Infrastructure

Train to Denver Airport Threatened with Closure over Crossing Gate Woes
The Federal Railroad Administration is threatening to revoke the waiver that allows the A-Line to operate with flaggers at grade crossings unless the Regional Transit District presents a plan by mid-month to fix the crossing gate problems.

Late Election Result: Transportation Sales Tax Appears to Pass in San Mateo County, Calif.
Transportation advocates have been patiently waiting since Nov. 6 for the results of a half-cent, 30-year county sales tax measure, 50 percent of which would benefit Samtrans bus and Caltrain needs and 5% bike/ped. It needs 66.67% of votes to pass.

Study Casts Doubt on Streetcars' Ability to Spur Development
Examining Portland and Seattle's much-talked-about systems, the authors highlight the importance of treating streetcars as a viable transport option, rather than just a means to stimulate development.

Planned L.A. Crenshaw Line Rollout Prompts Argument
Already delayed, the Crenshaw Line has now sparked debate between stakeholders who favor opposing visions of how the light rail service should link up with the existing Green Line.

Plan Changes for Chicago’s Lincoln Yards Project
The massive proposed development project on the Chicago River is facing a host of questions about density, open space, and infrastructure.

Feds Let the Transit Funding Flow
It was a big week for long-awaited transit funding from the Federal Transit Administration.

Boston's Metropolitan Area Planning Council Announces Resilience Grant Program
The Accelerating Climate Resiliency Mini Grant Program will award grants to six to 15 projects, policies, and actions to protect people from the impacts of climate change.

Price Triples for Keeping Asian Carp Out of Lake Michigan
It's been expensive year for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' efforts to prevent environmental catastrophe in Lake Michigan.

Freeway's Demise Will Fund Light Rail Grade Crossing Improvements in Pasadena
The final nails have been put in the coffin of the I-710 extension, and now communities like Pasadena are getting ideas about how to spend Measure R funding once reserved for the unwanted freeway.

New Report Assesses Threat From Urban Flooding
Researchers from the University of Maryland and Texas A&M surveyed stormwater officials and synthesized the results. Their conclusion: "Rainwater is taking its toll on metropolitan America"

L.A. Bus Stops Improved by D.I.Y. Additions
A bench is a basic bus stop amenity, but many stops on Los Angeles’ Eastside lack them. One resident took on the task of putting in benches himself.

Pedestrian Scrambles Benefit Everyone Using Streets
While not yet widely implemented in the United States, scramble intersections make life considerably safer and easier for pedestrians and drivers.

The Latest in Parking Technology: Parking-Space Sentries
A new smart-parking startup lets drivers claim spots, in the cloud and in physical space.

$43 Billion, 20-Year Transportation Plan Approved for Orange County, CA
Orange County, California has approved its 20-year transportation plan, which is designed to address an expected 60 percent increase in traffic.

Tardy Transit Funding Arrives in Los Angeles, Twin Cities
They had to wait the better part of a year, but two major transit projects finally have the funding Congress allocated in March.

House Democrats Prepared to Work with Trump Administration on Infrastructure
The incoming chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), points to gubernatorial races and a California ballot initiative to show there's no peril for legislators to hike the gas tax.

Ohio River Bridges Are More Than Just a Waste of Money, Says Critic
Aaron Renn says the bridge projects in and near Louisville, Kentucky, were too expensive and have not led to any positive transportation or economic results.

ADA Compliance Delayed in Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is part of Project Civic Access, a federal initiative to make public facilities accessible. Making the changes necessary for compliance has been challenging for the city.

315-Mile Loop Hiking Trail Complete in Maricopa County, Arizona
A hiking trail now makes a complete, 315-mile loop around Maricopa County in Arizona.

Musk's Boring Co. Drops Westside L.A. Tunnel Plans
A lawsuit by a pair of Westside L.A. neighborhood groups has killed the Boring Company's plans to drill a tunnel below Sepulveda Boulevard.
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