The Latest
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Amtrak sets ridership, ticket revenue records in FY24
Its board chair attributed the growth to strategic investments and "the need for train travel."
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Atlanta creates AI commission to explore tech’s potential in city government
The 13-member commission will begin meeting in early 2025 and produce a final report by February 2026.
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Kansas county sues major plastic producers, alleging deceptive recycling messaging
Ford County, Kansas, seeks damages, cleanup and abatement services from the companies. But defendant and trade association American Chemistry Council called the county’s claims “meritless.”
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6 options for passenger rail across Massachusetts’ northern tier
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and the state Legislature supported the state study. None of the report's six options include high-speed rail.
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New group wants to help US cities scale up climate-resilient ‘smart surfaces’
Exclusive access to data, funding opportunities and model ordinances to expand cool pavement, green surfaces, porous pavement and solar panels will be among the benefits for the peer learning network participants.
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New York makes $10M available for building heating and cooling tech
HVAC manufacturers and building owners can use the funds to develop and demonstrate cold-climate heat pumps as the state aims to reduce buildings' on-site energy consumption by 2025.
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Tracker
US high-speed rail projects: The latest news
The California High-Speed Rail Authority can import key equipment, including aluminum car shells for six train sets, the Federal Railroad Administration said.
Updated Dec. 2, 2024 -
11 Boston-area institutions partner on renewable energy virtual power purchase agreements
Cambridge, Massachusetts, is among the participants in the Consortium for Climate Solutions, which will help develop renewable energy projects in Texas and North Dakota.
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AI could help cities tackle climate change, but only if it solves ‘real problems’: NYC climate chief
“We don’t need AI or big data to tell us with much greater detail how screwed we are as a city or as a planet,” Rohit Aggarwala said at Cornell Tech’s Urban Tech Summit last week.
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Note from the Editor-in-Chief
A change in ownership and what it means for our readers.
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Seattle encourages co-living housing with new law
Young people looking to live in popular neighborhoods and retirees seeking community are among those who may be interested in co-living, a Washington state lawmaker said.
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Streetcar and other rail transit vehicle fatalities the focus of FTA safety advisory
With 117 deaths attributed to such vehicles from 2015 to 2023, the Federal Transit Administration is asking state and transit officials to work to reduce collisions.
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US office conversions could be up 63% in 2024 as cities remove barriers, real estate company says
Chicago’s LaSalle Street Reimagined project is an example of how municipal support can spur conversions and build mixed-use communities, a CBRE report says.
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Pedestrian, bicyclist deaths decreased slightly in first half of 2024: NHTSA
Deaths remain above pre-pandemic levels, thus "we still have more work to do," said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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New York City faces potential electricity resource shortfalls in 2033, 2034, system operator says
Transportation and building electrification, along with commercial projects like data centers and chip fabrication, are driving peak demand higher, according to the New York Independent System Operator.
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Can AI help prevent homelessness before it happens? Los Angeles County is finding out.
The county and University of California, Los Angeles, researchers are working to direct scarce homelessness prevention resources toward the people who need them most.
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Air taxi developers conduct demo flights, name first cities they plan to serve
Los Angeles and New York City are likely to be among the first U.S. air taxi markets for Archer Aviation and Joby Aviation, with Archer also naming San Francisco and Miami in its initial plans.
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Pittsburgh to transform waterfront industrial site for housing, entertainment and shopping
In addition to the $740 million development, the Steel City is getting a $64 million concert venue expected to attract events that might otherwise bypass the area for places like New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia.
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Zero-emission buses will need newly trained maintenance workers: GAO report
Hiring and training workers to deal with high-voltage batteries, electronic equipment and software isn't top of mind yet for most transit agencies but will be needed as zero-emission bus fleets grow.
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Opinion
Loosening alcohol laws to revitalize your city’s economy is a mistake
Cities must keep our public spaces alcohol-free to preserve health and safety, warns a policy consultant at the Institute for Public Strategies, a public health organization.
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Florida city’s $1.3B ballpark project timeline in jeopardy after hurricane
After Hurricane Milton, local officials delayed the approval of bonds to fund the stadium, which was to serve as the centerpiece of a major redevelopment project in St. Petersburg.
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Uber, Lyft plan robotaxi fleet expansions
With Tesla planning to produce robotaxis and compete with existing ride-hail companies as soon as 2025, Uber and Lyft are adding partnerships to enter new cities with driverless vehicles.
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Want a heat resilience ‘blueprint’ for your city? This federal research center can help.
Up to 10 communities will get $10,000 each and technical support to figure out how to fund and prepare responses during heat waves.
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IRS finalizes direct pay rules, increasing access to IRA’s clean energy tax credits
Direct-pay-eligible entities like local governments, public school districts, churches and hospitals will more easily be able to jointly invest in clean energy projects under rules released Tuesday.
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‘We’ve been here before’: What Trump’s win could mean for local climate action
City leaders are preparing for a president who has cast doubt on the scientific consensus around climate change and threatened to rescind unspent Inflation Reduction Act dollars.