Planners are working quickly to refine a proposal for a $1.8 billion project connecting the 680 corridor in the East Bay Area to bedroom communities in the Central Valley.

"A newly-formed transit authority is moving at a lightning pace to design and build a rail link between the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station and Lathrop in the Central Valley," reports Erin Baldassari. The newly formed rail authority is known as the Tri-Valley-San Joaquin Valley Regional Rail Authority.
"The authority’s governing board last month released its vision for the Valley Link: a 10-station commuter line, with BART-like service in the Tri-Valley, that could start carrying passengers in five to seven years."
According to Baldassari, the new rail link could come as welcome relief to super commuters traveling between the far East Bay and the Central Valley, which is an increasingly common practice in what officials are calling the "megaregion."
The article includes a lot more details on what the new rail line could deliver in terms of service, and what to expect from next steps in the planning process.
FULL STORY: Meet the Valley Link: Your ticket out of mega-commuting hell

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

Conservatives’ Decongestion Pricing Flip-Flop
When it comes to solving traffic problems, the current federal administration is on track for failure, waste, and hypocrisy.

Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.

Can Progressive Planners Appeal to Conservative Principles?
Trump’s approach to policies like NYC’s congestion pricing isn’t just irrational and wasteful — it defies the tenets of conservatism. But there are ways to reframe the issues.

Oak Park Plans Earth Month Events
Join Oak Park, Illinois, for a series of Earth Month events highlighting the importance of community engagement and education, integrating sustainability into local plans, and planning for the most vulnerable, such as birds, bees and butterflies.
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