After another big announcement from the realm of futuristic transportation, there's reason to remain skeptical.
Alissa Walker reports the news that Hyperloop One recently released a plan for 11 Hyperloop routes connecting 35 major cities earlier this month.
Vision for America, as the plan is called, "would connect 83 million Americans, including routes linking Los Angeles to San Diego, Dallas to Austin, Texas, and a mega-route serving cities from Cheyenne to Houston," according to Walker. "The routes are the U.S. finalists for a Hyperloop One competition, where teams submitted proposals for the most promising Hyperloop corridors around the world, based on estimated ridership and economic potential."
Hyperloop One’s senior business analyst Rehi Alaganar writes a post to explain the plan, comparing the vision for the Hyperloop to the Interstate Highway System.
Angie Schmitt also wrote on the subject of the Hyperloop this week, noting that the ides has yet to deliver a functional, real-world example of the technology. "Anyone who believes it’s a viable endeavor is basically taking it on faith," writes Schmitt. Yet, Schmitt notes, "a surprising number of government agencies are treating the Hyperloop as a serious proposition." Schmitt's article lists some of the agencies that seem to be buying into the Hyperloop hype before responding directly to some of the talking point that companies like Hyperloop One are relying on to market the idea. Schmitt's final assessment: "America has the means to reduce traffic and connect people to where they want to go in less time — but solving these problems entails politically difficult choices to shift travel away from cars and highways. Any high-tech solution that promises a shortcut around these thorny problems is probably too good to be true."
FULL STORY: Hyperloop One reveals plan to connect 35 U.S. cities
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.