Long awaited improvements on the Amtrak route between Chicago and St. Louis are being delayed again, this time because of trouble installing positive train control (PTC).

Faster rail service will not be ready by the end of this year as the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) had once hoped. Trains are still unable to exceed 70 miles per hour along the Alton-Granite city corridor, but when work is done, trains will be able to move at 90 mph speeds across the whole route. IDOT now says that improvement will occur in 2020, but has yet to set a date for when train will reach 110 mph speeds the project originally sought.
"The time needed to install and test a new GPS-related safety technology positive train control, is the reason for the longer-than-expected implementation, officials say," Mark Schlinkmann reports for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Positive train control (PTC) is a federally mandated safety protocol that was not required when the project started. "The upgrade of the corridor, begun in 2010 and largely finished in 2017, also includes installation of new rails and concrete ties, new Amtrak stations in Alton and elsewhere and improved street crossing gates to keep vehicles from weaving around crossing bars," Schlinkmann writes.
Many upgrades to the route not related to PTC are already complete. "Other improvements were aimed at reducing delays that sometimes make trips longer than scheduled, such as adding or lengthening second-track segments and sidings so two trains can run simultaneously in more areas," Schlinkmann reports.
FULL STORY: Faster speeds on Amtrak route to Chicago delayed again

The Slow Death of Ride Sharing
From the beginning, TNCs like Lyft and Uber touted shared rides as their key product. Now, Lyft is ending the practice.

Cool Walkability Planning
Shadeways (covered sidewalks) and pedways (enclosed, climate controlled walkways) can provide comfortable walkability in hot climates. The Cool Walkshed Index can help plan these facilities.

Congestion Pricing Could Be Coming to L.A.
The infamously car-centric city is weighing a proposed congestion pricing pilot program to reduce traffic and encourage public transit use.

Home Insurers Are Fleeing California
Homeowners in the state are finding it increasingly difficult to secure insurance policies thanks to the growing risks of wildfire, drought, and other climate threats.

Los Angeles County Initiates Effort to Advance Equity in Infrastructure
L.A. County Public Works has launched an initiative to center equity in all of its processes, programming, and services as it plans, designs, builds, and maintains modern infrastructure that uplifts all communities of the county.

Addressing the Noise Impacts of Pickleball
Pickleball may be America's fastest growing sport, but it is not universally loved because of the noise it causes. Learn one expert's ideas for mitigating the noise impacts.
Caltrans
San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency
City of Orange
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
City of Lomita
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.