Urban Planning/Transportation / Public News Service

Wildfire experts plan to use unmanned drones to help improve early detection, battle fires more effectively, and to reseed and restore scarred forests. (Windsong/Adobe Stock)

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Report Charts a Course for Mitigating Wildfire Risk

As wildfire seasons in Colorado and across the American West become longer, less predictable and increasingly destructive, a new report aims to …

Sky-high gas prices hit California drivers in the spring, summer and fall of 2022, before retreating to more normal levels in winter, after the midterm elections. (QuietWord/Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Hearing Today on CA Gas Price-Gouging Bill

California lawmakers hold a hearing in Sacramento today on a bill to hold oil companies and gasoline refiners accountable for alleged price gouging…

According to a Move Minnesota poll, 86% of respondents report driving as one of the main ways they get around, but nearly one in five drivers would prefer to travel by another mode. Advocates say expanding mass transit or walking options could help. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 20, 2023

Poll: Minnesotans Want Transportation Options Beyond Roads

A Minnesota bill could surface as early as this week, calling for a proposed tax increase to fund transportation needs. Advocates and local …

In Indiana, 6% of the workforce is employed in transportation and warehousing. (Adobe Stock)

Booming Trucking, Warehouse Businesses Need Indiana Workers

The transportation and warehousing industry continues to lead as Indiana's fastest-growing business sector, and has been for over a decade now…

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources and Department of Transportation studies have shown a 90% reduction in wildlife-vehicle collisions when there is a crossing structure or fence in an area. (Adobe Stock)

Utah Approves $20 Million for Wildlife Crossings

Some $20 million of Utah's whopping $29 billion state budget will be spent on building wildlife crossings and fences across the state in an effort to …

It costs taxpayers $13,400 to provide supportive housing per person each year, compared with between $21,000 and $40,000 for medical care, incarceration, detox treatment and shelter services. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Denver Mayoral Candidates Off the Mark on Homeless Crisis

Advocates for people experiencing homelessness are pushing back against proposals by several Denver mayoral candidates who are including forced mental…

According to Extinction Rebellion, at least eight activists have been arrested at the construction site of the East Boston substation since Eversource began work on January 11. (Extinction Rebellion)

Protests, Construction Continue at East Boston Substation

Environmental activists are calling on Gov. Maura Healy to end construction of the Eversource electrical substation in East Boston, and move it to …

If the new Railway Safety Act of 2023 rail is passed, carriers would face heightened fines for wrongdoing, and it would substantially increase the maximum fine USDOT can issue for safety violations. (Brian Dunn/Wirestock Creators/AdobeStock)

PA: New Legislation To Prevent Future Train Derailments

Hoping to avoid future train disasters like Norfolk Southern's derailment in East Palestine, a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania lawmakers has …

Regular brisk walking can help prevent or manage various conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. (Adobe Stock)<br />

KY Small Towns Find Ways to Increase Walkability

Whitesburg residents have put the finishing touches on a walking trail aimed at increasing outdoor exercise among residents and linking local business…

According to data from the Connecticut Department of Transportation, ridership on CT transit took a sharp dive at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and remained low for some time, but as of summer 2022, ridership levels are returning to pre-pandemic levels. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Calling for CT Transit to Remain Fare Free

Transit advocates are calling on Connecticut's General Assembly to keep the state's public transit system free. In April 2022, Gov. Ned Lamont …

Accord to the Arizona Department of Transportation, the Maricopa Association of Governments and Pima Association of Governments make up the two most populous areas of the state, accounting for 80% of Arizona's population. (Adobe Stock)

Public Input Needed for AZ's Long-Range Transportation Plan

The Arizona Department of Transportation wants to hear from people across the state as it looks to set priorities for the state's 2050 Long-Range Tran…

Norfolk Southern freight trains are common sights along Indiana highways. (Adobe Stock)

EPA Pauses Moving Train Derailment Material to Indiana Landfill

Putnam County residents are closely watching developments after learning multiple truckloads of waste from the train derailment site in East Palestine…

Over the past 50 years, the population of pygmy rabbits in Wyoming has declined by 69% (Serikbaib AdobeStock)

Groups Call on U.S. Fish and Wildlife to Prevent Pigmy Rabbit Extinction

On Monday, conservation groups submitted a petition calling on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the pygmy rabbit under the Endangered …

Just 47% of Wyoming residents prefer leaders place more emphasis on protecting water, air, wildlife habitat and recreation opportunities over maximizing the amount of land available for drilling and mining. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Conservation Efforts, Environmental Priorities Remain High in Wyoming

Voters in Wyoming and across the West strongly support protecting water supplies, public lands and migration corridors for wildlife, according to the …

Groups calling for more transportation-related investments in Minnesota say not only would more funding create more jobs and help the state's economy, it also would help to keep motorists safe. (Adobe Stock)

Groups: MN Faces a Range of Transportation Needs

Several groups were at the Minnesota Capitol yesterday to highlight transportation issues facing the region, including rural areas. The …

Since 2017, AARP has awarded more than $12.7 million to more than 1,060 projects, including 22 in Colorado, through the Community Challenge to nonprofit organizations and government entities. (Adobe Stock)

AARP Colorado Seeking Projects to Help Improve Communities

AARP Colorado is putting out the call for creative projects to help improve communities, by creating new public transportation and housing options…

In January 2023, the city of Troy's Public Utilities Department found elevated levels of lead in some homes and buildings around the area. Though they have found the community's water supply is free from lead, service lines or interior plumbing are possible causes for lead being found in samples. (Adobe Stock)

Residents of Troy Demand Action Against Lead Pipes

Residents of the east-central New York city of Troy and environmental advocates have devised a plan to remove lead pipes from the city's water system…

Tax Loophole Could Be Costly for MA Public Schools, Transportation

The Commonwealth could lose up to $600 million in annual revenue meant for public schools and transportation if lawmakers fail to close a tax loophole…

A $25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will help improve pedestrian and road safety in Kalispell, Mont. (digidreamgrafix/Adobe Stock)

Biden Admin Focuses on Rural U.S. with Infrastructure Projects

By Kristi Eaton for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Big Sky Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaboration…

The wildlife crossings over I-90 are considered crucial for creatures in the Cascades. (Washington State DOT/Flickr)

Resilient Wildlife Crossings Crucial as Climate Changes, Experts Say

Wildlife crossings could be a path to a future where the climate has significantly changed the planet. Wildlife and climate experts are urging …

One goal of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal is to ensure reliable, high-speed internet access for every American. (Debra Millet/Adobe Stock)

REDI Act: Help with Economic Development for NE Small Towns

A bill in the Nebraska Legislature would give small communities some help in applying for and administering federal grant money. Remote working …

According to the Sierra Club of North Carolina, crypto mines generate around 34,000 tons of electronic waste worldwide per year. Much of it, replete with toxic heavy metals, ends up in landfills and is a threat to both water and air. (Adobe Stock)

Small NC Town has Advice for Nebraskans on Crypto Mines

As more Nebraska towns approve permits for "crypto mines," the high-speed computer facilities processing cryptocurrency algorithms, people in the …

Members of LIUNA Local 464 welcomed President Joe Biden on Wednesday to the Laborers Apprenticeship and Training Center in DeForest, Wisconsin. The latest jobs report shows the unemployment rate fell to 3.4%, the lowest job level since May 1969. (Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons)

Biden Promotes Jobs Creation at Wisconsin Training Center

President Joe Biden visited the presidential battleground state of Wisconsin on Wednesday to promote his economic agenda and strengthen his ties to wo…

The Glen Canyon Dam currently generates energy for nearly six million households in Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah. (Adobe Stock)

Falling Lake Powell Water Levels Put Wyoming Hydro Power at Risk

Part of the deal Wyoming struck for sending its water down the Colorado River was that state residents would be able to tap electricity generated at G…

A University of Missouri Kansas City study in 2020 estimated that Kansas City's zero-fare program could increase regional gross domestic product by $13-$17 million. (Photo by B. Nenin/Adobe Stock)

Fare-Free Public Transit Benefits Kansas City Residents, Businesses

By Jared Brey for Governing.Broadcast version by Deborah Van Fleet for Missouri News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public New…

Since 2017, AARP has awarded more than $12.7 million to more than 1,060 projects, including 10 in Wyoming, through the Community Challenge to nonprofit organizations and government entities. (Adobe Stock)

AARP Wyoming Seeking Projects to Help Improve Communities

AARP Wyoming is putting out the call for creative projects to help improve communities, whether by creating new public transportation and housing …

The renewable-energy industry is expected to create more than 9,800 clean-energy jobs over the next five years, according to the Clean Grid Alliance. (Franco Lucato/Adobe Stock)

Experts: Indiana Communities Can Benefit from Clean Power Grid

As the economy has changed with the pandemic in the past few years, Indiana's small communities have seen an exodus of jobs and people. However…

Nearly half of all Hispanic-Americans live in counties that frequently violate ground-level ozone standards. (Adobe Stock)

Public Health Benefits of Limiting Oil, Gas Methane Pollution

The public has until February 13th to weigh in on new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency to reduce methane pollution at oil and gas…

Since the beginning of 2022, seven Western states have initiated programs to maintain wildlife habitat and safe passage, through fencing, signs, overpasses and underpasses, according to Pew research. (TaborChichakly/Adobe Stock)

NM Lawmakers Weigh Next Step for Wildlife Crossings

Reducing the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions is the goal of a bill before the New Mexico Legislature this session. Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-…

The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs is working to identify cost-effective ways to ensure the state reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least 85% by 2050 and achieves net-zero emissions. (Adobe Stock)

MA Leads Nation in 'Green' Building Development

Massachusetts ranks number one in the nation for "green" building development. The ranking is based on what's known as LEED certification, which is …

The City of Albany received $80 million as part of the American Rescue Plan. $25 million will go to city agencies and organizations to fund local projects to support the city's post-pandemic economic recovery. (Adobe Stock)

Albany Mayor Focuses on Housing, Infrastructure after Mayors' Conference

The mayor of New York's state capital said she is eager to get to work on projects she observed at the U.S. Conference of Mayors' big meeting last …

Last year saw the certification of LEED projects pass 100,000 globally. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Maryland Improves on Green Building Ranking

Maryland ranks fifth in the nation on a new report on green building in the U.S. The U.S. Green Building Council released its annual rankings of …

According to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, the state's Wildlife Migration Initiative has tracked almost 10,000 animals. (Utah DWR)

UT Pitches In to Help with Wildlife Migration

Two state agencies have teamed up to make safer wildlife migration a priority in Utah. The Utah Wildlife Migration Initiative relies heavily on GPS …

A bill in the Washington Legislature would lift cities' restrictions on multifamily housing like triplexes, seen above. (Imagenet/Adobe Stock)

WA Lawmakers Look to Add Affordable Housing for 'Missing Middle'

Washingtonians are being squeezed out of the housing market, and some state lawmakers want to see significant changes to cities' zoning laws to …

About 6% of all cars sold in the United States in 2022 were battery-electric powered, but officials say the number of EVs is expected to grow to 25% by 2030. (ake1150/Adobe Stock)

Report: EVs Could Impact Future Highway-Maintenance Funding

Most experts agree that putting more electric vehicles on the road is a positive step toward fighting climate change, but a new report warns that …

About 6% of all cars sold in the United States in 2021 were battery-electric powered, but officials say the number of EVs is expected to grow to 25% by 2030. (ARHIT/Adobe Stock)<br />

Report Examines EV Impacts on MI Highway Maintenance, Funding

Most experts agree putting more electric vehicles on the road is a major step toward fighting climate change, but a new report says states will also …

The top five states for green building in 2022 were Massachusetts, Illinois, New York, California and Maryland. Each state had more than 2 million square feet of green building space become LEED certified. (Adobe Stock)

Virginia Ranks Among Top 10 States for Green Building

Virginia ranked eighth on a list of the top 10 states for green building. The report by the U.S. Green Building Council finds Virginia had 95 …

Federal agencies such as FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the EPA now offer guides on how communities can incorporate nature-based, green solutions. (clcwa.org)

TX Climate Change Mitigation Project Could Benefit Other Communities

By Katie Watkins for Houston Public Media.Broadcast version by Roz Brown for Texas News Service reporting for the Solutions Journalism Network-Public …

Green buildings are designed to reduce carbon footprints, and operational and maintenance costs, which boosts bottom lines for building owners and occupants. (Adobe Stock)

Building Construction in Colorado 7th Greenest in U.S.

Colorado ranks seventh nationally when it comes to addressing climate change in its building practices, according to the latest U.S. Green Building …

According to the World Economic Forum, green buildings can reduce a city's temperatures up to 2 degrees Celsius. (Adobe Stock)

NY Ranks 3rd on National Green Building List

New York ranked third on a list of the top 10 states for green buildings in the U.S. The report from the U.S. Green Building Council found 142 …

The top 10 states certified 1,225 projects and more than 353 million gross square feet of commercial space. (Kristina Blokhin/AdobeStock)

GA Ranks in Top 10 for Green Buildings

The Peach State made it onto the top 10 list of states focused on sustainable building practices, according to a new report. Georgia comes in at …

In 2022, the top 10 states, plus the District of Columbia, certified 1,202 LEED projects and nearly 343 million gross square feet, a 72% increase in just one year. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Illinois Places 2nd for Green Building Program

The 2022 ranking of "green" buildings shows Illinois in 2nd place, demonstrating a commitment to LEED certification, according to the U.S. Green …

In Oregon, 36 building projects were LEED-certified in 2022. (Tada Images/Adobe Stock)

Oregon Ranks in Top 10 for Green Buildings

Oregon is high on the list of states focused on sustainable building practices, according to a new report. The state comes in at number 10 in U.S…

In addition to an aging population, 11% of Mainers have serious mobility impairments requiring targeted and inclusive long-term planning to ensure accessibility to public spaces across the state. (Adobe Stock)

Livable, Healthy Communities: Goal of AARP Planning Event

AARP Maine will sponsor an online workshop this week on long-range planning for health equity, with a focus on housing, community services and safe …

According to a report from AARP New York, one solution to lack of accessible rural homes for seniors would be to create a tax credit of up to $2,750. It would be available to homeowners who retrofit their homes to make them more accessible to those who use walkers or wheelchairs or have trouble with steps. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Senior Rural NYers Face Housing, Transportation Disparities

A recent report from AARP New York finds older rural New Yorkers are struggling to age in place due to a wealth of disparities. The two biggest …

One of the provisions in a proposed Minnesota bill to restore driving privileges to undocumented people is data protection, so that agencies wouldn't be able to share a person's immigration status. (Adobe Stock)

MN Debates Drivers' Licenses for Undocumented People

It's been two decades since Minnesota stopped allowing undocumented people to apply for a driver's license. But there's renewed momentum in the …

I-75, which runs through Cincinnati and is a key freight corridor stretching from Canada to Florida, is the scene of massive traffic bottlenecks on the Brent Spence Bridge that connects Northern Kentucky and Ohio. (Adobe Stock)<br />

OH Small Business Owners Give 'Thumbs Up' to Bridge Project

Cincinnati's small business owners say they're eagerly anticipating upgrades to the Brent Spence Bridge, announced jointly last week by President Joe …

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 11,258 people were killed in crashes that involved speeding in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

MO DOT Urges Buckling Up, Other Changes to Curb Fatal Crashes

Traffic fatalities in Missouri rose in 2022 for the third year in a row, with preliminary data showing 1,028 people died on Missouri roads. It's …

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