State transportation officials say the effort to restore passenger rail service between Scranton and New York City is moving full steam ahead despite remaining challenges.
Transit officials in the Northeast are confident that plans to restore passenger rail between Scranton, Pennsylvania and New York City will move forward despite electoral results, writes Jeff Horvath in Governing.
According to Horvath, “An Amtrak study released in March 2023 found that restoring such a service would generate $84 million in new economic activity annually, creating jobs on both sides of the Pennsylvania / New Jersey border while offering myriad benefits to leisure travelers, hybrid workers, college students and commuters alike.”
Pennsylvania Northeast Regional Railroad Authority President Larry Malski says the project is not in danger in part because of the massive economic boost it’s projected to bring and its ongoing support from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and other state officials. The project has already secured $20 million in funds.
The project has been identified as a “new, viable passenger train route” by the Federal Railroad Administration, the first major step toward making it a reality. The second step includes “additional documentation, final engineering and the completion of a service development plan,” said Malski. The rail service could be restored as early as 2028 or 2029.
FULL STORY: Election Shouldn’t Impact Pennsylvania to N.Y. Passenger Rail
Amtrak Expanding Service in California’s Central Valley
Amtrak is planning a major expansion to the passenger rail lines connecting the Central Valley and the Bay Area.
NJ Transit Struggles, Leaving Riders Stranded
The troubled agency has been canceling roughly 100 trains per week.
Proposed NYC-to-Boston HSR Would Cut Trip to Under Two Hours
The proposed project would use a mix of new and old rail lines and bypass some cities to speed up the trip.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
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?
EV Chargers Now Outnumber Gas Pumps by Nearly 50% in California
Fast chargers still lag behind amidst rapid growth.
Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks
HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.
Has Anyone at USDOT Read Donald Shoup?
USDOT employees, who are required to go back to the office, will receive free parking at the agency’s D.C. offices — flying in the face of a growing research body that calls for pricing parking at its real value.
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 Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport