Daily Planning News | WASHINGTON - U.S. builders broke ground on fewer homes in April, one month after topping the 1 million mark for the first time since 2008. But most of the decline was in apartment construction, which tends to vary sharply from month to month. The Commerce Department said Thursday that builders started construction at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 853,000, a 16.5 percent drop from the March pace of 1.02 million. Associated Press/AP Online, May 16, 09:13 AM
| May 16--Nearly 1.5 miles beneath Earth's surface, scientists have discovered pockets of water that have remained in isolation for more than a billion years. The ancient water bubbling up from the floor of a zinc and copper mine near Timmins in Canada's Ontario province looks crystal clear, but it would not make a cool refreshing drink. Scientists say it is warm to the touch and much saltier than seawater. Los Angeles Times, May 16, 12:34 PM
| May 16--BOULDER -- The Boulder County Comprehensive Plan shouldn't explicitly state that the county thinks native wildlife species and ecosystems have the legal right to exist and thrive, county staff members have advised the County Planning Commission. During a Wednesday afternoon Planning Commission hearing, Longmont resident Ruby Bowman renewed her appeal that the document contain a sentence saying that "all naturally occurring ecosystems and their native species populations have a right to exist and flourish." But members of Boulder County's Land Use Department and Parks and Open Space Department and a representative of the county attorney's office told planning commissioners that a statement about "natural rights" or "the rights of nature" is a legal principal that a county government may not have the authority to promulgate. Daily Times-Call (Longmont, CO), May 16, 04:25 PM
| LEWISTON -- The Twin Cities have all of the ingredients to turn Androscoggin River frontage into an engine of change and economic development. "So many of the ingredients you see in other communities, you have these ingredients here," speaker David Spillane told a crowd at a Great Falls Forum lecture Thursday. "It's remarkable what you have already done in the last 10 years, the festivals you have, the waterfront parks, Museum L-A, the remarkable things that are happening with the mills and the restaurants that are growing along the waterfront," Spillane said. "Sun Journal (Lewiston, ME)", May 17, 01:43 AM
| May 17--The name isn't likely to leave riders' lips any time soon, but starting Friday the light-rail line that runs from downtown Minneapolis to the Mall of America won't be called the Hiawatha Line. The line is being rebranded as the Blue Line, Metro Transit spokesman John Siqveland said. As part of the change and to educate riders, transit agency officials will hold a launch party from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Friday at the 46th Street Station in south Minneapolis. Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN), May 17, 03:15 AM
| May 17--NEW LONDON -- The first new construction in Fort Trumbull since the area became the focus of a national fight over eminent domain was delayed Thursday after developers apparently were unable to demonstrate how they were going to finance the $24 million Village on Thames project. A closing to transfer the property to developer Riverbank Construction did not take place Thursday as planned, said Karl-Erik Sternlof, the RCDA's first vice president. Mayor Daryl Justin Finizio issued a statement shortly after the announcement, saying the city had fulfilled its obligations under the agreement with developer Robert Stillman, and "the responsibility now lies with the developer to provide adequate financial representations to proceed. Day, The (New London, CT), May 17, 04:22 AM
| Northern Virginia housing advocates are worried that an unexpected decision by the Alexandria City Council last week to end a funding guarantee for affordable housing could result in fewer options for those who need it the most. The council, with little discussion, removed the guarantee that housing and open-space funds get a certain percentage of tax revenue when it voted on the fiscal 2014 budget May 6. "All of us are trying to find out what happened," said Michelle Krocker, executive director of the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance. The Washington Post, May 17, 02:13 AM
| The people of Cunduacan and Huimanguillo, which have a combined population of 300,000, will present a class action lawsuit against Pemex in June. "There have been several harmful effects; we have carried out tests on soils, sediments and water and we are about to receive the results," Marisa Jacott, the head of Fronteras Comunes (Common Borders), an environmental NGO, told IPS. Fronteras Comunes and the Asociacion Ecologica Santo Tomas (Santo Tomas Ecological Association) are providing legal advice to the local population, mainly small farmers and fisherfolk, who have incurred great losses due to oil spills and gas explosions. IPS - Inter Press Service, May 17, 03:28 AM
| May 16--LIVERMORE -- A 120-year-old building that once helped link the city to the greater Bay Area and beyond via the Southern Pacific Railroad is itself moving on down the line -- if only a few blocks. The Livermore City Council in April approved using a $2.5 million grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to move the historic railroad depot on South L Street to a spot near the Livermore Transit Center and restore it to its original condition. "Being a historic structure, it's important to preserve this for the city," said Eric Uranga, Livermore's assistant community development director. Tri-Valley Herald (Pleasanton, CA), May 16, 06:30 PM
| May 16--NASHUA -- After hearing hours of passionate testimony Tuesday night about a proposed asphalt shingle recycling and grinding operation on the property of Scrap Metals Inc., the city zoning board unanimously rejected the company's proposal. More than 150 residents, most of whom live in neighborhoods east of South Main Street from Beausite Drive and around the Nashua Country Club, packed the City Hall auditorium. The board's vote, which followed about 20 minutes of discussion between members, was unanimous, 5-0. Telegraph (Nashua, NH), May 16, 05:27 PM
| May 16--Apopka plans to look for the money needed to take its eco-tourism plan for Lake Apopka from drawing board to reality, said Richard Anderson, chief administrative officer of Orange County's second-largest city. "We think it's time to press forward with the next phase of that," Anderson told the City Commission Wednesday night. At an environmental summit in February, city representatives unveiled a conceptual plan for the north shore of Lake Apopka that featured an "eco-village" to lure anglers, birders and other outdoor enthusiasts to the recovering freshwater lake. Orlando Sentinel, May 16, 05:17 PM
| Parts of the Mississippi River's Pool 12, located between Dubuque and Bellevue, Iowa, are getting the environmental equivalent of a face-lift first proposed in 2005. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Rock Island District, recently released the final report of the Pool 12 Overwintering Habitat Rehabilitation and Enhancement Project, a joint effort among the Corps, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the departments of natural resources in Illinois and Iowa. The overall Pool 12 project area is located along the left descending bank of the Mississippi River approximately 10 miles south of Dubuque, in Jo Daviess County, Ill., generally between the river's main channel and the railroad tracks that parallel the east bank. "Telegraph-Herald (Dubuque, IA)", May 18, 11:16 PM
| May 18--FAIRFIELD -- Federal investigators have ruled out foul play in Friday's Metro-North Railroad crash and say a broken rail on the eastbound track is of "substantial interest." National Transportation Safety Board member Earl Weener said Saturday evening that teams of investigators are looking at everything from maintenance records of the rail cars to the medical history of crew members in the incident, in which a an eastbound trail derailed just after 6 p.m. and was hit by a westbound train. The derailment injured at least 60 people, including a Metro-North conductor named Helen, who officials say helped passengers even though she'd been hurt herself. New Haven Register (CT), May 18, 10:38 PM
| May 18--In the debate over who controls Charlotte's airport, there's more at stake than just a place where planes take off and land. The facility could take advantage of a Panama Canal widening that some say will spur more shipping into East Coast ports -- and boost inland transportation centers such as Charlotte. Central Piedmont Community College President Tony Zeiss has been promoting Charlotte's intermodal facility as a source of not only logistics and transportation jobs but also potential manufacturing work, as companies look to ship locally-produced goods by train and truck. Charlotte Observer (NC), May 18, 09:39 PM
| OliverMcMillan, a San Diego-based real estate development firm, and Capri Capital Partners, a real estate investment firm providing institutional capital for development and acquisition of urban commercial and residential communities, announced that construction is underway for The Lofts at 688 13th Street, with a two-year construction schedule. According to a release, The Lofts at 688 13th Street is planned as a five-story residential building fronting 13th Street between Market and G Streets in the East Village Arts District of downtown San Diego. "We are excited to be investing in San Diego, and to partner with OliverMcMillan in developing new high-quality residences for the burgeoning community," said Ken Lombard, Partner - Investments, of Capri Capital Partners. Unknown, May 18, 08:53 PM
| In a release, Research and Markets noted that report highlights include: Even during the recent economic downturn, there are firms in the A/E industry that still report continued growth and increasing profits. Find out with the 2012-2013 Successful Firm Survey of Architecture, Engineering, Planning & Environmental Consulting Firms. Unknown, May 18, 08:52 PM
| CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - A simple test could have alerted officials that the drinking water at Camp Lejeune was contaminated, long before authorities determined that as many as a million Marines and their families were exposed to a witch's brew of cancer-causing chemicals. The U.S. Marine Corps maintains that the carbon chloroform extract (CCE) test would not have uncovered the carcinogens that fouled the southeastern North Carolina base's water system from at least the mid-1950s until wells were capped in the mid-1980s. But experts say even this "relatively primitive" test - required by Navy health directives as early as 1963 - would have told officials that something was terribly wrong beneath Lejeune's sandy soil. Associated Press/AP Online, May 18, 08:25 PM
| BRIDGEPORT, Connecticut -- Officials described a devastating scene of shattered cars and other damage where two trains packed with rush-hour commuters collided outside New York City, saying Saturday it's amazing that no one was killed. Authorities said the accident was not the result of foul play, but a fractured section of rail is being studied to determine if it is connected to the accident. The train was hit by a train heading west from New Haven to Grand Central on an adjacent track, Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokesman Aaron Donovan said. Associated Press, May 18, 07:51 PM
| BRIDGEPORT, Conn. - The commuter train derailment and collision that left dozens injured outside New York City was not the result of foul play, officials said Saturday, but a fractured section of rail is being studied to determine if it is connected to the accident. Seventy-two people were sent to the hospital Friday evening after a Metro-North train heading east from New York City derailed and was hit by a train heading west from New Haven. "All of the injured people described the really harrowing experience of having the train jolt to a stop, the dust, darkness, other kinds of factors that made it particularly frightening," said U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who visited several patients in the hospital. Associated Press/AP Online, May 18, 07:24 PM
| May 18--The Wythe County Board of Supervisors held public hearings Tuesday on the county budget, the school budget and the Virginia Department of Transportation's Six-Year Road Plan. However, the road plan drew more emotion than the hearings on the $78 million county budget, which includes a personal property tax hike and $9 million for capital improvements at two schools. The board plans to increase personal property taxes by 19 cents to $2.27 per $100 valuation. Wytheville Enterprise (VA), May 18, 04:50 PM
| FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Officials described a devastating scene of shattered cars and other damage where two trains packed with rush-hour commuters collided in Connecticut, saying Saturday it's fortunate that no one was killed and that there weren't even more injuries. Seventy-two people were sent to the hospital Friday evening after the crash, which damaged the tracks and threatened to snarl travel in the Northeast Corridor. "I feel that we are fortunate that even more injuries were not the result of this very tragic and unfortunate accident." Associated Press/AP Online, May 18, 04:37 PM
| May 17--Orland officials are working to get more rail service to area business and trying to connect companies with financing firms, but do not have a direct marketing campaign in place. City Manager Pete Carr updated the Orland Economic Development Commission on his views of the business climate on Tuesday night. Carr added Mayor Charles Gee and a city staff member are going to a land-bridge meeting to learn about rail line opportunities as related to a new proposed line between Gerber and Eureka. Orland Press Register (CA), May 18, 02:24 PM
| FAIRFIELD, Connecticut -- Officials described a devastating scene of shattered cars and other damage where two trains packed with rush-hour commuters collided in Connecticut, saying Saturday it's fortunate that no one was killed. Seventy-two people were sent to the hospital Friday evening after the crash, which damaged the tracks and threatened to snarl travel in the Northeast Corridor. About 700 people were on board the Metro-North trains when one heading east from New York City's Grand Central Terminal to New Haven derailed at about 6:10 p.m. just outside Bridgeport, transit and Bridgeport officials said. Associated Press, May 18, 02:23 PM
| May 18---- Fate's new City Hall project moved a step forward this week with the city council's approval of a contract for architectural services. Other action involved compensation for the mayor and city council members, and increasing the city manager's salary and car allowance. During its Monday night meeting, the Fate City Council unanimously approved a professional services contract with Ron Hobbs Architects. Royse City Herald-Banner (TX), May 18, 02:23 PM
| May 18--BRIDGEPORT -- Three people remain in critical condition after an eastbound Metro-North commuter train derailed near the Fairfield-Bridgeport line Friday night, colliding with a train heading in the opposite direction. Metro-North train service between New Haven and South Norwalk is indefinitely suspended, as is Amtrak service between New York and New Haven. The eastbound 4:41 p.m. train out of Grand Central Terminal in New York derailed just east of the Fairfield Metro station at 6:10 p.m., said Marjorie Anders, an MTA spokeswoman. The Hartford Courant, May 18, 01:13 PM
| FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Officials are describing a devastating scene of shattered cars and other damage where two trains packed with rush-hour commuters collided in Connecticut. Seventy people were sent to the hospital Friday evening after the crash, which damaged the tracks and threatened to snarl travel in the Northeast Corridor. The crash also caused Amtrak to suspend service between New York and Boston. Associated Press/AP Online, May 18, 11:55 AM
| It could take weeks to get commuter rail service in Connecticut back to normal following the derailment of two trains Friday, the mayor of Bridgeport said. CNN said the impact of the crash was compounded by major construction on the only other commuter rail line serving Connecticut and New York. Many of the injured were treated and released, but about five people were admitted to hospitals with serious injuries, the Hartford (Conn.) Courant said Saturday. UPI, May 18, 09:55 AM
| May 18--Most third-grade students can't spell "macroinvertebrates," but a group of them sure learned about the water-dwelling creatures and other moist topics Friday at the Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute's 12th annual Watershed Festival. Moscow's McDonald, Lena Whitmore and Russell elementary schools sent 160 third-graders to the day-long festival at the PCEI Nature Center in Moscow. "It's very well-rounded," said Heather Huston, PCEI education outreach coordinator. Moscow-Pullman Daily News (ID), May 18, 09:25 AM
| HARTFORD, Conn. - Officials in Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's office say the governor will meet with representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board and Connecticut's two U.S. senators at the site of a Metro-North Railroad crash that injured 70 people. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy and other Connecticut officials will also participate in the tour, scheduled for 9:30 a.m. EDT Saturday near Bridgeport. The delegation will update journalists with the latest details of the crash after surveying the area. Associated Press/AP Online, May 18, 08:02 AM
| The first 12 days of May were certainly one of the warmest and driest in recorded history across the Inland Northwest. Normal high temperatures at this time of year are in the low to mid-60s at Spokane International Airport. From May 6 through Mother's Day afternoon, high temperatures broke the 80-degree mark in Spokane. Unknown, May 18, 07:20 AM
