Mayors in Arizona are voicing concerns over the state's growth and are calling for rapid development of commuter rail in the Tempe region to help handle the rising population's strain on transportation infrastructure.
"Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman is at the head of a line of leaders pushing for commuter rail service."
"'There is a groundswell of interest in commuter rail," Hallman said. Last fall, Hallman asked his staff to begin looking at transportation options, including commuter rail. The idea was to ease bottlenecks along the 'Broadway Curve' on Interstate 10 and other traffic jams along U.S. 60 and Tempe arterial streets."
"Hallman and other city mayors also are pushing for construction of the proposed South Mountain Freeway through Ahwatukee that would allow motorists and trucks to bypass I-10 and complete Loop 202 around the Valley."
"But even with the South Mountain Freeway, transportation planners say the state can't keep up with rapid growth coming from the city of Maricopa and other parts of Pinal County."
"'The most logical thing to look at immediately are commuter rail options,' Hallman said."
FULL STORY: Tempe pushes for rail commuter lines
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Austin's First Single Stair Apartment Building is Officially Underway
Eliminating the requirement for two staircases in multi-story residential buildings lets developers use smaller lots and more flexible designs to create denser housing.
Atlanta Bus System Redesign Will Nearly Triple Access
MARTA's Next Gen Bus Network will retool over 100 bus routes, expand frequent service.
Toronto Condo Sales Drop 75%
In two of Canada’s most expensive cities, more condos were built than ever — and sales are plummeting.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)