The Dallas City Council has given preliminary approval to a proposed light rail line, currently called D2, which would add service capacity to the downtown core.
"The Dallas City Council this morning overwhelmingly chose what’s called the Jackson or Modified B4 alignment for Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s second downtown light-rail route," reports Brandon Formby. The alternative vote, supported by one city councilmember, would have used an underground route through downtown.
The City Council is moving quickly to apply for about $400 million from the Federal Transit Administration—so a final vote is expected later this month to help DART make the September 30 deadline for the last round of founding before 2017, when a new presidential administration will take power.
The article goes into a lot more detail about how the project will ease pressures on the downtown hub of the DART light rail system and how the new route could lead toward additional investments in downtown transit connections, like longer station platforms for light rail and expanded streetcar service.
FULL STORY: Dallas council chooses Jackson route for new DART line downtown

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.
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