Should Tuesday’s Headlines Be Worried?

Most U.S. cities are not in great shape financially, Pew reports, which could mean more transit cuts coming down the pike.

By Blake Aued

12:08 AM EDT on September 9, 2025

Washington, D.C. is one of several major cities that had its credit downgraded, which will make it more expensive to borrow money for infrastructure projects.

|WMATA

Fiscal cliffs are not confined to transit. Hit by inflation, economic uncertainty and reduced federal support, 20 of the 25 largest cities in the U.S. are facing budget deficits. (Pew)
The number of e-scooter injuries treated in U.S. emergency rooms rose 80 percent last year. (Smart Cities Dive)
The Trump administration is loosening regulations on self-driving cars, for example exempting them from having windshield wipers. (Bloomberg)
Although transit is statistically much safer than driving, high-profile attacks like a recent Charlotte light rail stabbing are fueling MAGA's message on crime. (Axios)
New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority hopes that its data transparency efforts will make congestion pricing more popular. (Wired)
A driver who plowed into a group of cyclists in Arizona last February, killing two, received a sentence of just one year in prison. (ABC News)
Massive service cuts could be coming to Bay Area transit if Gov. Gavin Newsom reneges on his promise for $750 million in emergency funding. (CBS News)
With the Olympics and a Disney expansion on the horizon, Anaheim is considering a gondola to connect various entertainment attractions. (Los Angeles Times).
Several Florida cities have kept their rainbow crosswalks and street art past a Trump administration deadline to paint over them, and it's unclear what happens next. (Florida Politics)
Dallas officials withdrew a proposed budget amendment that would have cut $400,000 from future bike lanes. (WFAA)
For the second year in a row, Houston-area transit agencies are going fare-free on Fridays in September. (Houston Public Media)
Cyclists held a mass ride in Philadelphia to protest plans for inadequate barriers on Pine and Spruce streets. (NBC 10)
Defector has some advice for anyone who's upset about $200 Uber rides at the U.S. Open: Take the train.
Sports betting website FanDuel spent $80,000 to keep trains running for the Philadelphia Eagles' home opener Sunday. (Jalopnik)