Tuesday’s Headlines Get Ready for the World Cup

Cities across the country are prepping their transit systems for soccer fans arriving from around the globe.

By Blake Aued

12:01 AM EST on January 6, 2026

Amtrak’s crowded Northeast Corridor connects three cities that will host 21 World Cup matches.

|Trains

Amtrak and 16 cities across the country are looking to beef up rail service and, in some cases, even building bus systems from scratch as they prepare to host soccer World Cup games this summer. (Politico Pro; paywall)
At least six U.S. cities — Houston, Kansas City, Detroit, San Francisco, San Jose and Bentonville, Arkansas — are planning on closing streets to cars this year. (Fast Company)
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have found a way to reduce the carbon footprint of making concrete. (WHYY)
Oregon transit agencies are delaying projects after a Republican-led effort to put a recently passed transportation funding package on the ballot. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe slashed the state's already feeble contribution to local transit agencies in half. (KCUR)
Will Colorado continue with a failed policy of expanding highways, or start prioritizing people over truckers and lobbyists by spending more money on walking, biking and transit projects instead? (Westword)
California could enact strict new penalties on super-speeders caught driving over 100 miles per hour. (Los Angeles Times)
A blackout in San Francisco last month ground traffic to a halt as Waymo robotaxis seized up in response to traffic signal outages. (Smart Cities Dive)
Newly installed meters were vandalized as San Diego prepared to start charging for parking in Balboa Park. (Fox 5)
St. Petersburg is taking public input on a new sidewalk master plan. (WTSP)
Pedestrianizing the Strip could help bring tourists back to Las Vegas. (Arbitrary Lines)
Toronto is making neighborhoods more walkable by easing zoning restrictions on retailers. (CBC)
Norwegian band A-ha, known for its '80s hit "Take on Me," helped set the country on the path to becoming an electric vehicle leader in the early 2000s. (CityLab)