Awards for high speed rail projects will be announced Oct. 26. CA will receive $902 million for 18 projects from SF to San Diego, the largest in the Central Valley. Florida will get $800 million for the Orlando to Tampa line
The huge award for the Central Valley may cause that segment to begin construction first. The announcements were transmitted to congressional representatives in advance of the formal awards.
From Fresno Bee: "Rep. Jim Costa, D-Fresno, on Monday announced that the Federal Rail Administration had allocated $715 million specifically for building the first portion of the system in the Central Valley.
But California's High-Speed Rail Authority is still weeks from officially choosing which segment will be built first, and state officials appeared to be taken off-guard by Costa's announcement."
From Orlando Sentinel: "The official announcement is not expected until Thursday, (Oct. 28) but U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told Florida lawmakers that he was adding ($800 million) to the $1.25 billion already pledged by the Obama administration for construction of the 84-mile-long rail line, which would run largely along the median of Interstate 4."
Thanks to California League of Conservation Voters
Read the full story: Feds give California nearly $1 billion for high-speed rail and related train projects
Ray LaHood Responds To High-Speed Rail Critics
DOT Secretary Ray LaHood responds to a Washington Post editorial that condemned not only the California High Speed Rail project, but President Obama's vision for a national high-speed rail network.
Florida's Fast Train Connects to Slow Buses
The NYT examines problems with Florida's high speed rail line that received $1.25 billion in HSR stimulus funds. In addition to weak transit connections at both ends, the 84-mile route has five stops, increasing the total trip time.
Fresno Pins Economic Hopes on High-Speed Rail
The Central Valley town anticipates an economic boost when the long-awaited California High-Speed Rail begins operations.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Seattle passes record-breaking transit services expansion
Proposition 1 will double the city’s transit tax to add 95,000 more bus trips and preserve 180,000 bus trips annually.
Post election, Texas is no longer Musk’s 'AI oasis'
Elon Musk dolled out $446 million on the 2026 midterms, the most ever spent by a non-canidate.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
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
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority