This article takes a look at the past and future of rail in America, with an emphasis on one surprise success story.
"'A lot of New Mexicans said this is going to be Richardson's folly... we like to drive our pick-ups, we like to drive fast, we like to drive along with our rifles in the rack at the back of the car, and what's happened is everyone's realised that the Rail Runner has been a blessing because it gets people to where they're going quicker,' he [New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson] says.
'And you know, that lone spirit, that individualist spirit, you can still exercise it on a train.'
Rail Runner is still bedding down - there are more stations due to open in the future for example - but the commuters we spoke to as we travelled between Albuquerque and Santa Fe were all keen supporters of the project."
Read the full story: Full steam ahead for US railways
MBTA extends commuter rail discounts and lowers express bus fare to keep passengers riding into the fall
Boston-area commuters can access half-price monthly passes through November.
Why are America's trains so slow?
A brief historical inquiry.
Who owns US railroad tracks?
Nearly three-quarters of Amtrak's trains operate on tracks owned by private companies. What does this mean for U.S. passenger rail?
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity
Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.
Study reveals best places in the U.S. for cycling, walking
New research from Streetlight Data examines bicycle and pedestrian miles per capita in the 100 largest U.S. cities by population.
DSA members accuse Mamdani of 'abandoning values' over housing redevelopment
New York City's mayor plans to replace about 2,000 units of public housing with private, mixed-income housing.
All sides of BRT debate unhappy with CDOT’s most recent move
The Colorado Department of Transportation is no longer considering center-running bus lanes for Colorado Boulevard.
Massachusetts bogs generate both power, and cranberries
Putting solar panels above farmland is one way Massachusetts is advancing toward its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS)
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
City of Cambridge
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello