For the first time in decades, multiple rail projects are moving forward that could have a transformative impact on train travel in the United States.

Passenger rail is — finally — making headway in the United States, writes Daniel C. Vock in Route Fifty, with multiple major projects around the country reaching key milestones in recent weeks, thanks in part to a major boost from the 2021 infrastructure law.
“But money is only one obstacle to building a cross-country network of passenger rail services that people can rely on in addition to driving or flying from one city to another. Freight railroads own almost all of the track in the country, and Amtrak or other passenger carriers have to coordinate with them to add more service,” Vock points out. For that reason, many of the most successful rail projects happening currently use dedicated rail lines that don’t conflict with freight operations.
Vock highlights some important successes, such as a $2 billion federal investment in Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor, new funding for Colorado’s proposed Front Range line, and plans for renewed service along the Gulf Coast, where damage from Hurricane Katrina ended rail service almost two decades ago. Other positive developments include a study that could lead to the return of passenger rail to southern Montana and increased service between St. Paul and Chicago.
FULL STORY: Passenger rail keeps chugging forward during Infrastructure Week

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

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

LA Falling Behind on Housing Goals
Last year, the city permitted just 30 percent of the number of housing units needed to meet a growing need.

Connecting Communities to Nature Close to Home
Los Angeles County’s Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly wellness and nature activities to local parks, making it easier for residents to enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

Palmdale’s Beloved Water Park Gets $2 Million Upgrade
To mark its 20th anniversary, DryTown Water Park has undergone major renovations, ensuring that families across the Antelope Valley continue to enjoy safe, affordable, and much-needed water-based recreation in the high desert.
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