Friday’s Headlines Transform and Roll Out

Will autonomous vehicles really make us safer? Maybe in the long run, but maybe not in the short run.

By Blake Aued

12:11 AM EDT on May 23, 2025

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The Brookings Institute makes the case that autonomous vehicles will be safer and reduce congestion. But there are likely to be some growing pains. Andrew Miller at Changing Lanes predicts that, as autonomous vehicles become more widespread, safety issues will get worse before they get better, because computers and humans won't know how to predict each others' actions.
With U.S. population growth slowing, renovating existing spaces is looking like a more attractive alternative to sprawl (CleanTechnica). Such an extravagant use of resources may no longer be tenable in Australia, either (Architecture AU).
Since cars were banned from Central Park, now the New York Times wants to foment a war between cyclists and pedestrians.
Low-income Los Angeles residents who received a $150 monthly debit card for transportation costs reported that it was a relief for both their checkbooks and their mental health. Once the program ended, their stress returned. (KTLA)
After the Trump administration put the kibosh on Amtrak taking over a high-speed rail project between Dallas and Houston, a hedge fund might be the last resort. (Fast Company)
Chicago transit workers rallied Wednesday as their three agencies face a combined $770 million budget shortfall. (CBS News)
Seattle residents who bike to work are much happier with their commutes than those who drive alone. (The Urbanist)
Atlanta drivers killed two pedestrians in the past three months on Peachtree Street, where the city previously implemented safety improvements, then took them away when drivers complained. (AJC)
Two-way service on a Valley Metro light rail line in Phoenix starts June 7. (ABC 15)
The Kansas City streetcar is preparing for a surge in ridership during the 2026 World Cup. (KSHB)
Cameras at one Richmond elementary school alone caught 7,000 speeding drivers in just six months. (Richmond Magazine)
If only cities didn't have so many tall buildings, or people. (McSweeney's)