Legally powerless to stop TxDOT’s plans for freeway expansion, Austin city leaders hope to influence the agency to take some mitigation measures as it widens I-35.

The battle between local officials and the Texas Department of Transportation continues in Austin, where the city council voted 10 to 1 in support of a list of demands that calls for more crossings over Interstate 35, minimal displacement of homes and businesses in the project area, and other mitigation measures as part of TxDOT’s plan to expand the roadway through the capital.
As Nathan Bernier reports for KUT 90.5, “Some people who spoke during public comment Thursday told council members their demands didn't go far enough to reduce the harms caused by growing the highway's footprint by 42 acres.” The only opponent to the demands in local government is Austin’s mayor, Kirk Watson, who says the city can’t afford the items on the list and that the request to divert truck traffic would result in millions in lost toll revenue.
Although the city council is taking its demands to TxDOT through its public feedback process, city officials remain painfully aware of “an irritating political reality for opponents of the highway widening: Local government has limited power to slam the brakes.” Austin city officials and community groups have protested the expansion for years, but TxDOT has pushed ahead with its plans.
FULL STORY: Austin City Council demands changes to I-35 plan

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software
Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.

Oakland to Add 244 New EV Chargers
Oakland plans to launch its new charging network at eight locations by the end of 2025.

Jane Goodall Inspires with Message of Hope, Resilience, and Environmental Action
Speaking in Pasadena, Jane Goodall offered a hopeful and inspirational message, urging global compassion, environmental responsibility, and the power of individual action to shape a better future.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland