Friday’s Headlines Are About Elon-ed Out
The Tesla CEO's been making headlines lately for his hyperloop boondoggle, which he may or may not have proposed just to block high-speed rail.
By
Blake Aued
12:00 AM EDT on August 12, 2022
- Author Paris Marx suggests that Elon Musk — who’s been in the news a lot lately, along with other tech tycoons, for their transportation boondoggles — only proposed the hyperloop to try to block California high-speed rail so he could sell more cars, and never intended to build it. (Jalopnik)
- Elaine Chao, Donald Trump’s transportation secretary, met with the January 6 committee, possibly to talk about how she and other cabinet members considered removing him from office after the Capitol riot. (CNN)
- More on the $2.2 billion in RAISE grants for infrastructure the U.S. DOT distributed for 166 projects. (Washington Post, Roll Call)
- By offering fairness, value, simplicity and flexibility, fare-capping is a promising way to get more people to ride transit. (Metro Magazine)
- Speeding drivers kill 10,000 people a year in the U.S. So if the government will put speed governors on scooters and e-bikes, why not on cars that can go well over 100 miles per hour? (City Lab)
- Gas-tax holidays are regressive, likely to benefit oil and gas companies more than drivers, will drain government transportation coffers, and could result in shortages even if they were effective at driving down prices. (Bloomberg Law)
- Improving transit could restore trust in big-city government. (Planetizen)
- Tempe’s new streetcar is the latest of several Valley Metro extensions. (Arizona Republic)
- The Charlotte Area Transit System is looking for input on a new light-rail station. (WCNC)
- Anne Heche is under investigation for driving under the influence of drugs when the actress crashed into a Los Angeles house. She is currently in critical condition and not expected to survive. (TMZ)
- Paris is set to become one of the top bike-friendly cities on the planet. (Momentum)
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
Wednesday’s Headlines Feel Pain at the Pump
High gas prices are likely to persist, and people will be driving less in response.
March 25, 2026
D.C. Advocates Sue To Save Key Bike Lane From Trump Teardown
We previously reported that the Trump administration might soon move to dismantle key cycle tracks in the nation's capital. Unfortunately, we were right.
March 24, 2026
How a ‘Universal Basic Neighborhood’ Can Help Americans Live Longer
Want to increase your chances of living to 80? A new paper argues we need to start with our neighborhoods — and we need to do it for everybody.
March 24, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Keep Our Eyes on the Road
How much responsibility do tech companies bear for traffic deaths caused by distracted driving?
March 24, 2026
Opinion: Adding Parking to Sports Stadiums Makes It Harder for Everyone To Get Around
A Chicago advocate makes the case against expanding car storage at Cubs games.
March 23, 2026
Comments Are Temporarily Disabled
Streetsblog is in the process of migrating our commenting system. During this transition, commenting is temporarily unavailable.
Once the migration is complete, you will be able to log back in and will have full access to your comment history. We appreciate your patience and look forward to having you back in the conversation soon.