Houston new light rail begins operations with regular service and fares. The article also has a nice Flash tour that explains aspects of the light rail system.
"The Metropolitan Transit Authority says it will take 35 minutes to travel the 7 1/2-mile route, an average speed (including stops at stations) of 13 mph -- barely faster than the average speed of a local bus along the same corridor... Metro is also counting on developers to build thousands of new apartments, condos and townhouses along vacant land adjacent to the tracks, providing an instant supply of riders within walking distance of stations."
Thanks to Congress on New Urbanism
FULL STORY: With free fares over, real test of Metro rail begins

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

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

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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