With federal and state environmental clearance and with funds allocated, the main obstacle to laying track in the Fresno-Merced route is an environmental lawsuit to be be heard April, 2013. Two county farm bureaus ask that work cease until then.
The California High Speed Rail Authority has enjoyed much good news of late. It celebrated the expedited federal clearance of environmental permitting from the Federal Railroad Administration on Sept. 19 for the northern segment of the Central Valley 'spine' of the Los Angeles to San Francisco project. On July 6, the state Senate, by one vote, approved allocating $2.7 billion in 2008 Prop. 1A high speed rail funds for the Central Valley segment. Only determined Central Valley farm interests and their political friends remain as the obstacle to construction.
Determined to protect farmland from the project, "the Madera and Merced County farm bureaus have asked a judge to freeze construction on a segment of the project", writes Joshua Emerson Smith of the Merced Sun-Star.
"Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley will hear arguments for and against the Preliminary injunction Nov 16. The CEQA challenge of the Merced-to-Fresno route is scheduled to start in April."
It was for this very reason that another determined player, Gov. Jerry Brown, had requested that the project receive 'streamlining' from the state's premier environmental law, the CA Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in June. However, pressure from the major environmental groups in the state cause him to relent.
Thanks to Katie Pearce
FULL STORY: Opponents request building freeze on high-speed rail

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