Officials would like to speed up the arrival of the Cotton Belt—a planned rail line connecting Dallas to Plano—but that might require sacrificing service.

"A key part of fast-tracking rail service on the Cotton Belt line from DFW International to Plano hinges on lowering construction costs," according to an article by Brandon Formby. "To do that, Dallas Area Rapid Transit is considering single-tracking most of the route instead of double-tracking the entire path."
The project is currently expected to be complete by 2035. Single-tracking the line could speed up project completion to 2025.
Meanwhile, Cotton Belt planners are presented with the following dilemma: "Having two sets of tracks the entire way would allow trains to move in both directions without interfering with each other. But that's more expensive. Having one set is cheaper, but also comes with some operational inflexibility."
FULL STORY: Getting Cotton Belt rail service a decade early could come with some limitations

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Walmart Announces Nationwide EV Charging Network
The company plans to install electric car chargers at most of its stores by 2030.

New State Study Suggests Homelessness Far Undercounted in New Mexico
An analysis of hospital visit records provided a more accurate count than the annual point-in-time count used by most agencies.

Michigan Bills Would Stiffen Penalties for Deadly Crashes
Proposed state legislation would close a ‘legal gap’ that lets drivers who kill get away with few repercussions.

Report: Bus Ridership Back to 86 Percent of Pre-Covid Levels
Transit ridership around the country was up by 85 percent in all modes in 2024.
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.
City of Moorpark
City of Tustin
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions