Friday’s Headlines Got Charlie Brown Again
Why won't Democrats punt and then try a field goal if and when they take more power next year?
By
Blake Aued
12:22 AM EDT on August 14, 2026
- Once again, Congress is pulling back the football on transit, Beth Osborne writes. Some of the same politicians and advocacy groups that raised hell about the Trump administration canceling grants and slow-walking approval for transit projects are now lining up behind a transportation funding bill with the same old highway-friendly formula.
- Hatred of Flock’s license place recognition cameras seems to be the one thing that can bring left and right together. (New York Times)
- At some point somebody in Congress is probably going to try to eliminate the tax exemption on municipal bonds like Bay Area transit agency Muni’s. (Governing)
- The new Sound Transit rail bridge over Lake Washington has truly connected the Eastside to the rest of Seattle. (Seattle Magazine)
- A report from the Twin Cities’ Met Council found that the region will need 90,000 electric vehicle chargers by 2040, compared to the 2,000 it has today. (Minnesota Public Radio)
- There’s a bipartisan effort in New Hampshire to overturn Gov. Kelly Ayotte’s veto of a 10-year transportation plan because she dislikes tolls. (Bulletin)
- Walking tours used to be for tourists, but now Philadelphia residents are getting together to explore their city on foot. (Citizen)
- Fort Worth is considering zoning changes to create mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods around rail stations. (Report)
- The Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority named interim CEO Jonathan Hunt to the job permanently. (Saporta Report)
- What if “Maximum Overdrive” except with AI instead of aliens? A former New York City transportation commissioner attempted to answer that question in a new novel. (NYT, Streetsblog)
- The kids are alright: A Virginia high school student wrote in Greater Greater Washington about how the D.C. Metro is adjusting to post-pandemic travel patterns by improving all-day service instead of focusing on rush hour.
- India’s Supreme Court recently ruled that people have a right to safe journeys on foot. (Transport Matters)
- Latin American cities are now collectively operating 10,000 electric buses. (Pressenza)
- Singapore is a great example of how to keep transit users cool without relying solely on air conditioning. (The Cool Down)
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
Friday Video: How Red Curbs and Bike Racks Can Save Lives
What is daylighting, and how can cities use it to increase street safety?
August 14, 2026
Trump’s New ‘Roadway Safety Strategy’ Leaves Out The Good Parts
The Trump administration’s new blueprint for improving the nation’s poor road-safety record ignores well-established safety measures and leaves vulnerable road users completely out of the picture — a roadmap that advocates said would not change the ongoing road death crisis that is increasingly unique to the United States.
August 14, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Bikeable Forest Of Texas (Yes, Texas!)
Who knew that there was a town in Texas that even the Dutch would love?
August 13, 2026
Waymo Speaks: We Have More In Common With Urbanists Than You Might Think
The robo-taxi company wants to push back on some recent coverage, so let's have it.
August 13, 2026
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.
August 13, 2026