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
In Bid To Speed Buses, Mamdani Hopes To Go Where No Mayor Has Gone Before
Streetsblog NYC offers the new mayor a primer on what he's getting into!
July 14, 2026
New York’s Rampant Illegal Parking Stumps Viral Good Samaritan Street Cleaners
A growing group of activists are posting their street-cleaning escapades to social media, but parked cars that don't move for street cleaning are getting in their way.
July 14, 2026
Pedestrian Fatalities Drop Again, But More Needs To Be Done, Says Governors’ Group
Good news, except that 22.5 percent more pedestrians were killed in 2025 by car and truck drivers than in 2015.
July 14, 2026
Tuesday’s Headlines Get Out of the Way
The NHTSA is tired of self-driving cars blocking emergency responders.
July 14, 2026
Monday’s Headlines Don’t Need So Much Parking
More and more cities and states are easing up on parking mandates for new developments.
July 13, 2026