A columnist profiles how smart growth can go horribly wrong.
"If you've spent any time around urban-planning wonks who trade regional economic statistics like Dilbert jokes around the water cooler, then you've probably heard of the term "smart growth." The modifier attempts to distinguish the term from the mindless urban growth of previous eras that allowed single-family homes and office parks to sprawl in the suburbs, while cities, with their infrastructure of housing, public transport and commercial centers, languished with declining or stagnant populations, depleted tax revenues and traffic congestion... But as anyone with two firing neurons can see, the development happening in her neighborhood is deplorable on many levels, and it offers a vivid picture of how stupid supposedly smart growth can be."
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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.
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