Amtrak is hoping to turn its first-ever profit next year.

"Amtrak saw record ridership and revenue in 2019, the railroad said Friday, marking its third straight year of improvements as the railroad attempts to break even for the first time in its five-decade history next year," reports Graham Rapier.
Amtrak only lost $29.8 million in the fiscal year ending September 30, according to Rapier, after bringing in $3.3 billion in revenue. The railroad lost 83 percent less than it did in 2018.
As for ridership: "In the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak's busiest and most important route from Washington DC, to Boston, ridership increased about 3%, with the premium "Acela" high-speed service seeing a 4.3% jump. Long-distance routes, which have drawn the ire of lawmakers for their cash burn, saw ridership climb just under 1%."
The article includes explanation for how Amtrak has achieved its recent run of ridership and revenue success.
FULL STORY: Amtrak had another record ridership year as it works toward its first-ever profit

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.

Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?

Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont