Light Rail

North Carolina bills itself as the "good growth state." But as North Carolina's population heads toward 10 million, the state's low-density pattern of development is straining the infrastructure.

May 14, 2008 - California Planning & Development Report

Light rail vehicles aren't as green one might think, and cities that really want to lower carbon emissions might want to take a harder look at new hybrid-electric buses, argues a recent column.

May 12, 2008 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Private investors and developers must come forward and plan around proposed rail lines in Detroit if there is any hope of transit materializing, according to this editorial.

April 30, 2008 - The Detroit Free Press

Officials in Oklahoma is hoping to woo the Seattle Supersonics to relocate in Oklahoma City by offering tax incentives. One politician is hoping to advance plans for a light rail transit system by planting the idea with team officials.

April 23, 2008 - The Norman Transcript

Seattle's new light rail line is poised to usher in a new era for Martin Luther King Jr. Way. Though most are excited about the new development, the fear of gentrification has made some residents worry that they won't be around to reap the benefits.

April 22, 2008 - The Seattle Times

Forget major rail expansion. The Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority hopes a new bill will first allow it to afford office space and hire an executive director.

April 18, 2008 - The Tampa Tribune

If local officials don't come together with a workable plan, Detroit may just blow its last chance to implement a regional transportation system.

April 16, 2008 - The Detroit Free Press

Politicians in Washington D.C. are getting behind Honolulu's plans for a $3.7 billion light rail system, calling it the "most efficient light rail project in the country".

April 9, 2008 - Great Falls Connection

Atlanta's ambitious plans for inner-city rail were downsized, as New Urbanist Andres Duany criticized the City's implementation of his vision for streetcars in Midtown Atlanta.

March 28, 2008 - Atlanta Journal Constitution

A major plan to improve Sydney's walkability, urban design and public transit system have been applauded throughout the city. The only problem is figuring out how to pay for it.

March 27, 2008 - The Sydney Morning Herald

As commuters face delays and frustrations with aging infrastructure, the government in Auckland, New Zealand has announced plans to invest more than $1 billion in its regional rail system.

March 5, 2008 - The New Zealand Herald

Yes, yes. We all want to save the children. They are our most precious resource and hold the key to our future. Let them lead the way, and please, lord, don't let them get run over by a train. Fortunately, most American kids face no such danger because they are held safe in far-flung suburbs where conformity and the cocoon of the strip mall tend to their well-being. They are growing up strong and worldly behind gates and in perfect communities far from the strife of the city, where art, culture, diversity, adventure, and freedom might stimulate them just a little too much.

November 10, 2007 - Josh Stephens

I’ve confirmed that it is possible to take public transportation to the most suburban of suburban locations: the outlet mall.

July 3, 2007 - Diana DeRubertis

A long time ago in a previous design office, I made the mistake of engaging a light rail fanatic in a debate about whether Peachtree Street in Atlanta should be adorned with a light rail line. The debate turned into a protracted email diatribe about the pros and cons of light rail and whether this specific idea made any sense.

February 21, 2007 - Scott Page