With three different public transit funding plans up for consideration, officials in Tampa, Florida, are trying to decide which is the best and when is the best time to start the work on the city's long-sought transit system.
"The county's transportation task force will issue a major report on mass transit early next year, including funding strategies. After that, it will come down to working out the plan's details and launching an education campaign."
"Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio wants to wait until the regional authority, backed by the state Department of Transportation, can develop a master transportation plan by July 2009."
"After that, it will take a year to educate the public. She wants to model the effort after successful referendums in Dallas, Denver and Charlotte, N.C."
"'The advantage of being the last major metropolitan area without a transit system is that we can look around and learn from others,' she said. 'In every referendum that succeeded, there was a thorough, detailed plan. In every jurisdiction where it failed, there wasn't a detailed plan. Voters aren't stupid. They want answers to specific questions.'"
FULL STORY: Mass Transit Debate Hinges On Funding And Timing

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?
Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands
For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

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.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling
An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)