The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
A Florida Congressman wants to rename Washington, D.C.’s public transit agency and Metrorail train, calling for changing Metrorail to “the Trump train” and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) to the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA) in a nod to President Trump’s campaign slogan.
In a bill brought before the U.S. House of Representatives last week, Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) calls for revoking federal funding to the agency if it refuses to go through with the name change. According to Steube, the bill “represents more than a name change; it is a mandate for performance and transformation.” The move follows efforts by USDOT to rescind funding to other major urban transit agencies including WMATA citing concerns about transit security and equity initiatives.
Read the full story: Florida Lawmaker Wants to Rename DC Metrorail "The Trump Train"
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
40 years after approval, Chicago breaks ground on new park
The park honors Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, the city’s first permanent non-native settler.
‘Hoodwinked:’ New Mexico bill aimed at microgrids paves way for data center development
In an interview with High Country News, Padilla said the legislation “ignited” New Mexico's economy.
California’s ‘unrecognizable’ water plan may go down the drain
After four years of regulatory processes, water agencies say the plan to overhaul how cities and farms take water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta has changed dramatically.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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