Neal Peirce looks at President Barack Obama's ambitious plans for high speed rail and the significant obstacles that stand in its way.
"Obama– "High-speed rail is long overdue, and this plan lets American travelers know that they are not doomed to a future of long lines at the airports or jammed into cars on the highways."
OK, reality check pause. Except for California–where voters last fall approved $9 billion in bond funding for an 800-mile network to handle 220-mile-an-hour trains–it will likely take many decades for us to clear whole new rights-of-way to build high speed rail systems comparable to Europe, Japan or even China.
Why? The costs, in tens of billions, will be daunting. And America's become tortuously slow, way behind world standards, in building any kind of infrastructure. Some states spend years just adding HOV or exclusive bus lanes to existing highways. And the excuse isn't just environmental safeguards, says former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, the 1988 Democratic presidential nominee. It's lack of moxie–tough, knowledgeable leadership by state transportation directors, made worse by the fact few now have appreciable rail-building experience."
FULL STORY: High-Speed Rail — And Us
APTA Requests CDL Testing Change to Address Bus Operator Shortage
Eighty-four percent of U.S. transit agencies surveyed said CDL complexity was a hiring obstacle, with the “under-the-hood” requirement being the most challenging.
L.A. Transit Surpasses 1M Weekday Riders for First Time Since Pandemic
Rail and bus ridership in the Los Angeles metropolitan area is recovering at a faster rate than the national average.
Flixbus Nearing Deal With Chicago Bus Terminal
Greyhound is shedding stations around the country, but Chicago intercity bus passengers will still be able to use the city’s main bus terminal — for now.
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