Thursday’s Headlines Take Their Sweet Time
Democrats are catching on to the fact that the Trump administration isn't a big fan of transit.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on August 13, 2026
- Congressional Democrats are accusing the Federal Transit Administration of intentionally stonewalling transit projects. The Trump administration has yet to issue any grants from a multibillion-dollar capital investment program since the president’s second term started. It’s also tried to cut off funding for already-approved projects in blue states, like the Gateway Tunnel. (New York. Times)
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy believes bike lanes cause traffic congestion. In fact, the opposite is true. (Bloomberg Government)
- Despite tariffs, demand for new transit buses in North America remains strong as agencies replace their aging fleets. (Smart Cities Dive)
- Safety and comfort are just as important as distance when it comes to walkability. (The Conversation)
- The privately owned cross-country passenger rail line AmeriStarRail has yet to materialize because the company hasn’t been able to reach an agreement with Amtrak. (USA Today)
- Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass’ campaign promise to make the L.A. Metro free would cost $1 billion and possibly prevent the agency from improving service. (LAist)
- A Washington, D.C. cycling group is pushing for better walking, biking and transit access around the new RFK stadium. (Greater Greater Washington)
- Portland residents who bought an e-bike using the city’s rebate program say the purchase changed their lives. (Mercury)
- Kansas City is using water-spraying trucks to keep extreme heat from warping streetcar tracks. (Axios)
- The Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority has three finalists for CEO. (Saporta Report)
- A Vision Zero plan in the Seattle suburb of Lynnwood is getting pushback from people who say the city doesn’t need to spend money on traffic safety because it already has relatively few road deaths. (The Urbanist)
- Ann Arbor transit agency The Ride is starting a shuttle service for University of Michigan football games. (MLive)
- Heavy electric vehicles are tearing up China’s roads. (Techy 44)
- A proposal for high-speed rail in Australia would save a lot of jet fuel and help solve Sydney’s affordable housing crisis. (B1M)
- Japanese cities are so livable because everyday needs are within walking distance, and there’s an excellent transit system for longer trips. (BBC)
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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