| May 18--A state board assigned to protect the environment is taking a second look at a controversial ruling it issued last year. The Illinois Pollution Control Board will revisit a ruling on groundwater protection at certain dump sites. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Republican leaders in the House and Senate and Gov. Pat Quinn's office have also raised objections to a decision that could endanger the public's health. Chicago Tribune, May 18, 06:12 AM
| May 18--APTOS -- Valencia Elementary School is going green. For the past year, students, led by the sixth-grade Green Team, have been working to waste less and recycle more. The goal is to win a Green Ribbon, a national recognition for schools that implement sustainable practices and environmental education. Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA), May 18, 05:25 AM
| FAIRFIELD, Conn. - Two commuter trains serving New York City collided in Connecticut during Friday's evening rush hour, sending 60 people to the hospital, including five with critical injuries, Gov. Dannel Malloy said. About 700 people were on board the Metro-North trains when one heading east from New York City's Grand Central Station to New Haven derailed about 6:10 p.m. just outside Bridgeport, MTA and Bridgeport officials said. The train was hit by a train heading west from New Haven to Grand Central on an adjacent track, MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan said. Associated Press/AP Online, May 17, 11:56 PM
| May 17--A large water pipe construction project west of the East Bay hills is ready for public review, with an environmental document awaiting public comment and several hearings scheduled in June. The West of Hills Northern Pipelines Project calls for construction of 8.5 miles of new 48- and 36-inch diameter water-transmission pipelines to ensure a reliable water supply to parts of North Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, El Cerrito, Richmond, San Pablo, Pinole, Hercules, Rodeo, Crockett and other unincorporated communities of West Contra Costa, according to officials at the East Bay Municipal Utility District. A draft environmental impact report is available for public review at the following locations: Oakland Tribune (CA), May 17, 10:58 PM
| FAIRFIELD, Connecticut -- Two commuter trains serving New York City collided in Connecticut during Friday's evening rush hour, sending 60 people to the hospital, including five critically injured and one very critically injured, Gov. Dannel Malloy said. The Metro-North Railroad, a commuter line serving the northern suburbs, referred in a news release to a "major derailment" near Fairfield. It said emergency workers were at the scene of the accident, which came shortly after 6 p.m. Associated Press, May 17, 10:07 PM
| Photo Gallery: Construction continues on I 215 freeway expansion A $31.4-million program established by San Bernardino County's transportation planning agency in 2009 created 1,197 jobs and contributed to the completion of dozens of road rehabilitation projects throughout the region, officials said. San Bernardino Associated Governments, or SanBAG, received $128 million in federal stimulus funds in 2009 for the widening of the 215 Freeway through San Bernardino, from Orange Show Road to University Parkway. San Bernardino County Sun (CA), May 17, 08:15 PM
| FAIRFIELD, Connecticut -- A New York-area commuter railroad says two trains have collided in Connecticut. The Metro-North Railroad says emergency workers are arriving at the scene of Friday's accident. Fairfield Police Officer Matt Panilaitis says 20 to 25 people were injured. Associated Press, May 17, 07:29 PM
| FAIRFIELD, Conn. - A New York-area commuter railroad says two trains have collided in Connecticut. The Metro-North Railroad says emergency workers are arriving at the scene of Friday's accident. The railroad says the accident involved a New York-bound train leaving New Haven. Associated Press/AP Online, May 17, 07:25 PM
| FAIRFIELD, Connecticut -- A New York-area commuter railroad says two trains have collided in Connecticut, and there are preliminary reports of injuries. The rail line referred to it in a news release as a "major derailment." The railroad says the accident involved a New York-bound train leaving New Haven. Associated Press, May 17, 07:15 PM
| FAIRFIELD, Conn. - A New York-area commuter railroad says two trains have collided in Connecticut, and there are preliminary reports of injuries. The rail line referred to it in a news release as a "major derailment." The railroad says the accident involved a New York-bound train leaving New Haven. Associated Press/AP Online, May 17, 07:13 PM
| May 17--The La Crosse County Board unanimously approved the sale of the long-idle Park Plaza site on Barron Island after a lengthy debate Thursday night. West Coast Development LLC will purchase the 5.7 acres for $800,000 but get $50,000 back on credit at signing. The tentative plan by West Coast Development calls for lots to hold 60 housing units for "mainly the empty nesters," those looking to downsize, Joe Van Aelstyn, a member of the development group, said earlier. La Crosse Tribune (WI), May 17, 07:12 PM
| Magnificent' Portland landmark reopens The U.S. Custom House in Portland held an open house Thursday following an extensive renovation. Long ago in the building's Customs Hall, merchants paid taxes on imports and exports under the watchful eye of armed guards. Portland Press Herald, May 17, 06:25 PM
| May 17--The eclectic collection of framed art hanging in a condo hallway was carefully chosen and included a mix of sketches, pictures of insects and a poster that simply said "cinema." "This is the couple that go to flea markets," said Lisa Simeone, principal and owner of Simeone Deary Design Group. The clients Simeone is referring to -- a couple with children who don't want to leave Chicago -- don't really exist. Chicago Tribune, May 17, 06:18 PM
