The federal government has granted permission for construction of Maryland's Intercounty Connector (ICC) outside the nation's capitol.
The federal approval of the 18-mile, six-lane, $2.4 billion highway followed "extensive review of the project's environmental impact study and public comments" and "the project could be completed as early as 2010." According to the state transportation officials, a reforestation project is "part of the project's nearly $300 million environmental mitigation program." The route will cut through some neighborhoods but "avoid parklands". Project opponents could still go to court to challenge the process by which the ICC project was approved.
Thanks to Kui Zhao, AICP
FULL STORY: Intercounty Connector wins federal approval

Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.

EPA Terminates $116 Million in Grants for Reducing Emissions from Construction Materials
C-MORE grants were earmarked for industry trade groups and universities.

BART Closes $35 Million Deficit
Cost control and revenue generation measures prevented service cuts.

The New Parisian Hearse is a Bicycle
Sleek, silent, and sustainable, a green trip to the graveyard has hit the streets of the French capital.
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