A innovative approach to I-20/59 could thrust downtown Birmingham past other revitalizing cities, but the state has been reluctant to think outside the box.
"As the city of Birmingham remembers the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement, the state of Alabama is in the midst of reenacting the 1960s with two antiquated engineering projects," writes Wesley Vaughan. "Successful communities preserve rural areas and maximize urban areas. Yet, the Alabama Department of Transportation is intent on ruining both."
"The $4.7 billion Northern Beltline project will create more resource-inefficient sprawl, and the $340 million I-20/59 bridge replacement project would further the damage done by a downtown-dividing interstate."
"Both projects will diminish the city of Birmingham's standing in the region, but the I-20/59 project will directly affect its urban makeup."
FULL STORY: The downtown I-20/59 project deserves state interest
Highway Widening Plan Meets Resistance in Birmingham
A petition and a lawsuit are so far the tactics used by local advocates to oppose a plan by the Alabama Department of Transportation to widen an interstate that runs through the heart of Birmingham.
California Environmental Leaders Call on State Agencies to Prioritize Multimodal Transportation
Even before President Trump took office, California was not meeting its emissions reduction goals.
Report: Some Rural States Ahead of More Urbanized Ones in Reducing Transportation Emissions
This is a largely unintended consequence of states with lower populations and resources focusing on repairing existing roads and infrastructure rather than expanding and building new roads.
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Texas Bills Could Push More People Into Homelessness
A proposal to speed up the eviction process and a bill that would accelerate enforcement of an existing camping ban could make the state’s homelessness crisis worse, advocates say.
USGS Water Science Centers Targeted for Closure
If their work is suspended, states could lose a valuable resource for monitoring, understanding, and managing water resources.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
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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.
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