The board of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, in charge of the region's most expensive transportation project in decades, has come under fire in recent days from federal officials for being dysfunctional, out of control and secretive.
Ashley Halsey III and Lori Aratani explore the profound questions raised over the ability of the board of the largely autonomous MWAA to manage the $6 billion rail extension to Dulles Airport, amid allegations of a long list of improprieties led by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and other government officials. Among the concerns raised by critics, note Halsey and Aratani, are accusations that the board has spent lavishly on its own entertainment and handed out jobs and contracts that benefited friends and family.
"I have serious questions about how the board has operated," LaHood said
Friday. "I want the people of the D.C. area to know that we don't agree
with what they've been doing."
Although efforts are underway to improve oversight of the board and terminate questionable contracts, critics contend the problems originate with the process by which members are selected.
"The board's problems arose because the four people who appoint its
members - the president, the two governors and the mayor - gave seats to
too many political cronies, said Leo J. Schefer, president of the Washington Airports Task Force, a non-profit group that promotes the two airports."
FULL STORY: Airports authority board, under fire, struggles to right itself

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive
Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians
Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie