Infrastructure

Chicago Found Liable for ADA Violations
A federal judge ruled that the city fails to provide “meaningful access” to many of its streets due to a lack of infrastructure for pedestrians with vision impairments at most of the city’s intersections.

Checking in on Washington State’s Complete Streets Law
A new requirement that mandates bike and pedestrian improvements on state road projects is starting to pay off with real commitments to Complete Streets infrastructure.

CA High-Speed Rail’s Latest Challenge: Floodwater
The historic precipitation that fell on the state of California in past months poses a unique and unanticipated threat to the state’s big infrastructure project in the Central Valley.

Houston Metro Proposes Undergrounding BRT Line
To ease community concerns, the agency is proposing an underpass in lieu of a prior plan that would have elevated a new rapid transit line above a portion of its downtown route.

Expressway Expansion Could Threaten Brooklyn Bridge Park
Supporters of the waterfront park worry NYCDOT’s plan to potentially widen the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway could reduce green space in “one of the most expensive urban parks ever built.”

Starpower Hired to Design California High-Speed Rail Station
The planning, engineering, and design team will develop the first four Central Valley stations on the train line.

Proposed Update to Boise Zoning Code Would Boost Density, Discourage Sprawl
A years-long process has culminated in a proposal that would encourage the creation of affordable housing, promote transit-oriented development, and position the city for less car-oriented growth.

Denver-Area Rail Service Disruptions Expected During Maintenance Work
RTD is beginning maintenance on retaining walls along its southeastern light rail lines that is expected to last roughly six months.

Controversial Highway Widening Breaks Ground in Austin
Texas’ transportation priorities were on display in March—a few days after the gutting of a transit plan, a highway expansion broke ground depite years of local opposition.

Houston Cyclists Call for Safer, More Visible Trail Closure Signage
After a recent death on the White Oak Trail, Houston bike advocates say closure markers on the city’s bike trails are often inconsistent and hard to see, posing a danger for cyclists at night.

Study: Seattle’s Lower Speed Limits Reduced Crash Injuries
A change in the city’s speed limits has been shown to reduce the likelihood of injuries during collisions.

MTA Proposes Pollution Mitigation Spending for the Bronx
Acknowledging the impact the city’s proposed congestion pricing program could have on underserved neighborhoods, the agency plans to spend over $130 million in revenue from the program on air filtration, trees, and other pollution reduction measures.

‘Arrested Mobility’: How Transportation-Related Laws Impact Black Americans
A far-reaching new study highlights the disproportionate effect of biking and walking laws on the mobility of Black Americans.

Federal Loan to Support San Diego Desalination Plant Overhaul
The financing will go toward funding an updated cooling system and ensuring the protection of local marine life.

Seattle Bus Lane Cameras Capture Over 100,000 Violations
An automated traffic enforcement pilot program caught drivers illegally using transit lanes more than 110,000 times in less than a year.

The Joy of Walking
An essay meditating on the simple pleasures of a good walk.

St. Louis Train Expansion Planning Receives Federal Funding
The Bi-State Development Agency received roughly $7.4 million for efforts to expand the city’s MetroLink train system.

FTA Announces Disaster Relief Funding for Transit
A $212 million program is aimed at helping transit agencies and cities affected by flooding, hurricanes, fires, and other disasters maintain transit operations and boost the resilience of their systems.

Green Infrastructure Toolkit Launches on World Water Day
The Green Infrastructure Toolkit lists 25 actions local governments can take to transform crusty, impermeable urban landscapes into vibrant, spongy ecosystems that preserve water as a resource and protect against its potential destruction in floods.

Austin’s Project Connect Transit Plan Drastically Reduced
The details of drastic reductions to the proposed building program for Austin’s Project Connect long-range transit plan are now open for public comment.
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