The Latest
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Apu Gomes via Getty Images
LA fires damage power, sewer and water infrastructure
AccuWeather says economic loss and rebuilding could cost between $250 billion and $275 billion, making these the most expensive fires in U.S. history.
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Permission granted by Smart Futures Lab
Sponsored by Smart Futures LabFree incubator and accelerator empowers smart city growth
Smart Futures Lab empowers tech startups: $4.5M raised, 6 patents, 22 jobs—join the next cohort today!
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Adam Gray via Getty Images
Starbucks reverses open-door policy as it pursues coffeehouse environment
Under the new policy, customers will have to make a purchase if they want to hang out in Starbucks coffee shops or use its bathrooms.
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Permission granted by Michael Persico
Adaptive reuse breathes new life into abandoned schools
Repurposed school buildings are home to a variety of groups, including artisans, local governments and restaurants. But funding and getting public buy-in for these projects isn’t always easy.
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DOT announces $635M in EV charging, other clean transportation grants
The grants will support installation of more than 11,500 electric vehicle charging ports as well as hydrogen and natural gas fueling infrastructure.
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Courtesy of General Motors
GM using AI to find the best locations for EV chargers
The automaker says uncertainty about how to find charging stations remains a hurdle to prospective customers.
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Courtesy of Caltrain
California unveils $310B passenger rail plan
Gov. Gavin Newsom seeks to shift 200 million daily passenger miles from highways to rail with more zero-emissions trains.
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Spencer Platt/Getty Images via Getty Images
Q&ANY mandates contractor registration for publicly funded projects
Consultant Kathleen Bloss talks about the type of work the law covers and steps that firms must take to comply.
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David McNew/Getty Images via Getty Images
Wildfires that burn buildings and vehicles may produce more toxic smoke than those in the wilderness
The emissions pose a “unique threat to public health,” since these fires may burn close to populated areas, warn researchers from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
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Melissa Sue Gerrits via Getty Images
HUD doles out $12B in disaster recovery grants
The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s leader made the announcement in Asheville, North Carolina, where Hurricane Helene obliterated buildings and infrastructure in September.
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Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
These two men will lead transportation policy in the Trump administration
The Governors Highway Safety Association this week endorsed Trump nominee Sean Duffy as the next U.S. transportation secretary.
Updated Jan. 10, 2025 -
Aranga87/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
OpinionHow to keep electric vehicle investments on track in the new political climate
A clean fuel standard has worked in several states to fund EV infrastructure. It should be tried in more places.
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JasonDoiy via Getty Images
6 smart cities trends to watch in 2025
Transportation systems, housing policy and decarbonization approaches will evolve this year as the Trump administration assumes power and technology continues to advance.
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Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
Cost of living is ‘too damn high’: New York governor unveils affordable housing proposals
The proposed policies would create a nation-leading model for dissuading hedge funds and private equity firms from buying up affordable homes, Gov. Kathy Hochul said.
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Sakorn Sukkasemsakorn via Getty Images
Microgrids boost grid reliability, lower costs: Colorado road map
In the face of rising transmission costs and extreme weather impacts, self-contained grids can benefit both rural areas and urban centers, according to state agencies.
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Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
California leaders ask for more federal transportation money before Trump takes over
The California Latino Legislative Caucus and a Democratic senator from the state argue for immediate and continued funding of public transit and high-speed rail.
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Permission granted by City of Phoenix Office of Heat Response and Mitigation
Not just trees: Phoenix’s $60M shade plan includes built structures, too
“We need to think much more holistically” about responding to extreme heat, said Adam Freed, a Bloomberg Associates principal who helped the desert city develop its plan.
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Courtesy of California High-Speed Rail Authority
5 ways Trump could impact infrastructure construction in 2025
The incoming administration promises new policies that could affect permits, materials, labor and project funding.
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Joe Raedle via Getty Images
FEMA offers $1.35B in climate resilience grants
Certain restrictions for this cycle of funding will help “ensure a more diverse distribution” of grants across the U.S., the Federal Emergency Management Agency said.
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Courtesy of California High-Speed Rail Authority
TrackerUS high-speed rail projects: The latest news
The California High-Speed Rail Authority substantially completed initial construction work along 22 miles of its right-of-way in Kern County, California.
Updated Jan. 7, 2025 -
ferrantraite via Getty Images
Flexible office space set to rise in 2025: Cushman & Wakefield
Some companies are leaning into coworking spaces and other flex spaces amid efforts to reimagine cities, the firm says.
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Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
Congestion pricing begins in New York, a US first
Overcoming opposition, the plan to toll drivers entering Manhattan's central business district went into effect Sunday. Revenues will go to the transit authority's capital investments.
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Permission granted by Friends of The Underline
Q&AInside Miami’s new linear park: Bioswales, bike paths and a 50-foot ‘dining room’ table
As rapid development threatens the city’s green space, The Underline restores ecosystems and adds amenities, a project leader says. But the effort also faces cost and design hurdles.
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Courtesy of Austin Transit Partnership
$7B all-electric light rail project moves ahead in Austin, Texas
The Austin Transit Partnership selected a construction team to build the city’s first light rail system, which is set to open in 2033.
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MattGush via Getty Images
EPA issues permits for California carbon capture and storage facility
Amid local concerns about the health risks the facility could pose, an EPA official said she believes the permits are “protective of the public and the environment.”
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Alex Wong via Getty Images
Inflation-adjusted transportation spending at all levels fell in the 2010-2022 period, BTS says
Federal funding helps state and local governments, which account for 90% of transportation spending, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
