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
Friday Video: RIP, The D.C. Streetcar
Advocates are mourning the loss of the D.C. streetcar ... but they'e not entirely sad to see it die.
April 10, 2026
You’re Authorized to Read Friday’s Headlines
An important federal transportation funding bill is in the works. Here's what to look out for.
April 10, 2026
Review: ’60 Minutes’ Take On High-Speed Rail Ignored Facts And Offered Nothing New
When 60 Minutes announced a segment on high-speed rail construction in the United States,I feared the worst. What I got was unexpected.
April 9, 2026
Trump Wants to Slash Federal Funding for Public Transit, Rail (Again)
The president’s proposed budget threatens transit projects across the country.
April 9, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are the Taxman
Suspending gas taxes might be politically popular, but it doesn't save drivers money and takes away funding for infrastructure.
April 9, 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.