A vote by the Mobile city council secured three key agreements that will pave the way for bringing passenger rail service back to coastal regions east of New Orleans.
A unanimous vote from the Mobile, Alabama City Council paves the way for renewed passenger rail service east of New Orleans for the first time since Hurricane Katrina damaged rail infrastructure on the Gulf Coast.
As John Sharp explains in AL.com, the vote “authorized three crucial agreements needed to bring Amtrak service between New Orleans and Mobile. The service, when it begins, will offer twice daily trips between the two cities with four coastal Mississippi stops - Pascagoula, Biloxi, Gulfport and Bay St. Louis.”
The vote, which approved a funding agreement and a lease of city-owned land to Amtrak, helps unlock federal funding for replacing track and building new platforms. The approvals were in question earlier this year, when council members expressed reluctance to support the agreements. “Amtrak officials hope by spring of next year the first train connecting the two cities – with four coastal Mississippi stops – will be rolling.”
FULL STORY: All aboard, finally: Mobile backs agreements needed to bring Amtrak service to Gulf Coast
Passenger Rail to Gulf Coast Closer to Reality
Amtrak service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, stopped after Hurricane Katrina. But recent efforts point to restored service in the coming years.
Louisiana, Gulf Coast Push for New Passenger Rail Service
A new passenger rail line between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is just one of the links being proposed along the Gulf Coast.
Amtrak Cascades Line Breaks Ridership Record
The route linking Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, BC served nearly one million riders in 2024.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
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 Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research