Repairing the nation's infrastructure is a good move on to-be President Obama's part, as it also creates jobs "that lead to the creation of still more jobs."
"The advantage of infrastructure spending for a liberal-leaning president is that it doesn't carry the whiff of welfare. It appears hard-headed, practical and anything but effete. Cutting a stimulus check? 'Girly-man' stuff, Schwarzenegger would say. Rebuilding a bridge? That's macho stimulus."
"Sure, any such package will raise howls from a new flock of deficit hawks, taking flight on creaky wings after eight years of being grounded under George W. Bush. But with a deep recession looming, the pressure on Obama to balance the budget will be minimal. His charge is to create jobs that lead to the creation of still more jobs.
The historical timing is right for massive investments. All over the country, bridges that were built as part of the Interstate Highway System are nearing the end of their useful lives. Traffic congestion in major metropolitan areas is sparking new interest in mass transit. The philosophical aversion to investments in high-speed intercity rail that has marked the past eight years is about to be loaded up on a moving truck and sent to that new presidential library in Texas."
FULL STORY: Momentum might be building to build up the U.S. infrastructure
Power Plants: A Win for the EPA
New rules from the US Environmental Protection Agency to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants survived an attempt by 25 Republican-led states to block their implementation while their case is litigated.
A Win for ‘Keep it in the Ground’
Coal mining in Wyoming will take a major hit as a result of a U.S. Department of Interior plan to cease future leasing of coal mines in the nation's most productive coal mining basin. The decision casts a spotlight on the presidential election.
Supreme Court Guts the U.S. EPA’s Ability to Limit Carbon Emissions
The consequences of this ruling have long been foretold. With the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency now officially barred from the fight against climate change, Congress will have to act to reduce carbon emissions.
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.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
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.
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