Jim Oberstar was elected 18 times to Congress, serving Minnesota's 8th Congressional District from 1975 to 2011. He died suddenly in his sleep on Saturday, May 3, 2014.
Jim Oberstar, the longtime representative of Minnesota's 8th Congressional District, died suddenly in his sleep on Saturday, May 3, 2014.
Julie Kosbab provides an obituary, with personal touches and attention to Oberstar's accomplishments as a Minnesota Congressman and as chair of the House Transportation Committee. "This was not a man talking the talk," writes Kosbab. "Oberstar was a passionate advocate of a carbohydrate-based transportation system. He’d taken up bicycling as a response to grief after the death of his first wife, and converted members of his staff to bike commuters. He co-authored, sponsored and helped pass the milestone SAFETEA-LU legislation in 2005. SAFETEA-LU provided not only for bridges and roads, but for public transportation support and alternative transportation. It was the launchpad for Safe Routes to Schools, a program intended to support and encourage kids to again walk and ride to school. It was also the source of $25 million in federally funded improvements for the city of Minneapolis to encourage bicycling as a significant mode share, under a program known as the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program."
In a separate article, Baird Helgeson and Kelly Smith detail the accomplishments of Oberstar's life, including his actions after the Interstate 35W bridge collapse in Minneapolis in 2007, when he "ensured rapid passage of $250 million in federal money to build a replacement."
FULL STORY: In Memoriam: Jim Oberstar (1934-2014)

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