Importantly, the Washington State Legislature also left a few bills on the cutting room floor.
"The Washington State Legislature passed several transportation-related bill this year in addition to major supplemental transportation budget and funding for a more in-depth study of high-speed rail," reports Stephen Fesler.
The close misses also warrant attention. "Bills to increase unsafe driving penalties and and [sic] pilot program for bus lane camera enforcement in Seattle unfortunately didn’t pass," according to Fesler. "Perhaps most importantly though, the legislature never ended up passing a bill to cut funding from Sound Transit 3." Planetizen also covered the potential threat to funding for Sound Transit 3 back in January.
Fesler provides details on each of the bills approved by the legislature, which will allow a transportation tax to go to the ballot in Thurston County, pave the way for autonomous vehicles, regulate e-bikes, and tweak property tax assessments, transit board representation, and funding formulas.
Read the full story: Autonomous Vehicle and E-bike Regulation Among Transportation Bills Headed to Governor
Oregon Considering a Bike Tax
Oregon lawmakers have proposed a new tax on the sale of bikes—if it passes it would be the first of its kind in the country.
Missouri Lawmakers Hate Tolls
Missouri State Representative Bryan Spencer (R-Wentzville) on tolls: Don't even think about it, Missouri Department of Transportation.
Analysis: What does America want from surface transportation reauthorization?
Over 13,000 comments were submitted in the federal Request for Information on surface transportation reauthorization. We analyzed all of them.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority