Friday’s Headlines Are Unsustainably Expensive

To paraphrase former New York City mayoral candidate Jimmy McMillan, the car payment is too damn high.

12:01 AM EST on January 9, 2026

Photo: Pictures of Money, CC

Could a car bubble help tip the U.S. economy into a recession, much like housing in 2007? The price of a new car is just shy of $50,000, and more than 20 percent of buyers have payments topping $1,000 a month (Jalopnik). Weaning Americans off cars should be part of the affordability discussion (Streetsblog USA).
The problem is especially bad in car-centric Sun Belt cities like Houston, where residents spend a fifth of their income on transportation, second only to housing among household expenses. (Houston Public Media)
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority has a Jan. 28 court date against the U.S. DOT, which is seeking to end congestion pricing. (Smart Cities Dive)
The Trump administration is seeking to outlaw traffic enforcement cameras in Washington, D.C. (Politico; Streetsblog USA)
Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek wants state legislators to repeal the $4.3 billion transportation funding bill she signed last year after Republicans gathered enough signatures to put the contentious issue on the ballot. (Capital Chronicle)
Michigan drivers are upset about a gas tax hike that took effect Jan. 1, even though the price of gas barely budged because state lawmakers removed the sales tax on gas at the same time. (Yahoo! News)
The estimated cost of a Miami heavy rail line has nearly doubled to $4.2 billion, potentially endangering the project. (Florida Politics)
An environmental group says the Colorado DOT's claims that widening I-270 would not increase greenhouse gas emissions are "outrageous." (Sun)
Delaware released a plan for net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. (WHYY)
The Washington DOT is considering bike and bus lanes on State Route 99, one of the nation's most dangerous corridors. (The Urbanist)
Charleston County is making pedestrian safety improvements on Maybank Highway. (Count on 2)
The Oklahoma City streetcar is launching a six-month fare-free pilot program. (Velocity)
A new bus route will connect the Kansas side of Kansas City with the Missouri side's streetcar. (KSHB)
Savannah's Chatham Area Transit is at risk of losing county funding over a dispute with Georgia legislators over board governance. (WTOC)
Richmond is speeding up Vision Zero projects after drivers killed three pedestrians in just over a week. (Axios)
A driverless Waymo was caught on video blocking a light rail in Phoenix. (Fox 10)