Many Chinese residents facing displacement are protesting the planned expansion of a high-speed magnetic levitation train in Shanghai. Others who won't be displaced are also opposed, fearing increased noise pollution and accidents.
"In China, local residents are rarely consulted when it comes to big construction projects. While Beijing's 'urban makeover' for the 2008 Olympics has already led to the demolition of thousands of homes, Shanghai is now plannig to evict thousands of families in order to make way for the extension of the Transrapid magnetic levitation (maglev) track. This time, however, the affected residents are not going quietly."
"While some of them are worried about finding somewhere to live in time and how they will be compensated, those who are not being moved are concerned about noise, magnetic waves and possible accidents. The trains for the line are built by Transrapid International, a consortium of the German companies Siemens and ThyseenKrupp. The high-speed trains zip along at 430 kilometers an hour along elevated tracks."
"The current maglev line is 30 kilometers long and links the Pudong financial district with Shanghai's international airport. The new 37-kilometer extension is scheduled to be completed by 2009 and will connect to the domestic Hongqiao airport and pass the World Expo 2010 grounds."
Read the full story: Shanghai Residents Protest Transrapid Extension
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
Study reveals best places in the U.S. for cycling, walking
New research from Streetlight Data examines bicycle and pedestrian miles per capita in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population.
DSA members accuse Mamdani of 'abandoning values' over housing redevelopment
New York City's mayor plans to replace about 2,000 units of public housing with private, mixed-income housing.
All sides of BRT debate unhappy with CDOT’s most recent move
The Colorado Department of Transportation is no longer considering center-running bus lanes for Colorado Boulevard.
Massachusetts bogs generate both power, and cranberries
Putting solar panels above farmland is one way Massachusetts is advancing toward its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello