Transportation officials in Illinois struggle to find ways to deal with the siphoning off millions of state transportation funds.
A total of $367 million, earmarked for transportation for the state of Illinois, is being siphoned off in the next five years to help reduce the state multibillion-dollar deficit. "Uncertainty about the timely renewal of federal transportation funding in Congress also puts the state's road-repair timetable up for grabs." Transportation officials anticipate the loss of thousands of jobs, longer commutes, project downgrading and the backlog of smaller but critical road improvements. Officials representing the state road-building industry "predicted the five-year plan will start to unravel by 2005 unless new funding sources are tapped and a trust fund is created to protect spending designated for road improvements from being used to rescue the state budget."
Thanks to Connie Chung
FULL STORY: Roadwork detoured by budget fix

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
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

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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