"Planetizen federal action tracker" logo superimposed over black and white image of US Capitol dome.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

October 28 - Zachary Whalen

A texas bus drives down a multi lane road
With no reauthorization bill in sight, Texas slashes $6.6 billion from transportation budget

An official said the program may receive additional funding when a federal reauthorization bill passes.

7 hours ago - Midland Reporter-Telegram

People walk off a train in chicago
Chicago’s new transit authority has ‘unprecedented’ land development power

The Northern Illinois Transit Authority is allowed to buy and develop land for reasons unrelated to transit, a power that is fairly unique among transit authorities.

October 28 - Chicago Sun Times

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A pencil rendering of Foundry Park, which shows skyscrapers and public green spaces.

Chicago breaks ground on $3 billion megadevelopment

The new neighborhood, titled Foundry Park, will one day host 3,700 residences.

October 23 - Chicago Sun Times

A yellow, two-story building named Ferns with two American flags.

This MA town is drowning in its own sewage — and residents like it that way

Susan Murcott, a waste water expert, said if Carlisle didn't address their leaking sewage, the problem could turn “deadly.”

October 22 - Boston Globe

Home Park with many houses and trees. The houses are white and the trees are green. The sky is cloudy and the houses are spread out.

Cheaper manufactured homes could be having a moment, if only states can catch up

A new law could make manufactured homes cheaper, but old zoning barriers could slow their expansion.

October 21 - Stateline

The  San Francisco Centre Mall in 2006. Several stories are visible, all filled with people.

SF weighs putting data center inside abandoned mall

An unnamed technology company may buy the entire building, and convert one-third of it into what development consultants are calling a “regenerative urban energy center.”

October 23 - The San Francisco Standard

A square Tesla home battery on the side of a home.

Home batteries are ushering in an energy revolution

Batteries capable of storing solar energy can stabilize the grid during peaks and keep homes running on cloudy days.

October 26 - Grist

Union Ave, showing the multi lane road with businesses on either side.

The road design trend that's killing Americans

“Stroads,” street-road hybrids that channel high-speed traffic through residential areas, are increasingly common and often deadly for pedestrians.

October 25 - The Wall Street Journal

A rendering of the Vermont BRT line, which shows two red bus lanes.

LA to bring bus rapid transit to its busiest corridor

The Vermont BRT line will feature 12.4 miles of dedicated bus lanes along the Vermont corridor.

October 25 - LA Urbanize

A woman descends into Spring Street station in NYC.

MTA kicks off six-year, $1 billion transit upgrade project

The authority is replacing the roughly 90-year-old train signals on the A and C line with modern technology.

October 25 - Gothamist

A suburban area of California.

Will sprawl save California?

California residents will vote on Proposition 45 in November, which would make it easier to build large housing developments on the outskirts of the state’s cities.

October 20 - New York Times

A rendering of the proposed facility. Trees are made slightly translucent so a large, rectangular cement building can be seen

Feds to more closely scrutinize proposed Amtrak facility’s environmental impact

The Federal Railroad Administration had initially said the facility qualified for a less extensive environmental review.

4 hours ago - Block Club Chicago

Amtrak officials cut the ribbon at the new Seattle facility.

Amtrak cuts ribbon on Seattle Airo maintenance facility

The $250 million, nearly 100,000-square-foot building can house an entire Cascades Airo trainset.

October 27 - Railway Supply

An Airo train passes over a mostly-dried river in between two large forests.

Airo trainsets begin service on Amtrak Cascades route

The trains feature panoramic windows, complementary wifi and over 300 seats per train set.

September 30 - Mass Transit

An Airo train driving towards the camera on a track. There is a forest behind it.

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.

September 22 - Washington State Standard

A gray building partially obscured by trees, behind a four way intersection.

A ‘shady’ deal: Chicagoans rally against planned Amtrak maintenance facility

The $900 million facility would allow Amtrak to maintain entire trains in one building, which the company says will reduce delays.

September 21 - Block Club Chicago

A rendering of the proposed facility. Trees are made slightly translucent so a large, rectangular cement building can be seen

Feds to more closely scrutinize proposed Amtrak facility’s environmental impact

The Federal Railroad Administration had initially said the facility qualified for a less extensive environmental review.

4 hours ago - Block Club Chicago

Amtrak officials cut the ribbon at the new Seattle facility.

Amtrak cuts ribbon on Seattle Airo maintenance facility

The $250 million, nearly 100,000-square-foot building can house an entire Cascades Airo trainset.

October 27 - Railway Supply

An Airo train passes over a mostly-dried river in between two large forests.

Airo trainsets begin service on Amtrak Cascades route

The trains feature panoramic windows, complementary wifi and over 300 seats per train set.

September 30 - Mass Transit

An Airo train driving towards the camera on a track. There is a forest behind it.

Northwest rail fans eager for Sept. 30 debut of Amtrak’s Airo fleet

Get ready for that new train smell and more seats. But they won’t go faster or run more frequently on the Cascades route in Washington and Oregon.

September 22 - Washington State Standard

A gray building partially obscured by trees, behind a four way intersection.

A ‘shady’ deal: Chicagoans rally against planned Amtrak maintenance facility

The $900 million facility would allow Amtrak to maintain entire trains in one building, which the company says will reduce delays.

September 21 - Block Club Chicago

Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

1.25 AICP CM

Instructor Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places—Economics, the Environment, Public Health, Equity, and Social Cohesiveness—in order to arm practitioners with the full range of arguments in favor of pro-walkability planning.

 

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