You Can’t Afford Wednesday’s Headlines
Americans want to live in walkable areas near transit, but not enough housing is being built there, driving prices out of reach for many and forcing them into a car-dependent lifestyle.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on January 21, 2026
- Many young people can’t afford to buy a house or a car, while older Americans are giving up the keys as they age in place. Yet most housing is still being built in car-centric areas rather than walkable neighborhoods with transit access. (Realtor)
- As Maine becomes the latest state to mull a minimum wage for Uber and Lyft drivers (Maine Public Radio), a new study found that variable pricing set by algorithms can sometimes create inefficiencies (Cities Today).
- Donald Appleyard’s 1981 book “Livable Streets” has been updated by his son, Bruce, and rereleased. (Planetizen)
- Boosted by almost 20 years of expansion, Seattle’s Sound Transit has the fastest-growing ridership of any U.S. city. Future growth, though, is imperiled by rising construction costs and the unlikelihood of grants from the Trump administration. (CityLab)
- The Urbanist argues that Sound Transit should not cut a Bellevue light rail extension because it has the potential to transform the area.
- The Colorado DOT’s plan to remake Federal Boulevard includes bus lanes along most, but not all, of the busy corridor. (Denver Post)
- Honolulu is finding out that electrifying a city bus fleet is more complicated than it might seem. (Forbes)
- Outgoing New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy halfway succeeded on fixing transit, “even if it kills me.” (NJ.com)
- The News-Express (paywall) mapped out the most dangerous intersections in San Antonio.
- Actor Kiefer Sutherland was arrested in Las Vegas after reportedly punching and choking an Uber driver. (ABC News)
- Sacramento chicken finger enthusiasts are raising Cain because the city could block a drive-through restaurant near a future light rail line. (CBS News)
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.
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