Alabama

Passenger Rail to Gulf Coast Closer to Reality
Amtrak service between New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, stopped after Hurricane Katrina. But recent efforts point to restored service in the coming years.

Southern States Lagging in Addressing Climate Change
Cities in the South are facing a multitude of climate change impacts, but many have been slow to respond to the growing threats.

States to Gain and Lose Congressional Districts After Census Identified
A reapportionment of House of Representatives will begin when the results of the Census 2020 have been finalized. A new analysis indicates that ten House seats will likely shift from the Northeast and Midwest to the West and South.

How To Build Place Loyalty
A good friendship is a two-way street. So how come our relationships with places only involve taking and no giving?

Birmingham Gets New Buses as Part of Plan to Improve Transit
Birmingham, Alabama is buying 15 new buses to run on a planned bus rapid transit route.

In Mobile, an Institutional Revamp to Tackle Blight
Mobile, Alabama, has changed the way it deals with blight, and the results have been substantial.
Alabama Is Latest State to Hike Gas Tax
Thanks to bipartisan cooperation and strong leadership from Gov. Kay Ivey, the Heart of Dixie passed it first fuel tax hike in 27 years. The 21 cents per gallon tax will increase by 10 cents in three increments by 2021 and then indexed to inflation.

Microtransit to Fill Transit System Gaps in Birmingham
With very little of its residential population or employment centers accessible by public transit, Birmingham is looking to microtransit to potentially reduce single-occupancy vehicles use in the city.

Unequivocal Praise for the National Memorial for Peace and Justice
The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, opened in April, are worthy memorials to one of the nation's greatest tragedies, according to this review.
Rural Studio’s 20K Homes and the Complexities of Affordable Housing
A research program at Auburn University in Alabama seeks to go national, but experience from the program’s evolution means a cautious move forward.

Plans for Immigrant 'Detention Centers' Revealed at Military Sites Around the U.S.
Plans for temporary facilities designed to house between 25,000 to 45,000 people have been revealed by Time Magazine. Sites in Alabama, Arizona, California,

When Coastal States Kill Building Codes, FEMA Pays
Despite the increasing number and intensity of natural disasters, some vulnerable states are relaxing building regulations and leaving the federal government to pick up the tab when tragedy strikes again.

What is Appalachia, Really?
If you want to understand rural America, critics say, look beyond Hillbilly Elegy.

Third Rail of the Housing Debate: More Density in Single-Family Neighborhoods
If California is going to address its chronic housing shortage, single-family residential neighborhoods can no longer be ruled "off limits." Opposition to a small Berkeley subdivision spawned new housing legislation and fostered the YIMBY movement.

Hurricane Nate to Test New Orlean's Drainage System
Nate will make landfall southeast of New Orleans on Saturday night as possibly a category 2 hurricane after leaving at least 22 dead in Central America. It's not so much the levees but the pumps and generators that have city officials worried.

The Sorry State of U.S. Water Infrastructure
Water bills are going up because pipes put in shortly after World War II are in need of repair and replacement all over the country, and federal funding for water is shrinking.
More Towns Mimicking New Orleans and Allowing Public Drinking
It used to be that only New Orleans and Las Vegas allowed people to carry a drink outdoors and imbibe in public. Now cities all over the country, mostly in traditionally conservative states, are loosening their laws.
Fatal Explosion in Gasoline Pipeline that Suffered Major Spill in September
A strategic interstate gasoline pipeline exploded in Alabama on Oct. 31, not far from the September spill site after an accidental strike by a track hoe, killing one and injuring five workers. Higher gas prices and long lines are anticipated.
Gasoline Shortage Hits South and East Coast after Pipeline Rupture
The rupture reveals the hazards of pipelines, but also shows how important they are to the economy. Six governors declared states of emergency to deal with gasoline shortages resulting from the pipeline shutdown in Shelby County, Alabama.

How Contributory Negligence Punishes Cyclists
In Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and Alabama, the legal policy known as contributory negligence blocks cyclists from claiming damages if they're involved in a crash.
Pagination
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