Delays in finalizing plans for several road projects have forced the city to forfeit multiple federal grants.
After failing to complete a plan for a major road safety project, the Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization removed it from its five-year transportation plan, losing a chance at over $8 million in federal funding for safety improvement at the intersection of Boylston Street, Park Drive, and Brookline Avenue, reports Christian MilNeil for Streetsblog Mass. The council noted that the plan is "'not likely to advertise (for construction)' anytime soon."
According to MilNeil, "In addition to the Fenway project, the city has also lost a $20 million grant federal grant intended for three major streets in Roxbury in part because City Hall neglected to secure a formal grant agreement in the three years after the initial announcement." The funding will be shifted to other "shovel-ready" projects, including new accessible elevators at MBTA stations.
FULL STORY: Another Federal Funding Fumble: Boston Loses $8.15 Million for Safety Project At Deadly Fenway Intersection
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
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.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association