Hasta La Vista, Friday’s Headlines

Will the Gateway Project be back? Or will anyone taking a train have to get to da choppa instead?

12:34 AM EDT on October 17, 2025

The Gateway Project to speed up East Coast trains is one victim of the Trump administration’s funding freeze. Photo: Gateway Program Development Corporation

President Trump said the Gateway Project, a $16 billion tunnel underneath the Hudson River that would speed up trains along the whole East Coast, is "terminated." No one really knows what that means (New York Times). The administration already "paused" the project, but then again, a judge just ordered Homeland Security to restore $34 million for the NYC subway that the administration also paused (Streetsblog NYC).
Memphis may be smaller than New York or Chicago, but it's no less under threat from the Trump administration. (Flyer)
If you want more transit riders, increase frequency. (Planetizen)
By 2100 drought-prone regions are going to literally run out of water, as in nothing comes out of the tap. (Live Science)
Will California's new transit-oriented development law spell the end of NIMBYism? (Future of Where)
The Detroit News lays the groundwork for self-driving cars to inherit the car culture of "freedom."
Illinois legislators appear to be coming close to a deal on transit funding. (Politico)
Chicago is the latest city to use cameras to catch drivers parking in bike and bus lanes. (Block Club)
Republicans are wasting no time trying to head off a gas tax hike in Oregon. (Willamette Week)
Detroit officials entered into an agreement to build a multimodal transportation hub. (Michigan Central)
Milwaukee is proceeding with Complete Street plans regardless of Trump administration funding. (Journal Sentinel)
Walking along Massachusetts state highways that are also bus routes reveals the inadequacies of our transportation network for those who don't drive. (Pedestrian Dignity)
Walking by choice is a lot easier than walking by necessity, one architect learned the hard way. (CNU Public Square)
A video game that lets nerds like us build their own subways could hold the key to fixing Baltimore transit. (Banner)