Atlanta's $72 million streetcar plan is taking shape, with lines expected to open in 2013. But not everyone in the city thinks the project is worth the cost.
Opponents argue the system will do little to combat the city's congestion and long commute times, but boosters argue the system will play a big role in economic development for the city.
"Once completed in 2013, the 2.6-mile rail line will cater to tourists, connecting downtown's Centennial Olympic Park - home to a Coca-Cola museum and the Georgia Aquarium - to the popular, but less-centrally located Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site.
Critics, however, note that the rail loop will do little to alleviate traffic in a metro area burdened with the nation's third-worst commute, according to a February analysis by Forbes magazine."
Read the full story: Streetcars coming back to Atlanta
MARTA Streetcar Returns February 3
Streetcar service in Atlanta was suspended for five months for repairs and upgrades.
Atlanta’s Transit Past, Present, and Future
The city once had an extensive streetcar system. Can it revive public transit once again?
Atlanta Streetcar Expansion Still Moving Forward
MARTA has drastically reduced its plans to construct new rail transit, but one project still has political support from the top at City Hall.
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.
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
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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