| May 17--Mayor Thomas M. Menino's victory lap -- 20 years in the making -- begins today as he unveils a new handicapped-accessible park in Charlestown that's part of a $1.8 billion parting kiss to Boston to upgrade buildings, roads and public spaces. Among the projects is a new park at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in the Charlestown Navy Yard that will be for "adults and children of all abilities." The mayor, who is not running for re-election, is rolling out the "capital spending plan" at a press conference today at the Navy yard. Boston Herald (MA), May 17, 06:14 PM
| May 17--Transit officials in Berks County have come up with a list of goals for improving services and might start looking for some grants to help meet them. County planners and BARTA officials met with a small group of private and nonprofit transportation providers earlier this month to figure out how public and private transportation services in Berks could better serve the community. That's a prerequisite for BARTA and other transportation providers to apply for some federal grants aimed at expanding transportation options for people with disabilities, senior citizens and low-income commuters. Reading Eagle (PA), May 17, 06:54 AM
| May 17--Pay attention, drivers.The state Department of Transportation finally seems on track to build a system of special optional highway lanes crossing metro Atlanta, if contracts are signed as planned in the coming months. The HOV lane that feeds into the HOT lane, however, does allow two-person carpools to travel for free, but no solo drivers at any price. No carpools will drive free in the I-75/I-575 express toll lanes that will meet up in Cobb County with the HOV lanes, if all goes as proposed -- just transit buses. Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA), May 17, 05:30 PM
| A RAILWAY heritage centre is steaming ahead with a new attraction after its plans were formally approved. Sherwood Forest Railway intends to turn a disused farm building in to a locomotive and rolling-stock shed. It is part of improvements at the site, which runs one mile steam- train rides near Edwinstowe. Unknown, May 17, 05:27 PM
| May 17--GREENSBORO -- The intersection of Benbow Road and Market Street is missing pavement markings. Aycock Street and Oakland Avenue could use low clearance signs. At Church Street and Friendly Avenue, there should be pavement arrows. News & Record (Greensboro, NC), May 17, 05:18 PM
| Tokyo, May 17 (Jiji Press)--Japan's House of Councillors passed into law Friday a bill to oblige the government to craft a new plan to combat global warming. The law requires the government to come up with the new plan before this year's U.N. climate change conference takes place in November. The new plan will include measures that Japan will take starting in fiscal 2013 that began last month. Jiji Press English News Service, May 17, 05:14 PM
| May 17--Some 5-6 million tons of cargo will be transported through a new railway section which linked Kazakh Bolashak and Turkmen Serhetyaka, spokesman for the Kazakh railways Elena Trifonova told Trend on Friday. "The forecast for 2015-2017 is 5-6 million tons of cargo, including export, import and transit," Trifonova said. This section is a part of the transnational rail corridor, which will connect Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Iran and allow the delivery of different goods to the Persian Gulf region. Trend News Agency (Azerbaijan), May 17, 05:09 PM
| May 18--Some 13.37 million tons of cargo were transported by vehicles through the territory of Azerbaijan in January-April 2013, which is 0.01 percent more than in the same period of last year, the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee said today. According to the report, the export of goods for this period comprised 10.64 million tons and imports -- 2.73 million tons. During the first four months, some 10.64 million tons of cargo were exported by maritime transport, 850,840 tons by railway, 176,120 tons -- by automobile transport, 24,900 tons by air. Trend News Agency (Azerbaijan), May 17, 05:08 PM
| May 17--BARTOW -- Polk County officials were invited Friday to become part of a Tampa Bay area transportation organization. Commissioners agreed to consider it, but want members of the Polk Transportation Planning Organization, which includes city officials, to provide input first. Legislation that created the Tampa Bay Area Regional Transportation Authority in 2007 would have to be amended to include Polk County. Ledger (Lakeland, FL), May 17, 05:05 PM
| May 17--NEW LONDON -- A last-minute change in how the developer would finance the first new construction in Fort Trumbull is the reason Monday's groundbreaking for the $24 million Village on Thames project was canceled. The executive committee of the Renaissance City Development Association voted Friday morning to reject the latest proposal, saying the agency could not certify to the state Department of Economic and Community Development that certain terms and conditions were satisfied prior to the scheduled closing, as required by the development agreement. During its regular meeting Friday, the RCDA said it was informed Tuesday that Riverbank Construction was no longer going to obtain financing from M&T Bank, which is headquartered in Buffalo, N.Y., and instead was going to fund the project itself. Day, The (New London, CT), May 17, 03:12 PM
| May 17--OHIO VALLEY -- Your tax dollars will be hard at work this summer as the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) launches one of the largest, most aggressive construction seasons to date with projects totaling approximately $2.3 billion. ODOT will begin or continue construction of nearly 1,000 projects statewide including $2.27 million in construction projects to be sold in Gallia County and $3.45 million in Meigs County. This season will also include Ohio's first-ever double roundabout interchange at U.S. 33 and Ohio 664 in Hocking County. Gallipolis Daily Tribune (OH), May 17, 01:23 PM
