Friday’s Headlines Are Slower Than a Speeding Bullet
Unlike Superman, Amtrak's new high-speed trains will be limited to medium speeds because of the antiquated tracks they're rolling on.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on September 8, 2023
- New bullet trains in the U.S. will only be able to travel at half their top speed because of aging, curvy tracks, and will cost more than other countries’ because of the Biden administration’s “buy American” requirement. (Politico)
- With interest rates high and automakers getting rid of their affordable models, people under 40 are getting stuck with high loan notes, and many are falling behind. (PBS News Hour)
- When it comes to safety, sharrows and painted bike lanes are sometimes worse than nothing at all. (Streetsblog USA)
- The transition to electric vehicles is an opportunity to look for a more rational way to fund road maintenance than fuel taxes. (Governing)
- Your car may be gathering information about your medical history, your political opinions and even your sex life. (The Guardian)
- According to the CEO of autonomous vehicle manufacturer and GM subsidiary Cruise, any concerns about self-driving cars are the result of anti-robot bias (Washington Post). Hmm, haven’t we heard that before?
- Without a new state source of funding, Chicago transit faces 30 percent service cuts by 2026. (City Lab)
- Philadelphia released three alternatives for capping I-676, aka the Vine Street Expressway, which cuts Chinatown in half. (WHYY)
- Seattle is installing more traffic cameras near schools and parks. (KING)
- Milwaukee’s Eastside has new protected bike lanes. (Urban Milwaukee)
- Mobile is spending $1.3 million in gas tax revenue on making MLK Avenue a complete street. (AL.com)
- A bike commuter details how hard it is to bike in Las Vegas. (Nevada Independent)
- Cars driving themselves on cross-country road trips by 2017? A handy new website helps us keep up with all of Elon Musk’s outlandish claims. (Jalopnik)
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
Inside Baseball: Kuntzman To Step Down At Streetsblog; David Meyer To Take Over
Streetsblog's longtime editor will take on new challenges. And so will his successor.
October 9, 2026
Friday Video(s): Two Urban Cycling Trips Worth Taking
Choose your own urban cycling adventure: domestic or international edition.
October 9, 2026
Friday’s Headlines Pay a Lot for Parking
The average apartment-dweller pays $200 a month for a parking space, included in their rent, whether they use it or not.
October 9, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Long Road to Real Transit Progress
Jeff Wood and Reece Martin discuss China’s lessons for American infrastructure.
October 8, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are Another Front in the Culture War
David Zipper explains how transportation, once an issue with broad consensus, became politically polarized.
October 8, 2026
