Duluth, MN is testing whether commuter rail might be a viable alternative to driving in a medium-sized, relatively uncongested metro area.
Commuter rail, used in many locations throughout the country as an attempt to alleviate traffic congestion, is undergoing a trial run in Duluth, MN. Duluth is a relatively uncongested metropolitan area for much of the year, but retains significant amounts of rail infrastructure that enable it to perform this trial run. "While the idea might be great, it's not yet clear if the time has come for commuter rail service in Duluth, where traffic jams are minimal and downtown parking still relatively inexpensive."The use of rail as a transportation alternative in medium-sized metropolitan areas is often a novel choice, but can be difficult to make cost-effective given the low cost of driving and parking.
Thanks to Adam Fulton
FULL STORY: Commuters enjoy train's test, but few people ride first trips

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.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie