Government / Politics

Los Angeles

Temporary Trailers Will House Homeless in Downtown L.A.

If approved, a City Council motion would mark a shift in how Los Angeles deals with a rising number of homeless residents.

January 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

California Gas Tax Repeal Update: And Then There Was One

One of two initiatives to repeal last November's 12-cents per gallon gas tax increase failed to attract enough signatures by the Jan. 8 deadline. However, the other initiative has major backing and will likely appear on the Nov. 6 ballot.

January 23, 2018 - Los Angeles Times

Brario 31

Barrio 31 in Buenos Aires Holds Universal Truths About Informal Urban Places

A study of a poorer neighborhood in Buenos Aires reveals that a delicate balance of design, public space, planning, and access are keys to success.

January 22, 2018 - Next City

New York City

New York City Congestion Pricing Plan Ready for Review

Motorists and truckers would pay tolls to drive south of 60th Street in Manhattan while passengers in taxis and ride-hailing vehicles would pay a surcharge under a plan released Friday by the Fix NYC panel convened by Gov. Cuomo in October.

January 22, 2018 - The New York Times

Houston Light Rail

Two Studies Show How Light Rail Benefits Houston

Finally, the city seems to be reaping benefits from a major investment in public transportation.

January 21, 2018 - The Urban Edge

A private club located in Florida

Why Zinke Gave Florida a Break on Drilling

After announcing the coast of almost all states would be open for oil and gas production, the Secretary of the Interior changed his mind on one after meeting with Trump’s favored candidate for Senate.

January 19, 2018 - The New Yorker

Brightline

Fatalities Mount from Brightline, South Florida's New Higher-Speed Train Service

A 51-year-old bicyclist became the second fatality in the first week of revenue service. It was the fourth fatality since the summer for the diesel train, which operates from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale.

January 19, 2018 - Sun Sentinel

Trump Campaign

Pushing Against HUD, Fair Housing Activists Look to Procedure

With the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule on the ropes, a legal strategy has emerged to challenge HUD's plan to delay enforcement.

January 19, 2018 - CityLab

Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg's 'What Works Cities' Initiative Now Has 100 Participants

The What Works Cities initiative has grown quickly since it launched in 2015.

January 19, 2018 - Route Fifty

Bighorn Sheep

The 'Wide-Ranging Ecological Downside' of Road Salt

A study from the USGS using five decades of data shows salinity and alkalinity are up in waterways across the United States.

January 17, 2018 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Mt. Hood and Traffic

The Slow Transition from Gas Taxes to Mileage Fees

Oregon was the first to conduct a pilot program in 2006, followed by California and Colorado last year. With financial backing from the U.S. DOT, at least four more states are exploring charging by the mile driven rather than the fuel burned.

January 17, 2018 - Governing

Skyline and Beach

Largest Desalinated Water Reserve Ever Unveiled in Abu Dhabi

The UAE has created a storage facility under the desert that can provide up to 100 million liters per day in the event of an emergency.

January 17, 2018 - Quartz

Fort Lauderdale

Higher Cost Estimates Could Doom Fort Lauderdale Streetcar

While the 2.8 mile Wave Streetcar project has secured $195 million, proposals for design and construction are coming in higher than expected, which would leave Broward County and Fort Lauderdale responsible for half the extra cost.

January 16, 2018 - Sun Sentinel

Virginia Freeway

In Final Days in Office, Virginia Governor Extends Express Lanes at No Cost to Taxpayers

The Australian toll road company, Transurban, will build two, 10-mile reversible express lanes for Virginia Department of Transportation and provide $277 million for a new bridge in the corridor. Free for carpools, others will pay a variable toll.

January 15, 2018 - The Washington Post

'An Adult Day Care on Every Corner:' Aging in the Rio Grande Valley

In a region where most people “age in place,” facilities offering services and socialization give primary caregivers a much-needed break.

January 15, 2018 - The Texas Observer

The Embarcadero

Trial Over San Francisco Waterfront Development Height Limits Begins

The State Lands Commission filed suit shortly after San Francisco voters approved Prop. B in June 2014, requiring waterfront developments exceeding height limits to obtain voter approval rather than go through the Planning Commission process.

January 15, 2018 - San Francisco Examiner

State capital building

Oregon Proposed 'Cap and Invest' Bill, Explained

Oregon legislators are hard at work on two new "cap and invest" bills that would establish a "market-based, carrot-and-stick approach to reducing greenhouse gas pollution."

January 14, 2018 - The Oregonian

Bay Bridge Toll

Ballot Measure to Hike Bay Area Bridge Tolls Headed for June Ballot

A modest toll increase, $3 over six years, took a major step forward with the approval of a key Bay Area Toll Authority committee. With the exception of the Bay Bridge, the round-trip toll on each of the region's seven state-owned bridges is $5.

January 14, 2018 - SF Gate

A Change in Land Use Leadership in New York City

A new speaker of the New York City Council is expected to change the way development negotiations play out for local councilmembers.

January 12, 2018 - Politico

Refueling

50-Cent Gas Tax Increase Ruled-Out by GOP Congressional Leaders

News of the GOP's rejection of a gas tax increase comes from reports on two recent private meetings between Republican leaders and the Trump Administration.

January 12, 2018 - The Washington Post

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Transportation Planner I

KFH Group Inc.

Director, Strategy and Research

Greater Baltimore Committee

Senior Planner

Eagle County Government

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