Private investors and developers must come forward and plan around proposed rail lines in Detroit if there is any hope of transit materializing, according to this editorial.
"Anonymously and behind the scenes, they have worked for more than a year on a plan separate from one the city unveiled this week. The sooner their efforts become public, the better. The city and the entire region need transparency to figure out how this proposal -- using private money to build light rail from Hart Plaza to Grand Boulevard -- can mesh with a larger plan being worked out by the Regional Transit Coordinating Council and its CEO, John Hertel."
"Unless these developers show their hand, they will be perceived, unfairly, as trying to compete with or even undermine Detroit's plan."
"However, no one should believe the city's plan is a done deal. To raise hopes again on transit, and then dash them, would be lethal for southeast Michigan, which desperately needs a success after decades of high-profile flops."
FULL STORY: All aboveboard on light-rail plans!

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie