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

Peter Van den Bossche

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.