New Starts

A rider waits on the platform of the Sox-35th station on the CTA Red Line in Chicago.

$2 Billion Federal Grant for Red Line Extension Project to Chicago’s South Side

A plan to extend the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Red Line 5.6 miles to the south won a $2 billion grant from the federal government.

September 12, 2023 - ABC 7 Chicago

LA Metro, Wilshire and Western

Federal Transit Grants Delayed by the Trump Administration

Congress has continued to fund transit projects despite the Trump Administration's stated desire to end federal funding for federal transit. Now it appears the Trump Administration is killing transit with bureaucracy.

July 22, 2018 - Streetsblog USA

Trump Administration

Draft of the Trump Infrastructure Planned Leaked

For those who have spent the last year or so waiting on the edge of their seats in speculation about the contents of President Trump's promised infrastructure plan, there is finally some indication of what the future holds.

January 22, 2018 - Axios

New York City's Highest Profile Transit Projects at Risk Despite Trump Assurances

Planning and construction for the new Amtrak Gateway tunnels unders the Hudson River and the next phase of the Second Avenue Subway could grind to a halt under President Trump's proposed budget that substantially cuts capital grants programs.

April 6, 2017 - The New York Times

Captal Metro

Trump's Draft Budget: Very Bad News for Transit Planners

Transit advocates should be concerned about the cuts proposed by the Trump Administration's early budget draft.

March 16, 2017 - Streetsblog USA

Plans Advance for Orange County Streetcar

The $289 million streetcar would serve the cities of Santa Ana (population 329,00), county seat and second densest in California after San Francisco, and Garden Grove (population 170,000) on a 4.1-mile route. Service could begin 2020.

April 2, 2016 - Orange County Breeze

BART to the Silicon Valley: Phase 1 Well Underway, Phase 2 Now on the Way

What seemed for decades like an impossible dream is becoming more and more of a reality: BART service to San Jose and the Silicon Valley.

March 15, 2016 - Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

Rail Extensions Receive Sizable FTA Grants in Omnibus Spending Bill

Sound Transit, L.A. Metro, and Santa Clara VTA received sizable funding in FTA's New Starts/Small Starts program for their light and heavy rail extensions, thanks to Congressional representatives who included them in the omnibus bill,.

December 28, 2015 - RT&S (Railway Track & Structures)

SunRail Phase II Receives $93.4 Million FTA Grant

Florida's SunRail commuter rail received a $93.4 grant from the Federal Transit Administration to extend the 61-mile line. The grant will cover half the capital costs for the 17.2-mile extension from Orlando to Osceola County.

October 11, 2015 - Federal Transit Administration

Small Starts Funding Cut Jeopardizes Critical SMART Train Extension

After a Senate committee slashed the Small Starts grant program, the new Marin-Sonoma "SMART" train may not be extended from San Rafael to the Larkspur ferry landing, a critical link enabling rail commuters to take the ferry to San Francisco.

August 14, 2015 - Marin Independent Journal

Uncertainty Ahead for Department of Transportation Funding

While projects funded from the Highway Trust Fund are safe through May, discretionary programs run by DOT from annual appropriations must wait for Congress to approve a budget, which just got more complicated due to Obama's anti-ISIS funding request.

September 14, 2014 - Transportation For America blog

Local Governments Onboard with Minneapolis' Southwest Light Rail

With a vote last week by the Minneapolis City Council, the final local consent was granted the proposed Southwest light rail project. Despite that benchmark political action, the project will not be without challenges moving forward.

September 5, 2014 - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Metro Subway Los Angeles

$2.1 Billion in Federal Transit Funding for the 'Subway to the Sea' in Los Angeles

Los Angeles will receive its largest-ever federal grant, $1.25 billion, to help fund the Purple Line subway, aka the "Subway to the Sea." Also on its way is an $856 million loan from the TIFIA program.

May 22, 2014 - Los Angeles Daily News

Chicago Seeks to Take Advantage of New Transit-Boosting Grants

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) has become the country's first transit agency to receive Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approval to apply for its new “core capacity” grants. The funds would be used to upgrade Red and Purple Line service.

November 20, 2013 - Next City

trax light rail train in foreground, snow-covered mountains in background

Utah Rail System Finishes Ahead of Schedule and $300 Million Under Budget

DOT Secretary Anthony Foxx and U.S. Senator Orin Hatch (R-Utah) attended the grand opening of the fifth and final rail line of Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) Frontlines 2015 Program, two years ahead of schedule and $300 million under budget.

August 21, 2013 - Deseret News

Feds Expand Criteria for Funding Transit Projects

Angie Schmitt delivers news that will bring some post-holiday cheer to transit and smart growth advocates. The Federal Transit Administration has revised the criteria by which it judges projects vying for funds from two popular programs.

January 9, 2013 - DC.Streetsblog

Federal Government to Consider Social Equity in Funding Decisions

In new rules published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, the Department of Transportation is amending Bush era policies on awarding grants for Light Rail, Subway, and Bus Rapid Transit projects.

January 27, 2012 - Bloomberg

Cash for Transit Independence

The DOT awarded a billion and a half in grants to transit projects on the Fourth of July. Eric Jaffe has the lowdown on projects from Connecticut to Colorado.

July 5, 2011 - The Infrastructurist

FTA's Transit Recommendations Favor Financial Plans

Transport Politic takes a detailed look at the transportation projects suggested by the Federal Transit Administration's recently released Annual Report on Funding Recommendations.

February 3, 2010 - Transport Politic

Reacting to LaHood and 'Livability'

The National Journal Online talks to three transportation experts about the recent statements by DOT Secretary LaHood that the agency would begin using livability-based funding guidelines for major transit projects. Will it work?

January 19, 2010 - National Journal Online

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.