For those of you who thought the recent shuttering of Sydney's monorail symbolized the general decline of the once-futuristic transit mode–think again! Sao Paulo is set to open a new 17-mile line, the first segment of a monorail-based transit system.

In an article that appeared in Slate a few years ago, Tom Vanderbilt observed that the monorail was becoming "a historical footnote"–ironically at the same time that Streetcars, which had once been tossed into the dust bin of transit history, were enjoying a rebirth. Though the streetcar revival has only picked up speed since Vanderbilt made his observation, the construction of new monorail systems in Sao Paulo, Mumbai, Riyadh and Chongqing seem to indicate that rumors of the transit mode's demise have been greatly exaggerated.
Kaith Barry reports on the imminent opening of the 17-mile Silver Line in Sao Paulo, just in time for this year's World Cup. "Unlike monorail systems that more tourist attraction than useful transit, the automated Silver Line is designed to move 48,000 passengers each hour each way between two major suburbs when it opens in March," he explains. "The monorail was a good solution for a city that had to solve transportation issues in a hurry: Digging more underground tunnels would have been too expensive, and streets were already too clogged for enhanced bus service."
FULL STORY: The Monorail Gets a Second Life in São Paulo

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie