Not only is the Utah Transit Authority debuting two new light rail lines at the same time, they were brought in 20% under budget.
Lee Davison of the Salt Lake Tribune reports that the light rail projects were "...sped up by residents approving a quarter-cent sales tax increase, arrival of federal stimulus money and even local developers adding money."
Steve Hymon of The Source writes that the two lines, one 10.6 miles long and the other 5.1 miles, were delivered at a total cost of $57.6 million per mile, which is better than average.
Salt Lake City is spending quite a bit on transportation right now, using money earned from a 1/2 cent sales tax.
FULL STORY: Two new light rail lines debut in Salt Lake City this week

Good Planning Under Bad Leadership
Planners must sometimes work under bad leadership. Here are suggestions for responsive planning in challenging political environments.

Legendary Parking Guru Donald Shoup Dies at 86
Urbanists are mourning the loss of a dynamic voice for parking reform and walkable cities.

Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record
The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.

Over 71K Office-to-Apartment Units in the Pipeline for 2025
Adaptive reuse projects are continuing to bring thousands of new housing units onto the market as demand for office space remains low.

How Houston Can Be a Model for Housing Reform
The city builds more new housing than almost any other and has dramatically reduced homelessness, yet low-income families struggle to find affordable housing.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
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.
City of Brookings
City of White Salmon
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service