| May 17--CHESAPEAKE -- The region may see as much as $10 billion in new transportation revenue during the next 20 years, but the prospect of tolls will continue to loom large over Hampton Roads' most expensive projects. In one scenario, the $3.5 billion project would receive $700 million each from the region, state and federal governments, and users of the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel and the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge-Tunnel would pay a $2 toll. The presentation was one of several during a retreat of the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization that focused largely on the landmark transportation package passed this winter by state legislators. Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA), May 17, 01:41 AM
| May 17--As Superstorm Sandy barreled toward the tri-state area, two of the nation's largest transportation agencies worked to safeguard their systems, moving buses and rail cars to areas they thought would be protected. Eleven MTA rail cars were damaged, compared with 342 pieces of NJ Transit equipment. When asked for communications regarding Sandy preparations, NJ Transit released a 3 {-page "Rail Operations Hurricane Plan" that was stripped of all information except for the title. Record (Hackensack, NJ), May 17, 11:32 AM
| May 16--The Ventura County Transportation Commission intends to terminate a lease on Dec. 1 that allows the Fillmore & Western Railway, a private tourist attraction, to use the Santa Paula Branch Line. But the commission is prepared to negotiate a new lease if it can examine the railway's financial records, VCTC Executive Director Darren Kettle wrote in a letter this week to Fillmore & Western President Dave Wilkinson. The commission requested the records in mid-April, but Fillmore & Western had not provided them as of Thursday. Ventura County Star (CA), May 16, 11:50 PM
| May 16--FERNDALE -- Lummi Nation was on the verge of jump-starting major retail development along Slater Road but canceled the possible sale of 25 acres to a major retailer because the tribe and the city of Ferndale failed to reach agreement on how to divide sales tax revenue. The Lummis are applying for trust status for 80 acres of land east of Rural. The Ferndale City Council on Wednesday, May 15, approved a proposal to give the Lummis 25 percent of the tax the city would receive from retail sales on the 25-acre property. Bellingham Herald (WA), May 16, 11:37 PM
| May 16--De Anza College's new Media and Learning Center has won a citation for energy performance from the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects and the Pacific Gas & Electric Company. The Media and Learning Center was designed to provide flexible and highly tech-friendly classroom spaces for students and teachers. The building is on the northwest side of campus, next to the Flint Center parking garage. Sunnyvale Sun (San Jose, CA), May 17, 10:21 AM
| May 17--Navy Pier, the highly commercialized tourist attraction jutting into Lake Michigan, will take on a more park-like feel under the first phase of redevelopment plans to be formally announced Friday morning. But it includes an array of upgrades aimed at making the state's most visited tourist attraction a place where visitors can splash in an interactive fountain that transforms to a skating rink in winter, stroll along a more heavily planted promenade that edges closer to the lake and rest on an undulating stairway that has unobstructed views of the lake and skyline. The revamp funding will come from the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority's bond fund, which is supported by hotel tax revenue. Chicago Tribune, May 17, 10:14 AM
| COLUMN: ALBERT B. SOUTHWICKWorld climate change may be the most dangerous challenge to mankind since the great Ice Age 20,000 years ago. If you want to know what is known and not known about climate change, get hold of a copy of Clark University's alumni magazine. It is natural that Clark, with its long emphasis on geography, should be engrossed by the threats and problems of climate change. "Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA)", May 17, 10:02 AM
| BOSTON - State funding that will allow cities and towns to get to work on their annual road paving and sidewalk repair programs advanced a step Wednesday with the House approving a $300 million local road and bridge repair bill. While the measure includes a $100 million increase for local road projects over last year that was sought by Gov. Deval L. Patrick, delays in enacting the bill have forced some cities and towns to postpone the start of spring roadwork and paving. Worcester Public Works Commissioner Robert L. Moylan Jr. said while many cities and towns rely solely on state road funds for local paving projects, Worcester combines it with local funding. "Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA)", May 17, 10:02 AM
| WASHINGTON - A Republican-controlled House panel moved Thursday to protect the Department of Homeland Security from the big cuts facing other domestic agencies under the party's budget slashing plan. The move came as the Appropriations Committee leadership privately circulated plans to drastically reduce spending for labor, education and health programs, foreign and housing aid, the Environmental Protection Agency and transportation. The Pentagon would be spared and a program that provides food aid to poor pregnant women and their babies is likely to escape cuts, but the effects on most agencies would be severe - in the unlikely event the recommendations were to make their way into law over the protests of President Barack Obama and Democrats. Associated Press/AP Online, May 16, 08:28 PM
| May 16--After more than six years of costly, innovative and challenging work, Glacier National Park is closing in on the conclusion of a comprehensive rehabilitation project on Going-to-the-Sun Road. When a huge chunk of the road slumped near the West Tunnel in 1995, it got the attention of then-Superintendent Dave Mihalic, who was concerned that the road could catastrophically close itself some day. Since then, the Federal Highway Administration and the park have spent nearly $135 million on the road, a price that can largely be attributed to the difficult nature of the road job -- four-month work seasons, unpredictable harsh weather, falling rocks, avalanches, debris slides and the necessity to work in ways that allow visitors to continue using the road. Daily Inter Lake, The (Kalispell, MT), May 17, 07:23 AM
