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

Japan’s total metro lines are four times longer than the U.S., per 1 million people.

|Shilpy Arora

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)