Virginia’s commitment to intercity rail is paying off in record ridership numbers, but more work will be necessary to achieve the state’s ambitions for passenger rail.

More people are riding trains to get around Virginia than ever before, according to state rail officials.
The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA) announced that 1,256,123 riders used Virginia passenger rail service during the state’s fiscal year 2023, easily surpassing the previous record of 894,065 set in 2015.
The month of June also set a record for monthly travel, according to the VPRA, with 111,212 passengers. The previous record was set in June 2022, with 85,533 passengers, according to an article published by the Williamsburg Yorktown Daily in July.
“All four Amtrak Virginia corridors saw increases year-over-year from June 2022 to June 2023, it added, with overall ridership up 30% over last June,” adds the article. “The Newport News service saw the greatest increase — 57.4% — from June 2022 to June 2023.”
VPR’s Transforming Rail initiative is racking up a track record of success while making investments in intercity rail. As reported in an article by Luz Lazo for the Washington Post, VPRA is currently seeking federal funding for the Long Bridge project.
“Virginia Passenger Rail Authority officials said Tuesday that the first of two major contracts is expected to be issued this year, keeping the project’s timeline on track for the span to open in 2030,” reports Lazo.
“The rail authority is seeking $829 million in federal grants through two programs to help pay for construction of the bridge and other projects in Virginia’s $7.2 billion rail program,” adds Lazo. “The new span and other upgrades just south of Washington aim to alleviate a growing East Coast bottleneck of passenger and freight trains at the Potomac.”
FULL STORY: Amtrak’s Virginia Ridership Hit All-Time High in Fiscal 2023

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.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
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