| After baseball, my favorite TV watching is the government channel. Here I can see the local government in action or local government inaction. Sometimes I will hear a public official say something profound, but more often I hear statements revealing determined ignorance of the workings of the world. Evansville Courier & Press (IN), May 17, 01:18 PM
| May 16--BELLINGHAM -- The public is invited to comment on the city's plan for transportation improvements over the next six years at a hearing before the City Council at 7 p.m. Monday, May 20. The three categories each receive about $1.5 million a year. The work, scheduled for next year, will enable freight trucks to use the bridge to access the redeveloped waterfront. Bellingham Herald (WA), May 16, 11:37 PM
| May 17--We Energies customers won't have to foot the bill for pollution controls that will be installed at a Marquette, Mich., coal-fired power plant, under a plan approved Thursday. The Wisconsin Public Service Commission gave the utility the go-ahead to transfer ownership of part of its power plant in Michigan's Upper Peninsula to a Michigan electricity supplier. As a result, customers of We Energies, both those in Wisconsin and in Michigan, would be spared the expense. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (WI), May 16, 10:16 PM
| May 16--Pedestrian safety, traffic on Blodgett Drive and water drainage remained the top issues raised during a public hearing Wednesday night before the Oneonta Planning Commission. About 20 people, not including engineers and city officials, attended the meeting, which marked the beginning of the formal review of the Environmental Assessment Form, part of the mandated State Environmental Quality Review of the project's impacts. The commission will continue its review of the developer's Environmental Assessment Form at a workshop session Wednesday night. Daily Star, The (Oneonta, NY), May 16, 09:54 AM
| Bellefonte officials took a major step Wednesday toward a plan to sell the historic but roof-less, mold-filled theater on East High Street to a real estate magnate who would raze it to redevelop three downtown buildings that have been hollowed out by fires. The members of the Bellefonte Industrial Development Authority voted to accept Ara Kervandjian's workforce housing project proposal over a competing proposal from a group of 20 residents in the Bellefonte Historical and Cultural Association who promised to repair the building and return it to a theater. For the officials, rejecting Kervandjian's proposal for the Garman would have nixed the entire redevelopment plan, which calls for two apartment buildings, one in a renovated Cadillac Building and the other on the site of the Garman and Hotel Do De. Centre Daily Times (State College, PA), May 16, 07:22 AM
| May 16--City officials seemed to be gaining support from business representatives Wednesday during a meeting about a new master plan for Odd Fellows Road. The Lynchburg Planning Commission, which is reviewing the proposal, postponed tvoting so the concerns could be vetted. The master plan calls for several roundabouts to be built on Odd Fellows Road to improve traffic flow at key intersections. News & Advance (Lynchburg, VA), May 16, 06:30 PM
| May 16--MILLVILLE -- Local officials are developing a new transportation plan that they say will, if eventually implemented, make it easier and safer for motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians to travel around the city. A major part of the plan involves improving east-west traffic flow, primarily on Main Street, by creating alternate traveling routes and easing congestion at some downtown intersections. Local officials are waiting on a final draft of the plan, which City Engineer John Knoop called a mix of new and old ideas. Press of Atlantic City (NJ), May 16, 07:13 AM
| May 16--For 30 years, land once occupied by a city landfill has sat unused, but that could be changing with plans for a solar farm at the site. Petra Engineering PLLC, a Huntersville firm, has approached Mount Airy officials with a proposal for developing the solar photovoltaic power plant which would involve paying the city $125,000 for use of the land on City View Drive. During a meeting today at 7 p.m., the Mount Airy Board of Commissioners will consider authorizing Mayor Deborah Cochran to execute a letter of intent for the solar project. Mount Airy News (NC), May 16, 06:57 AM
| May 16--Make that two more coal plants to go cold and many more to follow -- all to the loud cheers of environmental groups that don't want fracking for natural gas, either. The shuttering is part of a settlement between NRG, which acquired the plant, and the states of New Jersey and Connecticut over plant's air emissions. Separately, NRG announced that it would cease operations at its Titus Station power plant in Cumru Twp., Berks County, by April 2015. Patriot-News (Harrisburg, PA), May 16, 06:21 AM
| May 16--Depending on how quickly another $3 million is raised to convert the former State Office Building to an International Bluegrass Music Center and Museum, an architect will eventually be hired to design the transformation. On Wednesday morning, the committee that will select an architect for the project got a long look at the designs created by university architecture students. What they saw they liked, for the most part. Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, KY), May 16, 05:25 AM
| NEW YORK - Canada's prime minister says a controversial oil pipeline from his country to the U.S. Gulf Coast "absolutely needs to go ahead" and warns that the oil will be transported through one way or the other. The pipeline project carrying oil from Canada's tar sands would need approval from the U.S. State Department. Harper says "The only real immediate environmental issue here is, do we want to increase the flow of oil from Canada by pipeline or via rail?" Associated Press/AP Online, May 16, 02:46 PM
