Thursday’s Headlines Freak Out, Give In
Doesn't matter what you believe in, at least regarding the current debate over how safe it is to ride transit.
By
Blake Aued
12:06 AM EDT on September 18, 2025
- The Republican-controlled U.S. House is about to start hearings on the Charlotte light-rail stabbing death (Fox News), using a tragedy to press their narrative while ignoring the fact that transit remains safer than driving. In Charlotte, the killing is also calling into question whether a regional transportation referendum will pass (Observer).
- Self-driving cars are going to cause a lot of traffic jams. (Vox; paywall)
- When road projects are pitched as “economic development,” it’s more about delivering cars to big box stores than protecting small businesses. (Strong Towns)
- In response to a letter from Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, a Republican congressman is demanding federal oversight of Milwaukee transit. (Sentinel-Journal)
- San Francisco assembly members approved a new safety plan that combines stricter enforcement with better design. (Axios)
- Nashville is testing priority lanes for buses and emergency vehicles. (Tennessean)
- Ridership on Sound Transit’s Tacoma Link is exceeding expectations. (News Tribune)
- The Atlanta Suburb of John’s Creek is considering a $10 million plan for walking paths and bike lanes. (Appen Media)
- Athens, Georgia has identified a high-risk network where the vast majority of crashes occur (Flagpole). Now, what will they do about it?
- Forget the burrito taxi. Two hot new restaurants in Dallas are offering limo or black SUV pickup as part of their tasting menu. (D Magazine)
- A Milwaukee streetcar driver rescued a woman and her service dog. (TMJ 4)
- Portland’s annual car-free streets event made a triumphant return to downtown. (BikePortland)
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
Every Friday’s Headline Is Sacred
When transit funds are wasted, God gets quite irate.
October 16, 2026
Friday Video: When Walkability Isn’t Enough … Even in the Great Cities of Europe
What happens when livable places get overwhelmingly popular before we can build more of them — or when other failures of design and governance make them bad places to live?
October 16, 2026
Newsom Signs Bill to Better Align California Transportation Spending With Climate Goals
SB 1087 updates California’s landmark sustainable communities law, strengthening the connection between regional climate plans and transportation investments.
October 15, 2026
Talking Headways Podcast: The Passion Problem in Public Transit
Where should the most enthusiastic supporters of transit try to work?
October 15, 2026
Thursday’s Headlines Are Trouble for Tesla
Autonomous vehicles just can't seem to behave themselves.
October 15, 2026
