Today's Headlines

Monday’s Headlines Fund Transit (Mostly)

A federal transportation bill keeps most of the funding for transit from the Biden administration's infrastructure act, except for steep cuts to intercity rail.

12:01 AM EST on January 26, 2026

Monday’s Headlines Fund Transit (Mostly)

Amtrak and local buses are doing a lot better than commuter rail. Photo: Matthew Klint, CC

A federal transportation funding bill to keep the government running beyond the end of January drew mixed to positive reviews from transit and passenger rail advocates. It includes $21 billion for public transportation but cuts for Amtrak and intercity rail projects (Smart Cities Dive). The bill also includes $100 million for transit in World Cup host cities and $94 million for Los Angeles, which is hosting the 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics (Bloomberg).
Low-stress streets that encourage walking and biking are particularly effective in areas where alternatives to driving already exist, new research found. (State Smart Transportation Initiative)
The L.A. Metro approved plans for a $25 billion subway line giving commuters an option besides being stuck in traffic on the 405 freeway. (Fox 11)
A rally Friday kicked off a campaign to gather signatures to place a Bay Area transit funding initiative on the ballot. (NBC Bay Area)
A floating bridge carrying light rail trains over Seattle’s Lake Washington, the first of its kind, will open March 28. (KOMO)
Portland is reducing car lanes and adding a crosswalk to Cesar Chavez Boulevard where a driver killed a woman a year ago. (BikePortland)
The Ohio DOT is vastly undercounting the number of pedestrian deaths and injuries in Cleveland because about half are never reported to police. (Plain Dealer)
Phoenix has a bizarre process for considering sidewalk requests that assumes any neighborhood resident who doesn’t respond to a survey is opposed to it. (ABC 15)
After issuing a flurry of citations to drivers for failing to yield, Des Moines police are about to start cracking down on pedestrians. (Axios)
Oregon Democrats want to push up a popular vote on a transportation funding package from November to May. (News From the States)
A woman waiting for a train was killed when a driver ran into a light rail platform near Sacramento. (CBS News)
Pressure is growing on Denver to reverse its decision to scrap a complete streets plan for Alameda Avenue. (Denver 7)
A machine called “Brushy” kept the Kansas City streetcar line free of snow — at least for a while (KSHB). Like many cities, its transit system was forced to shut down during last weekend’s winter storm.
A photography exhibit at San Francisco’s city hall documents transit agency Muni’s 122-year history. (Mission Local)

Special Features | Today's Headlines

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.