Tuesday’s Headlines Weigh Perception and Reality
It may be driven largely by the media — car crashes are too common to make the news — but a feeling that transit isn't safe is hurting ridership.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on January 20, 2026
- Federal Transit Administrator Marcus Molinaro visited Charlotte and rode the Blue Line on Friday in the aftermath of a light rail stabbing death that drew national attention (WCNC). Statistically, riding transit is 10 times safer than driving, but people who have a choice are not going to ride it if they don’t feel safe (Fast Company).
- A bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress to cut red tape on transit-oriented development. (Utah Policy)
- The New York Times profiled Mike Flynn, New York City’s new transportation commissioner who Mayor Zohran Mamdani charged with making buses faster.
- Atlanta recently opened complete streets projects on Ponce de Leon Avenue and Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard near the Beltline walking and biking trail. (Urbanize Atlanta)
- LGBTQ residents want San Antonio to stand up to the state and federal governments rather than replace a rainbow crosswalk in the city’s Pride District with rainbow sidewalks. (KSAT)
- Fraud claims could threaten funding for a rural transit program thousands of Minnesotans rely on to get to medical appointments. (Minneapolis Star Tribune)
- Expect another partisan fight over transit funding in the Pennsylvania legislature this year. (WITF)
- Traffic deaths in North Dakota fell for the second year in a row since the state passed a new seatbelt law in 2023. (North Forks Herald)
- Montreal has long been North America’s bike-friendliest city, but it may not maintain that status under new mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada. (Momentum)
- Ho Chi Minh City has plans to add five metro lines in the next five years. (VN Express)
Blake Aued has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
Where the Hottest Blocks in Your City Are — And How To Cool Them Down
A cutting-edge tool is helping city leaders identify where they most badly need street trees, bus shelters, and more.
April 15, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Hop on Board Carefully
Riding the bus is safe. Walking to and from the bus stop, not so much.
April 15, 2026
Ask An Insurance Industry Insider: Safe Streets Are The Best Way To Bring Down Insurance Costs
Insurance companies and personal injury lawyers exist because streets aren't safe. So shouldn't we start there instead of tweaking a broken system?
April 15, 2026
What If All Cars Were Autonomous, Electric, and Free?
Can we really solve the problems of car dominance just by making cars less destructive?
April 14, 2026
“Why Do We Do This Bill?”: Preparing Congressional Staff for Surface Transportation Reauthorization
A top advocacy organization is preparing Congress to take a critical look at the upcoming transportation reauthorization — and it's not easy.
April 14, 2026
