The Cup Runneth Over With Thursday’s Headlines
Density lends itself to an abundance of transportation options and an abundance of money saved by not driving, writes David Zipper.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EST on January 29, 2026
- To achieve “abundance,” Americans need to embrace density. While housing costs in big cities like New York may be exorbitant, residents save money on transportation compared to sprawling, car-centric regions. (CityLab)
- Federal intercity passenger rail funding should be more predictable, according to the Eno Center for Transportation.
- The number of huge American-style trucks on UK roads has almost doubled in the past decade. (The Guardian)
- Uber is providing data to AV companies to help train their models, as opposed to investing money in robotaxis themselves. (TechCrunch)
- Work on the Gateway Tunnel under the Hudson River, which would speed up passenger rail service all along the East Coast, will stop at the end of next week if the Trump administration follows through on its promise to suspend funding. (Reuters)
- President Trump is considering capping state gas taxes, particularly California’s. (Fox Business)
- Traffic deaths in Charlotte are down, but serious injuries from crashes are up. (Observer)
- Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs told the Phoenix City Council to ignore Republican state lawmakers’ threats to derail a light rail extension in the capital city. (KJZZ)
- Could Texas cities elect a Zohran Mamdani type of politician? (Observer)
- In building a new bus rapid transit line, an Indianapolis work crew dug up the remnants of an old streetcar line that had been buried in the 1950s. (Indy Mirror)
- Portland Mayor Keith Wilson wants to restore the city’s status as the nation’s cycling leader. (BikePortland)
- Seattle is building new bikeways around the Space Needle for World Cup tourists. (Seattle Times)
- Even small cities like Erie, Pennsylvania can make their infrastructure safer. (Leader)
- Here’s how Hoboken achieved Vision Zero for nine straight years. (Reasons to Be Cheerful)
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