New TRAX light rail lines in Salt Lake City opened a year early and 20% under budget.
Local pressure helped keep the project moving forward.
"[I]t was sped up by residents approving a quarter-cent sales tax increase, arrival of federal stimulus money and even local developers adding money. That has also helped quicken other under-contruction TRAX extensions to Draper and Salt Lake City International Airport (both expected to open in 2013), and an extension to Provo of the FrontRunner commuter rail, expected in 2014.
When the two new TRAX lines open permanently for business on Sunday, Allegra said UTA believes it will be the first time that any transit agency in America has opened two new major light-rail lines at the same time. They will more than double the number of train cars operating and nearly double overall TRAX mileage."
FULL STORY: TRAX lines opening a year early, 20% under budget

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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.
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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