Infrastructure

Virgin Trains, Formerly Brightline, Planning Eight Expansion Corridors
November's bombshell news about the partnership between Virgin and Brightline has now yielded ambitious plans for private investment in intercity rail service.

Citi Bike Expansion Coming, Along With a Political Battle Over Electric-Assist Bikes and Scooters
Citi Bike's new owner is funding a massive expansion of the bike share system. Meanwhile ,City Hall is prepping for a battle over electric assist bikes and scooters.

Investigation Reveals the Failures of 'Clean Coal'
As the federal government sends massive subsidies to encourage so-called clean coal technology, coal-burning power plants aren't sending less pollution into the air and into the earth.

Speed Limit Increases Needed to Improve Enforcement, Says L.A. City Proposal
In a strange confluence of factors, expired speed limits and a state statute have hampered speed enforcement. Unfortunately, the proposed solution also looks a like a problem.

Improved Service Speeds Up Buses, Increases Ridership
The data on select bus service (SBS) in the Metropolitan Transportation Authority bus system are definitive: with off-board payment and bus-only lanes, buses perform better and attract more riders.

'Tis the Season for Abundant Parking
On what is arguably a peak parking day, parking lots around the country still had plenty of space.

Substantial Changes for Move Seattle Plan
The reality of the Move Seattle is proving to be much less robust than the vision promised to voters who approved the $930 million levy in 2015.
OC Streetcar Breaks Ground After Receiving Full Funding Grant Agreement
It's only the third full funding grant administration signed by Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. The $149 million capital investment grant will help fund the 4-mile modern streetcar line from Santa Ana to Garden Grove in Orange County, Calif.

Climate Change Won't Be Kind to the Carolinas
The 4th National Climate Assessment brought the reality of climate change to the regional and local level. The Carolinas provide a particularly poignant case study.

Upcoming Conference to Imagine Planning in 2052
The 'degrowth' concept at the heart of Planning 2052 recalls the Club of Rome’s publication of "The Limits to Growth" in 1972.

Train to Denver Airport Threatened with Closure over Crossing Gate Woes
The Federal Railroad Administration is threatening to revoke the waiver that allows the A-Line to operate with flaggers at grade crossings unless the Regional Transit District presents a plan by mid-month to fix the crossing gate problems.

Late Election Result: Transportation Sales Tax Appears to Pass in San Mateo County, Calif.
Transportation advocates have been patiently waiting since Nov. 6 for the results of a half-cent, 30-year county sales tax measure, 50 percent of which would benefit Samtrans bus and Caltrain needs and 5% bike/ped. It needs 66.67% of votes to pass.

Study Casts Doubt on Streetcars' Ability to Spur Development
Examining Portland and Seattle's much-talked-about systems, the authors highlight the importance of treating streetcars as a viable transport option, rather than just a means to stimulate development.

Planned L.A. Crenshaw Line Rollout Prompts Argument
Already delayed, the Crenshaw Line has now sparked debate between stakeholders who favor opposing visions of how the light rail service should link up with the existing Green Line.

Plan Changes for Chicago’s Lincoln Yards Project
The massive proposed development project on the Chicago River is facing a host of questions about density, open space, and infrastructure.

Feds Let the Transit Funding Flow
It was a big week for long-awaited transit funding from the Federal Transit Administration.

Boston's Metropolitan Area Planning Council Announces Resilience Grant Program
The Accelerating Climate Resiliency Mini Grant Program will award grants to six to 15 projects, policies, and actions to protect people from the impacts of climate change.

Price Triples for Keeping Asian Carp Out of Lake Michigan
It's been expensive year for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' efforts to prevent environmental catastrophe in Lake Michigan.

Freeway's Demise Will Fund Light Rail Grade Crossing Improvements in Pasadena
The final nails have been put in the coffin of the I-710 extension, and now communities like Pasadena are getting ideas about how to spend Measure R funding once reserved for the unwanted freeway.

New Report Assesses Threat From Urban Flooding
Researchers from the University of Maryland and Texas A&M surveyed stormwater officials and synthesized the results. Their conclusion: "Rainwater is taking its toll on metropolitan America"
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