Although the details of the deal remain murky, Amtrak and the freight companies that share tracks in the region have agreed to restore passenger train service east of New Orleans.
The three railroads responsible for train service on the Gulf Coast have agreed to restore passenger rail service to the region, though a launch date remains uncertain. Amtrak stopped service east of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina damaged the tracks.
According to an article by Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive, Amtrak, CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern Railway, the Alabama State Port Authority, and Terminal Railway Alabama State Docks are working on an agreement to bring Amtrak trains back and have filed a motion with the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to postpone hearings until the settlement is worked out. “According to the STB filing, ‘it will take several months’ to resolve all remaining issues and put the agreement into effect. The terms of the settlement are confidential, the filing states.”
In October, a deadline for mediation in the STB case passed, prompting disappointment among advocates of renewing Amtrak service.
FULL STORY: Amtrak, freight railroads agree to restore intercity passenger service to Gulf Coast
A Passenger Rail Revolution?
An injection of federal funding could help make train travel a key component of the U.S. transportation network.
Federal Grants for Passenger Rail Top $8 Billion
The Federal Railroad Administration announced the grants to dozens of projects for expanding or building new rail corridors.
‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts
Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Houston Mayor Pauses Complete Streets Projects
The move raises concerns among road safety advocates who point out that traffic deaths continue to rise.
Twin Cities Trains Move to Fewer Cars, Higher Frequency
Headways will drop from 15 minutes to 12 minutes.
DC Bikeshare System Breaks Ridership Record
Capital Bikeshare users took over 20,000 rides on one day in March.
Barrett Planning Group LLC
City of Cleburne
KTUA Planning and Landscape Architecture
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
City of Laramie, Wyoming
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.
