The state leases space under freeways to boost revenue, but their contracts are loosely enforced.

In an Associated Press article, Julie Watson and Amy Taxin describe the scrutiny facing a California program that leases property under freeways to various private entities.
The concern comes after a massive fire under a portion of Interstate 10 near downtown Los Angeles damaged the freeway, causing it to close for at least a week, destroying the property of street vendors stored in the same area, and displaced unhoused people taking refuge in the underpass.
Governor Newsom’s office said the state will reevaluate its leasing system, which brings in revenue for transportation projects but is loosely monitored. The contract with Apex Development Inc, which leases the land under I-10, explicitly barred the storage of flammable materials, but the company did not enforce that provision with its sublessees. Now, state officials are calling for a directory of leased sites and their contract terms.
FULL STORY: California program to lease land under freeways faces scrutiny after major Los Angeles fire

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
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Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
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Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
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MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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