Tuesday’s Headlines Look to the Future
Obviously, what we're doing in the U.S. transportation-wise isn't working so well. So what does the future hold?
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on September 29, 2026
- The Brookings Institute calls for a new paradigm in transportation, one that prioritizes prosperity and public health. This will involve various levels of government working together to address longer and longer commutes, the rising expense of car ownership and traffic death rates that remain far too high.
- Cities can’t keep widening freeways indefinitely, and subways and light rail are too slow to span sprawling megalopolises. That means high-speed rail is the future of regional transportation, according to Jonathan English. (The Transit Brief)
- Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced a bill to spend $300 billion over 10 years on transit-oriented affordable housing. (NJ.com)
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy is backing a bill from Sen. Bill Haggerty (R-Tenn.) that ties federal transit funding to crime rates and security infrastructure like cameras and fare gates. (Metro)
- “Smart headlights” that automatically steer blinding beams away from oncoming traffic have been approved for U.S. vehicles. (New York Times)
- Lloyd Alter argues that transportation, housing, energy, etc. should not be in silos, but all fall under the umbrella of the “built environment.” (Carbon Upfront!)
- SEPTA bus ridership has risen by double digits since the Philadelphia transit agency adjusted its routes. (Tribune)
- Massachusetts is providing free transit passes for residents 75 and up who don’t drive. (WBUR)
- The L.A. Metro bought 220 battery-electric buses. (Clean Technica)
- The first section of Denver’s East Colfax bus rapid transit line has opened. (ABC 7)
- A Pierce County, Washington sales tax referendum would increase Tacoma bus service by 50 percent. (The Urbanist)
- Bad drivers in Nevada are costing themselves and everyone else money. (Governing)
- An Aloha State News columnist believes the success of Honolulu’s Skyline should be judged by jobs, not riders.
- Salem, Oregon is lowering the speed limit on residential streets to 20 miles per hour. (Statesman Journal)
- Amtrak’s new Airo trains debut Wednesday on the Cascades line. (Oregon Public Broadcasting)
- Some European cities are providing tax incentives or even paying people cash to bike to work. (Momentum)
- Barcelona recently joined the ranks of cities that no longer require parking for downtown apartments. (El Pais)
- Singapore is not playing when it comes to inconsiderate transit riders. (CNN)
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
Why US Roads Are Full of SUVs and Trucks, Part I
Everyone says that Americans just love SUVs and pick-ups. But is that really true — or are there solvable structural reasons why our streets look like a monster truck rally?
October 19, 2026
Aging in Place Is a Mobility Problem, Too
How Sain is going the extra mile to help seniors age in place, even if doing it is an uphill climb.
October 19, 2026
Monday’s Headlines Are On the Ballot
Will you have an opportunity to fund transit when you go to the polls on November 3?
October 19, 2026
Every Friday’s Headline Is Sacred
When transit funds are wasted, God gets quite irate.
October 16, 2026
Friday Video: When Walkability Isn’t Enough … Even in the Great Cities of Europe
What happens when livable places get overwhelmingly popular before we can build more of them — or when other failures of design and governance make them bad places to live?
October 16, 2026
