Late last week, Virginia state transportation officials shut down contract and permit work on the U.S. 460 expansion project. The project has already spent $300 million of a budgeted $1.4 billion—without even breaking ground.
Jim Nolan and Michael Martz report on the unraveling saga of U.S. 460, a “$1.4 billion project, awarded in late 2012 to US 460 Mobility Partners in a public-private partnership deal pushed by the administration of then-Gov. Bob McDonnell.”
The project is intended to design and build a tolled, 55-mile highway parallel to the existing U.S. 460 between Suffolk and Petersburg in Virginia.
“Officials said Friday that the project can’t continue until it receives environmental approvals from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It has said the plan would require mitigation of 500 acres of protected wetlands and suggested the state pursue alternatives in the corridor that have less impact.”
The Virginia Department of Transportation has spent about $30 million on the project, but the rest of the $300 million has gone to US 460 Mobility, which was charging $20 million a month as a “mobilization fee.”
FULL STORY: State suspends $1.4 billion U.S. 460 project
Congestion Pricing Drops Holland Tunnel Delays by 65 Percent
New York City’s contentious tolling program has yielded improved traffic and roughly $100 million in revenue for the MTA.
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.
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.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Defunct Pittsburgh Power Plant to Become Residential Tower
A decommissioned steam heat plant will be redeveloped into almost 100 affordable housing units.
Trump Prompts Restructuring of Transportation Research Board in “Unprecedented Overreach”
The TRB has eliminated more than half of its committees including those focused on climate, equity, and cities.
Amtrak Rolls Out New Orleans to Alabama “Mardi Gras” Train
The new service will operate morning and evening departures between Mobile and New Orleans.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
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