Maryland legislators are considering a rating system for transportation projects recently approved in Virginia. The bill would also check the power of the state's governor in killing project proposals.
Pete Tomao reports on a legislative effort to push back on the anti-transit actions of Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, who drove the nail into the coffin of plans for the Baltimore Red Line in 2015.
"Last Tuesday, Maryland lawmakers unveiled a slew of bills aimed at bringing balance back to the transportation budget," explains Tomao. For instance, the Open Transportation Decision Investment Act (SB908/HB1013) would change the way Maryland funds transportation projects, by establishing a scoring system for transportation projects. "If a Governor decided to fund a project that ranked low over one that ranked high, he or she would have to provide an official explanation," according to Tomao.
The article notes the checkered past of Governor Hogan with regard to transportation funding projects. Since killing the Red Line project, Gov. Hogan has proposed an overhaul of Baltimore's bus system as well as a package of highway widening projects. A coalition of civil rights groups has also filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation that the decision to cancel the Red Line project violated the Civil Rights Act.
A spokesperson for Larry Hogan described the Open Transportation Decision Investment Act as a power grab, according to Tomao. The state of Virginia, however, passed similar legislation earlier this year.
FULL STORY: Larry Hogan couldn't have canceled the Red Line so easily if a new bill had been law

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.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
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