New leadership on transportation issues steps to center stage as the result of Republicans taking control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 2006.
Keith Lang provides "a list of new players to watch as lawmakers get the ball rolling on the 114th Congress, which is expected to include debates about highway, aviation and rail funding."
Included on the list areSen. John Thune (R-S.D.), who recently attracted attention for discussing the possibility of raising the federal gas tax; Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), the "new top ranking Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee"; and new National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Mark Rosekind.
FULL STORY: Five new transportation players to watch in 2015

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.

Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.

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Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
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.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service