In this 'anything-goes' Q & A between the NYT Magazine with Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, we learn about the derivation of his name, the car he drives, and more appropriate topics liks HSR, infrastructure, and George Will.
LaHood drives a 1998, 15-mpg Buick Regal, is of Lebanese descent, and regards himself as being part of the majority party despite being a registered Republican.
"NYT: President Obama has talked about his desire to wean Americans off automobiles.
RLH: What we've talked about is getting to a concept that we call livable communities, where people don't have to get in a car every day. You can use light rail, you can use buses, you can use walking paths, you can use your bike.
As for the most pressing transportation need, LaHood points to the need to repair America's "streets, roads and bridges". Rails may have been inadvertently overlooked.
Thanks to NYTimes.com's Politics newsletter
FULL STORY: Questions for Ray Lahood: The Roads Warrior

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.

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.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie