This week it was announced that a private company will pick up the passenger rail ball dropped last year by Gov. Rick Scott by financing a $1 billion project to connect downtown Miami to Orlando by 2014.
When Governor Rick Scott turned down $2.4 billion in federal funds intended for a high-speed rail project last year, the prospects for improved passenger service for South Florida looked grim. Florida East Coast Industries (FECI) has stepped into the breach by announcing plans for All Aboard Florida, "a privately financed, $1 billion plan that will launch fast, hourly
passenger rail service between downtown Miami and Orlando by 2014," writes Andres Viglucci.
Although high-speed service is not part of FECI's plan, with intermediate stops in downtown Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, the trains "will cover the 230 miles from Miami to Orlando in three hours and three minutes, significantly faster than it takes to drive," notes Viglucci.
Included in FECI's proposed project are plans to transform "the site of the original train station built by Henry Flagler that gave rise to the city of Miami." According to Viglucci, "FECI, the real estate arm of the conglomerate that also owns the Florida
East Coast freight-rail company, will build a new, landmark station and
a potentially massive mixed-use development on nine acres of fallow
land it owns just north of the Miami-Dade County Courthouse."
FULL STORY: Passenger trains to run from Miami to Orlando

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Portland Raises Parking Fees to Pay for Street Maintenance
The city is struggling to bridge a massive budget gap at the Bureau of Transportation, which largely depleted its reserves during the Civd-19 pandemic.

Spokane Mayor Introduces Housing Reforms Package
Mayor Lisa Brown’s proposals include deferring or waiving some development fees to encourage more affordable housing development.

Houston Mayor Kills Another Bike Lane
The mayor rejected a proposed bike lane in the Montrose district in keeping with his pledge to maintain car lanes.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont