The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) will replace half its rail cars by the year 2020.
"The Chicago Transit Authority Board voted Wednesday to approve a $1.3 billion contract for 846 rail cars," reports Mary Wisniewski. That total represents "about half" of the CTA's rail fleet, according to Wisniewski.
"The winning bidder to build the 7000 Series cars is CSR Sifang America. The last series of rail cars, known as the 5000 Series, were designed in the last decade and built by Bombardier Transportation," adds Wisniewski. The contract will also bring jobs and investment to a facility located on the Southeast side of the city. prototype cars are expected to debut in 2019, and the new cars are expected for implementation into the system by 2020.
FULL STORY: CTA board approves contract to replace half of rail cars

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
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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.

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
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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.
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