Stephen Smith sheds light on the problems of leadership holding back Obama's dream of high-speed rail.

When President Barack Obama first set goals for his federal transportation legacy, he aimed high: access to high-speed rail for 80 percent of Americans within 25 years. Now, at the close of his first term, California is the only state with an HSR system scheduled for completion on-time. As Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood likely prepares to step down next year, Smith argues, it may be prudent for the President to reevaluate the leadership platform of the Transportation Department.
Smith writes, "David Gunn, the president of Amtrak from 2002 to 2005, cited a lack of technical knowledge as the biggest problem at the Transportation Department, which he said has devolved into 'an agency that just distributes money.' " In California, for example, the development and operation of HSR was entrusted to the "California High-Speed Rail Authority, which has little operational experience and a barebones staff." In the process, federal authorities effectively shut out freight rail and Amtrak California, whose collective expertise is critical to the success of the system, according to Gunn.
And it's not merely new projects that suffer from such leadership decisions. "Right now, air, highway and rail interests frequently compete against one another to fill the same need. The government often finances projects to widen and build new highways parallel to new rail routes, depressing ridership and limiting the cost-effectiveness of transit."
Smith concludes, "Other transit analysts, such as Joshua Schank of the Eno Center for Transportation, a research group, agreed that it might be time for a transportation secretary from a technical rather than political background. (The office is sometimes used for bipartisan gestures: LaHood, Obama’s first-term transportation secretary, was a Republican U.S. representative from Illinois, and Norman Mineta, who served under George W. Bush for five years, was a Democratic congressman.) "
FULL STORY: Obama’s New Cabinet Can Make Trains Run on Time

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie