National Journal asks its panel of transportation experts to weigh in on the $50 billion infrastructure bank plan recently announced by President Barack Obama.
"The White House didn't offer many funding specifics, but the initial $50 billion for the infrastructure bank would be offset by doing away with tax breaks for oil and gas companies.
What parts of this plan are you most excited about and most wary of? What will it do for the nation's unemployment problem? How should the bank's initial $50 billion be allocated among roads, rails and runways, and where should the money come from to pay for the rest of the plan? And when will Congress take up the proposal? Is bipartisan consensus possible on any part of it before or after the midterms?"
Many of the responses from the panel of experts applaud the move, though some take issue with the bank plan's lack of clearly defined goals.
FULL STORY: Assessing Obama's Infrastructure Plan

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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