Thursday’s Headlines Are Faster Than a Speeding Bullet Train
Amtrak lost a champion in Joe Biden just as new, more advanced trains are set to start running up and down the East Coast.
By
Blake Aued
12:01 AM EDT on August 21, 2025
- The next generation of Acela trains promises faster speeds and higher ridership, but they’re entering service at a time when the future of Amtrak is in doubt. (The Conversation)
- E-bikes could one day replace cars, but they should be separated from traditional bikes and pedestrians due to their speeds. (The Guardian)
- States are putting more emphasis on road usage and EV registration fees to raise revenue for road maintenance. (Transport Topics)
- The U.S. DOT is once again threatening to withhold transit funding from New York City, this time over subway track maintenance. (Reuters)
- Chicago recently eliminated minimum parking requirements for developments near transit stops. (Sun-Times)
- Salt Lake City officials are not sure they can keep up with all the requests for neighborhood traffic calming. (KSL)
- Indianapolis transit agency IndyGo budget is rising $90 million, much of which will go toward Blue Line bus rapid transit construction. (Mirror Indy)
- Maryland’s Purple Line is set to open in 2027. (Bethesda Today)
- A new poll found that almost three-quarters of Buffalo residents support light rail expansion (Buffalo-Toronto Public Media), but opinions were split at a passionate town hall meeting (WKBW)
- Houston’s “Rail Watch” website provides real-time information about trains stopped at rail crossings. (Houston Public Media)
- The temporary closure of I-5 in Seattle led to a reprieve from freeway noise, but also a flood of traffic on side streets. (Seattle Times)
- Toronto’s new plan to build dense housing near transit stations shows it’s serious about being a global city, writes Brandon Donnelly.
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
Thursday’s Headlines Are a Gas, Gas, Gas
Key House Republicans killed an irresponsible, politically motivated bill to suspend the federal gas tax.
September 17, 2026
Traffic Noise Kills 6,330 Americans a Year; We Stopped Counting in 1982
Removing just five decibels of noise from our neighborhoods would save lives. So why aren't we even measuring it, never mind taking action to quiet our streets?
September 17, 2026
What You Missed in the Transportation Reauthorization This Summer
Congressional negotiations over America's next big transportation law hit some speed bumps this summer — but that doesn't mean there isn't work to be done.
September 16, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Pay Through the Nose to Drive
The average American car owner spends about $15,000 a year on their vehicle, according to a AAA analysis of Bureau of Labor statistics.
September 16, 2026
Exclusive: NYC Hires Company To Install E-Car Charging Posts In Public Space
The small expansion of e-car charging stations is a small down payment on the city’s larger plan to permanently allocate more public space for the automobile.
September 15, 2026