Government / Politics

CA HSR Plan Approved. Next Stop: The Legislature

The Authority approved the $68 billion plan. Now the hard work begins in convincing the state legislature to sign off in order to capture the $3.5 billion allocated by the feds and begin construction from the Central Valley to the San Fernando Valley

April 16, 2012 - San Jose Mercury News

GOP Up To Its Old Tricks on Transportation Bill

Tanya Snyder explores the recent horse-trading being proposed by House Republicans, in which they've expressed a willingness to pass the Senate transportation bill in exchange for Senate approval of the Keystone XL pipeline.

April 15, 2012 - Streetsblog D.C.

Planners Driving Californians Out Of State

In this opinion piece, transportation consultant Wendell Cox explains why residents are fleeing CA in droves. By not providing single family homes Cox feels most want, residents must find their quarter-acre lots elsewhere. He blames regional plans.

April 9, 2012 - The Wall Street Journal - Cross Country

High-Speed Rail's Cap & Trade Gamble

While the revised business plan did shave off $30 billion, there remains a $55 billion funding shortfall. Dependent on federal and private funds that may never appear, could revenue from the sale of carbon credits bridge the funding gap?

April 7, 2012 - San Jose Mercury News

Detroit Cuts Deal to Avoid State Takeover

Just 24 hours before Governor Snyder's deadline for appointing an emergency manager for Detroit to help rein in its budgetary troubles, the city council has voted to approve a consent agreement with the State of Michigan.

April 5, 2012 - Detroit Free Press

Asking What Comes Next, as Maryland Tries to Move Beyond Sprawl

McKay Jenkins looks at the challenges confronting Maryland as the state tries to reckon with the devastating consequences of the era of sprawl and prepare for an additional one million people over the next twenty five years.

April 5, 2012 - Urbanite

A Precipitous Price Drop for California's High-Speed Rail

Knowing that a $100 billion project stood a poor chance of passing muster in a budget-conscious state legislature, Gov. Jerry Brown shaved off $30 billion by using a "blended rail" strategy in the Bay Area and South Coast, i.e. sharing tracks.

April 2, 2012 - The Sacramento Bee - Transportation

Public Water Works! to Grow Jobs, Protect the Environment

With a $600 billion investment gap facing the tap, citizens, organizations, and elected officials call for a renewed commitment to protect access to safe drinking water on World Water Day at Los Angeles City Hall.

April 2, 2012 - USC Annenberg Radio News

Historic Agreement Reached To Fund Caltrain Electrification

An agreement has been reached to electrify Caltrain from San Jose to San Francisco, using early investment High-Speed Rail funds, but will Bay Area HSR opponents take notice?

March 30, 2012 - Palo Alto Online News

Transportation Shutdown Adverted, For Now, But What's In Store?

Rather than take up the Highway Bill passed by the Senate two weeks ago, the House today passed a 90-day extension of SAFETEA-LU, the ninth extension of transportation legislation since 2009, reports Todd Zwillich.

March 30, 2012 - Transportation Nation

What Will It Take to Win the Global Competition Between Cities?

Mayor Michael Bloomberg, someone who may know a thing or two about running a successful city, pens an opinion piece examining what it takes to succeed in the global competition for people, visitors, and business.

March 28, 2012 - The Financial Times

England Revises Its National Planning Policy Framework

BBC News reports on recent moves to reform and simplify England's nationwide planning policy framework, which is used to guide planning at the local level.

March 28, 2012 - BBC News

Making Regulatory Reform Work in Seattle

Although Seattle's downtown redevelopment may be receiving plaudits, Chuck Wolfe describes efforts underway to rethink land use regulations on a broader level in the city, with jobs in mind.

March 28, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

House Transportation Extension Pulled As Deadline Nears

Late yesterday House Republicans withdrew plans to hold a vote on a proposed 90-day transportation bill extension, dragging Congress closer towards gridlock as the March 31st deadline nears, reports Todd Zwillich.

March 27, 2012 - Transportation Nation

Are Liberals and Conservatives Fighting Each Other's Land Use Battles?

In his book, The Rent Is Too Damn High, Matthew Yglesias encourages us to reexamine our assumptions about which urban policies our values really support.

March 23, 2012 - The Atlantic Cities

A Deadlocked Washington Leaves Export-Oriented Growth Up To Cities

Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institute explains the importance of exports to a metro region's economy. As the US Federal Government remains politically frozen, how can American cities grow economically by fostering trade partnerships across the world?

March 23, 2012 - The Planning Report

Ford's Subway Scheme Stopped Dead In Its Tracks

Yesterday was a bad day for Toronto mayor Rob Ford as his quest to see a proposed streetcar for Sheppard Avenue East replaced with a subway to to Scarborough was dashed by the City Council. Kelly Grant has the details.

March 23, 2012 - The Globe and Mail

Hitting The Sweet Spot In Regional Planning

The Sacramento, California, region may be witnessing a minor planning miracle: a regional sustainability plan lauded by developers, environmentalists, and civic officials alike.

March 22, 2012 - California Planning & Development Report

Seeking Visions for the Future of Design and Planning in NYC

Looking back on the remarkable transformation of urban life in New York during Mayor Bloomberg's administration, William Menking wonders what the next mayor will do to support design and planning in the city.

March 21, 2012 - The Architect's Newspaper

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

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