With a growing population comes a need for more airport capacity, and Phoenix is no different. The challenge is finding the space to grow.
"The Phoenix City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a 20-year blueprint for improvements to Sky Harbor International Airport, designed to make sure the airport can keep up with passenger and cargo demands that are expected to double by 2039," reports Melissa Yeager.
"The plan is a suggested road map for improvements, not a green light for any individual projects. It does not authorize funding. The city council will still have to approve each step of the plan, which is projected to cost $5.7 billion during the 20-year period," explains Yeager of the scope of the federal mandated plan.
Faced with the prospect of rapid growth in passenger and cargo volumes, the footprint of Sky Harbor runs into serious geographic limitations, like train tracks, roadways, and the Salt River. The airport owns significant parcels of land beyond the railroad tracks located to the north of the airport, so "one of the key parts of the 20-year plan is to 'trench' the railroad tracks — lower them below ground level — to create access to that land. The airport could then connect the land north of the tracks to its main campus by building taxiways over the tracks," according to Yeager.
Read the full story: Sky Harbor Airport's $5.7 billion, 20-year plan: Double the capacity, add 'bus gates'
A Small City in Suburban New Jersey Plans for its Future
Questions of density and demographics are challenging a planning process in Ridgewood, New Jersey—the first plan update in the village in more than 30 years.
To Compete, Phoenix Must Grow Up, Not Out
As Wellington 'Duke' Reiter notes, for the past several decades Phoenix has shown it expertise in horizontal growth. But, as development heats up again after the Great Recession, he says the city's growth must be managed to increase density.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
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.
Housing is the top priority of Seattle’s sole new councilmember
Jenks campaigned on building 1,000 new units of affordable housing.
New tax cuts may slash $1.5 billion in funding for Miami transit, public parks
Amendment 3 will save Miami-Dade homeowners $2,700 in 2028.
Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania hope to finally advance climate goals post-midterms
The three states have spent years under Republican or divided control.
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
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority