners. (Denverite)
A new Utah law prohibits drivers from blocking bike lanes. (Deseret News)
Spin and Lime are bringing 200 rental e-bikes to Raleigh. (News & Observer)
China and Scandinavian countries are leading the way in electrifying their bus fleets. (The City Fix)
An Institute for Transportation and Development policy campaign has resulted in 1,200 miles of new bike lanes globally over the past four years. (Smart Cities Dive)
Montreal wants to transform vacant lots, parking and old industrial sites into dense, walkable neighborhoods. (CBC)