Broader history: The National Register of Historic Places is very White, but it could use some broadening for non-White history ($).
Montréal’s RER: Montréal is planning a major light rail expansion.
TPA streetcar: Florida has awarded Tampa a large grant to expand the city’s streetcar system.
Special permits: New York City may move forward with a requirement to hold special permits in order to develop a hotel in the city.
Moynihan Train Hall: Amtrak’s new Penn Station hall is opening in New York City on Friday. Meanwhile, the next generation of Acela trains are being tested in Colorado and nearing completion.
District leisure: Cincinnati is making it easier to drink outside.
Reforming transportation: Pete Buttigieg, the next federal transportation secretary, commits to undoing the damage of racist highways.
Blocked for now: A lawsuit is challenging Pennsylvania’s process for planning a highway in Erie.
Not dead yet: A new Downtown Seattle office tower has sold for nearly $670 million ($).
Build: Researchers say a key way to housing affordability in Utah is building denser housing.
New beginnings: Meet King County Metro’s new General Manager Terry White and what he’s looking forward to in the agency’s future ($).
Japan’s Covid approach: Japan hasn’t fully kicked Covid, but the targeted approach by the government has led to much better outcomes ($) than the United States.
Rising costs: Seattle is cutting back on earthquake work for bridges as costs soar ($).
Seattle fires: The Seven Gables in the University District has burnt down ($) as well as a shopping center in Lake City ($).
Trading maximums: Portland could stop regulating households by number of people but may trade that for a maximum number of bedrooms per unit.
Protecting cemeteries: Volunteers are racing to save historic Black cemeteries in America.
Small boost: Washington Governor Jay Inslee has proposed a new two-year budget with $20 million more for bike and pedestrian project grants.
Building codes’ promise: Updating building codes could save Americans billions of dollars per year from natural disasters.
Climate priorities: The latest federal Covid relief bill has some climate priorities in it.
Stephen is an urban planner with a passion for promoting sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He advocates for smart policies, regulations, and implementation programs that enhance urban environments by committing to quality design, accommodating growth, providing a diversity of housing choices, and adequately providing public services. Stephen primarily writes about land use and transportation issues.
