To cure the woes facing Pennsylvania's crumbling roads and bridges, Governor Rendell is putting the Pennsylvania Turnpike up for sale or rent.
The selling of the turnpike, the nations first, could fetch a price tag from anywhere between $2 billion to $30 billion. However, the Governor has made it clear that the lower figure would be unacceptable.
Mass transit agencies in the state have long complained of a lack of dedicated funding from the state. This, combined with a decaying road network, has lead to the formation of the Transportation Funding and Reform Commission. The commission concluded that the logical target for raising much needed cash was the turnpike.
How will state legislature react to any type of proposal? "Leasing the turnpike might be anathema to some politicians, yet it may prove more palatable than some of the commission's other proposals, such as a 12.5-cent-per-gallon hike in the gas tax."
FULL STORY: Pa. Turnpike for sale or rent

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