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 a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.