Monday’s Headlines Are Going to M-A-R-S, Mars!
Acting NASA director Sean Duffy apparently has too much on his plate to do any research into transit safety.
By
Blake Aued
12:29 AM EDT on September 15, 2025
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy insists violence on public transit is an “epidemic” (The Hill) even though the New York City subway just had its safest summer in 15 years (Times). Maybe he’s too busy to look up the statistics because he’s so focused on going to Mars (Space). The United States of Space!
- The U.S. DOT might allow millions of dollars in unawarded grant funding from 2022 to expire at the end of the month. (Transportation for America)
- The U.S. Department of Justice is suing Uber, alleging that it discriminates against passengers with disabilities. (Reuters)
- New Urbanists explain why density and walkability are important for cities to thrive. (CNU Public Square)
- California will spend $20 billion on high-speed rail over the next 20 years, which is enough to finish the project’s central section by 2033. (NBC Bay Area)
- Bike lane opponent Josh Kraft dropped out of the Boston mayor’s race (WCVB) after receiving just 23 percent of the vote to incumbent Michelle Wu’s 72 percent during the first round of voting (Streetsblog MASS).
- Pittsburgh Regional Transit asked Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro for permission to use $107 million earmarked for maintenance and repairs to stave off fare hikes and service cuts. (Tribune-Review)
- Pittsburgh is also adding speed tables to Shady Avenue, where 90 percent of drivers exceed the speed limit. (Union Progress)
- Savannah is fixing a dangerous intersection at East Randolph and President that’s seen five crashes involving pedestrians in three years. (WTOC)
- Sound Transit successfully tested a floating light rail bridge along I-90. (KOMO)
- A bus-only lane on Denny Way would fix Seattle’s chronically late Route 8 bus. (Seattle Times; paywall)
- New York Mets pitcher Sean Manaea takes the subway to work every day. (Streetsblog NYC)
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
Talking Headways Podcast: Evolution, God and Transportation
Let's consider the totality of the human experience on this planet. Yes, it connects to livable streets, we promise. It's a very special episode of Talking Headways!
June 4, 2026
A Rolling Protest Helped Win Some of the Best Provisions in Congress’ New Infrastructure Bill
...and the advocates behind the ride are doing it again soon.
June 4, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are Tired of Tires
Yale has found more evidence that tires cause air pollution as they wear.
June 4, 2026
Want to Win a Statewide Race? Embrace Transit Early and Often
Steyer got a nice media hit when he "rode the D." Too bad it happened after most voters cast their ballots.
June 3, 2026
Most World Cup Host Cities Are Pedestrianizing Streets This Summer – But Not Boston
In a few days, host cities across North America will welcome huge World Cup crowds by pedestrianizing major streets – and in some cases, entire neighborhoods – to keep traffic jams out of the fan parades and festivals associated with the international event.
June 3, 2026