The Latest

  • People cross a street underneath elevated train tracks at night.
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    "The street beneath the underground" by Franck Michel is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Accessible pedestrian signal rollout in Chicago ahead of targets, but technical gaps persist: report

    Improvements are needed to ensure blind and low-vision pedestrians can safely use the system, inspectors say, but the city has exceeded its court-ordered installation requirement.

  • View through the windshield of a vehicle with a white robotaxi just ahead.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Waymo robotaxis safer than human drivers: IIHS report

    Waymo vehicles operating in self-driving mode were involved in 68% fewer crashes than human drivers in comparable conditions, according to a new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report.

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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    HUD funding changes spur lawsuit from fair housing groups

    Funding for more than 100 nonprofit fair housing organizations nationwide is in jeopardy following a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program revision, the lawsuit states.

  • Metal sign that says United States Environmental Protection Agency on stone building
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    $2.8B Environmental and Climate Justice Block Grant program must resume, judge rules

    The Environmental Protection Agency defied a prior court order when it continued to terminate the grants, a judge ruled, ordering it to implement the program through Sept. 30.

    Updated July 28, 2026
  • Joshua Fisher, White House Executive Residence Office, East Wing
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    $7.6B in clean energy grant cancellations politically driven: court filing

    The Energy Department's admission comes as the Trump administration proposes giving political appointees greater authority over grant awards.

  • A man in a suit wearing sunglasses with two uniformed people alongside at a podium speaking to a group of people.
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    Retrieved from U.S. Department of Transportation/X.
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    Surface Transportation Legislation

    Mass transit, bike lanes, EV infrastructure face substantial cuts in DOT proposal

    Building and expanding interstate highways is a priority for the administration’s next surface transportation legislation, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a letter to six Senate leaders.

  • Broken, rusty and crusted water pipes in a deep concrete trench.
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    William Morgan via Getty Images
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    Clean water funding map would get redrawn under Senate bill

    The bipartisan overhaul would increase allocations for fast-growing states and reduce funds for others, the first change since 1987 to the EPA revolving fund distribution.

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    Cybersecurity incident disrupts DC housing authority for weeks

    Limited sensitive information was compromised in the June attack, the housing authority said.

  • An ambulance in motion with lights flashing.
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    Getty Images
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    States sue over FEMA tying public safety funding to elections, immigration

    The agency’s threat to withhold Homeland Security Grant funding jeopardizes emergency response, wildfire management, flood mitigation and other programs, the lawsuit states. FEMA says it “will preserve election integrity.”

  • People on a station platform walking alongside a train.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    $530M from state millionaire tax will go to Boston-area transit agency

    The infusion from the state’s fiscal year 2027 budget will help cover the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s operating expenses.

  • The skyline of a city during the day.
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    Getty Images
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    How do you train a new AI service agent? A lot like you would a new employee, a city CIO says.

    Raleigh, North Carolina, is resolving nearly half of its IT support requests with an artificial intelligence agent, and it has more big plans on the horizon.

  • Side view of a two-door car parked at night with people sitting at tables on the sidewalk.
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    Courtesy of Tesla Motors
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    Tesla robotaxis now open to riders in 4 cities

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk wants to bring its robotaxis to more cities “as fast as humanly possible,” he told investors during the company’s earnings call.

  • Worn recreational vehicles are parked on the sides of a city street.
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    Getty Images
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    Encampment removal lawsuit elevated to class action against Berkeley, California

    Berkeley’s encampment removal practices violate the U.S. Constitution and the Americans with Disabilities Act, the plaintiffs argue.

  • Stone steps lead to a sunken amphitheater surrounded by greenery and flanked by brick buildings.
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    Permission granted by HGA
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    Harley-Davidson replaced pavement with flood protection, creating a new Milwaukee park

    A public-private partnership encouraged stormwater-focused design, which helped Davidson Park secure nearly $500,000 in grants and reduce downstream flooding.

  • A small red brick and white panel building across an empty street.
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    Permission granted by Denholtz Properties
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    Parking minimums axed in most of North Carolina

    The new legislation will spur more housing development, Gov. Josh Stein says.

  • A person holds a plastic water bottle to their forehead ,and another person holds a plastic water bottle to their cheek.
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    Q&A

    3 steps on extreme heat every city should take

    Better governance, stronger partnerships and a solid action plan are key to protecting residents from soaring temperatures, this heat resilience expert says.

  • A red and white fire engine speeds through an intersection amid tall buildings.
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    Getty Images
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    Hundreds of smart traffic intersections coming to the Houston area

    Emergency vehicles will get priority in the Harris County system, part of a 12-year agreement with Miovision.

  • Karman Industries, HPU, carbon-dioxide data center cooling
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    Gerville via Getty Images
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    As data centers expand, cities face tough energy, water questions: report

    Data centers’ growing demand for electricity and water forces local policymakers to rethink zoning, permitting and resource planning, a Kansas Health Institute report says.

  • An aerial view of residential houses, trees and streets in the daytime.
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    Getty Images
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    California takes 5 cities to court over failure to meet housing planning deadlines

    “California can’t solve the housing crisis while some cities sit on their hands and dare us to do something about it,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

  • Men and women seated along a row of tables with two rows of chairs behind them.
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    (2026). "Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Member Day" [Video]. Retrieved from T&I Committee Republicans/YouTube.
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    Surface Transportation Legislation

    Multiyear surface transportation legislation in doubt, experts say

    The legislation that funds highways and mass transit appears stalled in the Senate after the House passed a bipartisan five-year bill.

  • People wearing yellow shirts cheer as they ride a bus.
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    Adam Gray via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    The World Cup was a transportation stress test. Cities got an A-plus.

    Digital transportation infrastructure pilots became real — and helped move millions of people around host cities. Policymakers should build on that momentum.

  • Person at a podium in front of sign that says "U.S. Conference of Mayors DC26"
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    Alex Wong/ via Getty Images
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    'Sanctuary' Cities

    Trump’s ‘sanctuary’ policies lawsuit against Minnesota officials dismissed

    State, county and city officials are not seeking to control how federal immigration officers carry out their duties, a Minnesota District Court judge ruled.

    Updated July 21, 2026
  • A person stands behind a baby in a stroller with water and city skyline in the background.
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    Getty Images
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    This demographic shift could reshape cities, Urban Institute says

    Shrinking birthrates could weaken local economies if cities don't make it easier for families to put down roots, according to a new report.

  • Two futuristic electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft fly over farmland.
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    Courtesy of Joby Aviation
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    Tracker

    Air taxis and urban air mobility: The latest developments

    Air taxi charging infrastructure is going up at 250 U.S. sites, say Archer Aviation and Beta Technologies. Locations will include airports and urban sites in California, Florida, New York and Texas.

    Updated July 20, 2026
  • Double exposure of coin stack and notebook laptop computer with financial graph on white paper business planning vision and finance analysis concept
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    Getty Images
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    The Municipal Cost Index

    How is inflation impacting the cost of providing local government services? See the latest data from June in the Smart Cities Dive Municipal Cost Index.

    Updated July 20, 2026