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The Planetizen News Brief

20 November 2008 - 5:00am
Smart City Radio

The Planetizen News Brief is a weekly rundown of some of the most interesting and important news and issues of the past week.

The Planetizen News Brief airs every week on the nationally-syndicated radio program "Smart City", which is broadcast in cities across the U.S. Learn more about Smart City and listen to archived shows.

Full Transcript

It seems that it's time for a rail renaissance in America. The election earlier this month saw rail funding initiatives passing all over the country. According to a recent rundown in The Wall Street Journal, more than 70% of the major transportation measures were approved this year, more than twice the amount that typically pass. Figures calculated by the Center for Transportation Excellence estimate that the nationwide transportation bills will inject more than $75 billion into transportation systems. Rail systems are among the biggest beneficiaries of this transit-friendly election season. A 20-mile light rail system was approved by voters in the Hawaiian city of Honolulu, making up the biggest public works project in the state's history. And in metro Seattle, voters approved a half-cent sales tax to fund a $22.8 billion transit expansion package. The funding will add more than 30 miles to the region’s light rail system and also beef up the area’s bus system. Possibly the most notable among the passed measures from this year's election is California's $10 billion bond to fund the creation of a high-speed rail network across the state. It's been in the works for years, but never had enough funding to get moving in any major way. But with gas-weary voters casting pro-transit ballots all across the state, the plan should finally be able to come to fruition.

Rail is also getting a little love north of the border. City staff in Ottawa, Ontario recently advised city councilmembers to postpone or even cancel hundreds of millions of dollars worth of road projects to help fund the city's new transit-based master plan. If the council agrees, they would cut average yearly road funding from $150 million down to about $95 million, re-routing the difference to public transportation projects. The city is about to release a new land use plan this month, which will include proposals for an expanded citywide light rail system, as well as a broad network of pedestrian and bike paths. This transit-based plan would be implemented over the course of about 20 years, steadily usurping money from road-building coffers. Though the city is still planning to build more than $600 million worth of roads in the next few years, much of the bill will be shifted to developers. Many others will be put off or cancelled completely – a move that's a world of difference from the former North American transportation agenda of building roads at all costs.

Stories discussed in this week's Planetizen News Brief

U.S. Rail Renaissance

Honolulu Approves Light Rail System

Seattle Area Voters: Yes To Transit; No To Road Measure

Ottawa Kills Millions in Road Project for Mass Transit

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