The Federal Transit Administration cannot award funds to states that don’t have federally approved safety-monitoring programs in place. On Monday, the agency warned a number of states that they needed prove they've undertaken these programs.

California may not receive $1.4 billion in federal train money if it cannot prove it has undertaken the necessary programs to promote train safety in the state. "The Federal Transit Administration took the unusual step Monday of issuing a public warning to California and several dozen other states of a looming deadline for those states to prove they have complete programs to oversee and promote rail safety," Tony Bizjak reports.
California and New York receive the most transit funding from FTA and losing this money would have a big effect on the state's budget. "States are required to create a system safety program standard for local rail agencies to follow, and to do safety inspections of rail programs every three years, as well as investigate crashes and hazardous conditions, and oversee corrective action when incidents occur," Bizjak writes.
FULL STORY: California risks losing $1.4 billion in federal train funds. Safety is the issue

New York Governor Advances Housing Plan Amid Stiff Suburban Opposition
Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious proposal to create more housing has once again run into a brick wall of opposition in New York’s enormous suburbs, especially on Long Island. This year, however, the wall may have some cracks.

Rethinking the Role of Parking in the American City
In cities big and small, the tide is turning against sprawling parking lots, car-centric development, and minimum parking mandates.

Friday Eye Candy: 20 AI-Generated Cityscapes
AI-generated images are creating new landscapes and cityscapes, capable of inspiring awe or fear.

Planners Look to ‘Activity Centers’ for Sustainable Development
Existing hubs of ‘hyperlocal’ economic activity provide a model for urban density.

Federal E-Bike Rebate Bill Reintroduced
The bill, part of an effort to encourage active transportation for short trips and take cars off U.S. roads, would cover 30 percent of the cost of an electric bike.

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.
Houston-Galveston Area Council
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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.
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