Friday’s Headlines Are a Home Run
Can Shohei Ohtani take a baseball bat to all the asphalt covering our cities? Plus, you don't need a car for the All-Star Game. Click here for the headline derby.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on July 9, 2021
- Cities shouldn’t just tear down freeways, they should be focused on replacing pavement in general, which covers 30 percent of urban land area. (Next City)
- In its biggest investment in 50 years, Amtrak is spending $7 billion to upgrade its rolling stock by replacing 40 percent of its trains over the next decade. (Washington Post)
- President Biden is on the defensive about rising gas prices, with Press Secretary Jen Psaki saying that’s one reason he opposed a gas or vehicle-miles tax to fund infrastructure — even though higher gas prices discourage people from driving. (The Hill)
- Folks in St. Paul had a big legislative win for their Rondo land bridge project, and they’ve privately credited Streetsblog’s coverage with helping them gain the momentum they need to make this happen. (Pioneer-Press)
- Orange County, California, fought transit for decades, but now it’s building a streetcar. (Los Angeles Times)
- Madison, Wisconsin’s mayor hopes Gov. Tony Evers has a plan to replace the transit funding the state legislature cut from its budget. (WKOW)
- A Philadelphia e-scooter startup is looking to break into the bike-share business. (WHYY)
- London is planning on reducing speed limits to 20 miles per hour, which should make streets safer and encourage people to ride bikes. (Traffic Technology Today)
- A Toronto web exhibit documents how mass transit in the city has changed over the past 170 years. (Daily Hive)
- A hero cyclist in Mexico saw a car blocking the bike lane and just … walked right over it. (Mexico News Daily)
- At the All-Star Game in Denver? Here’s how to skip the rental car and get around on transit. (The Know)
- This is what happens when drivers speed on wet roads. (Twitter)
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:
More from Streetsblog USA
Transportation Advocates Split on Senate’s Big Permitting Bill
Would the BAAJA blast multimodal projects out of bureaucratic purgatory, make it a breeze to expand highways ... or both? Advocates sound off.
November 11, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Vote With Our Feet
What will it take to get pro-transit voters to actually ride transit?
November 11, 2026
How (And Why) To Capture the Livable Streets Movement on Film
Clarence Eckerson Jr. of Streetfilms talks with "The War on Cars" about how he uses filmmaking as a tool to make cities better.
November 10, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Are Still Surfing the Blue Wave
Politicians may not realize it, but U.S. voters are overwhelmingly in favor of transit.
November 10, 2026
The Growing Vehicle Problem That California Needs to Address
As pedestrian and cyclist deaths rise, the growing size and weight of American vehicles are making streets more dangerous. Here's some solutions: tax oversized vehicles, improve safety ratings and make smaller electric vehicles a more practical option for everyday trips.
November 9, 2026