| Although the Winery at Bull Run is steeped in history, Jon Hickox recently added a modern element to one of the buildings - a solar roof. Hickox, the winery president, said this made him more willing to install them, because it wouldn't detract from the historic farmhouse feel of the winery, which is adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. Hickox, who also owns a home remodeling business, installed the solar shingles on the roof of a new storage barn at the Centreville winery. The Washington Post, May 16, 02:13 AM
| May 16--The time for campaigning is about to end. Now the hard work -- delivering on promises made to 80,000 daily CTA Red Line customers who will lose a vital transportation lifeline for five months -- is set to begin Sunday. CTA officials and Red Line South Ambassadors outfitted in bright red shirts are making the rounds at the nine rail stations that will temporarily close, in an attempt to reach riders in Chicago and the south suburbs. Chicago Tribune, May 16, 02:11 AM
| AUGUSTA -- A $1.1 billion budget to pay for Maine's highways and other transportation expenses has been presented to lawmakers. The Portland Press Herald (http://bit.ly/10G5my4 ) says Transportation Commissioner David Bernhardt presented the budget to lawmakers on Tuesday. The highway fund budget is reviewed by the Transportation Committee. "Sun Journal (Lewiston, ME)", May 16, 01:43 AM
| May 15--CARSON CITY --The state Public Utilities Commission today said NV Energy's bill in the Nevada Legislature to close the Reid-Gardner coal-powered plant was fatally flawed and would not protect Las Vegas customers from higher rates. The commission voted unanimously to support the accelerated decommissioning of the plant -- the target of complaints about air pollution -- but object to other portions of Senate Bill 123, which would permit the utility to build other facilities without oversight of the state. Commissioner Rebecca Wagner called the bill, now before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Labor and Energy, "more smoke and mirrors." Las Vegas Sun (NV), May 15, 11:22 PM
| May 15--An award-winning architectural firm, Rossetti, is moving its headquarters from the suburbs into the historic Federal Reserve building in downtown Detroit. The building at Fort and Shelby is one of more than 20 buildings owned or controlled by Quicken Loans founder and Chairman Dan Gilbert through his umbrella firm Rock Ventures and his real estate arm Bedrock Real Estate Services. The move will take place in July when Rossetti's team of 60 architects, planners and designers will occupy the fourth floor, or 13,000 square feet of space, in the building. Detroit Free Press (MI), May 15, 11:20 PM
| WORCESTER - A retired state environmental official testified Tuesday that Henry C. Papuga, the former manager of the privately owned Milford Water Co., told him during a 2009 boil water order in Milford that he had "a good feeling" about water samples that had been sent out for testing. Mr. Papuga has denied the allegations. Mr. Anderson recounted an Aug. 15, 2009, conversation he said he had with Mr. Papuga in which the water company manager told him he "had a good feeling" about the pending results of testing on samples that had been collected earlier that day. "Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA)", May 16, 10:02 AM
| May 15--A plan to develop more buildings on UC Merced's campus while using less acres of space was approved during a Tuesday meeting of the UC Board of Regents. "By the year 2016, we will have exhausted our capacity to take additional students without having identified additional facilities," Chancellor Dorothy Leland told the UC Board of Regents' Committee on Grounds and Buildings. "It allows us more flexibility in terms of land use," said Phillip Woods, UC Merced director of physical and environmental planning. Merced Sun-Star (CA), May 15, 10:35 PM
| May 16--Kings County opponents of high-speed rail are battling the California High-Speed Rail Authority to keep their legal fight on track. Hanford farmer John Tos, Hanford homeowner Aaron Fukuda and the Kings County Board of Supervisors have a court date May 31 in Sacramento for the suit they filed against the rail agency in 2011. "One is about issuing the bonds, the other is about using the money from the bonds," said Stuart Flashman, an Oakland attorney representing the Kings County plaintiffs. Fresno Bee, The (CA), May 16, 09:07 AM
| May 15--The city of Charlotte plans to speed up construction of a sidewalk where two children were killed along West Tyvola Road. In February 2012, Kadrien Pendergrass, 5, and his 1-year-old brother, Jeremy Brewton, were killed by a delivery truck on West Tyvola Road at Shady Lane. A month after the fatalities, the City Council voted to fund the sidewalk, but construction on the .37-mile project has not yet begun. Charlotte Observer (NC), May 15, 09:39 PM
| May 15--ON SUNDAY, May 5, Casey Cattie, 18, an aspiring country singer with a big-league voice, left her Chadds Ford, Delaware County, home in plenty of time to make her pregame sound check at Citizens Bank Park so she could sing "God Bless America" during the seventh-inning stretch. Packed into her car with her mom, dad, kid brother and boyfriend, the Unionville High senior became nervous when Route 322 merged into a bumper-to-bumper crawl on I-95 North. I-95 North was still a parking lot. Philadelphia Daily News (PA), May 15, 09:13 PM
| Maine highway budget targets product, commish says AUGUSTA - Maine's transportation commissioner presented a budget to lawmakers Tuesday that he said focuses less on process and more on product, but some expressed concern that the budget would squeeze state workers and shift costs to municipalities. Bernhardt's proposed budget would imrprove the highways, he said, as well as cut 56.5 vacant positions, cap state costs for employees' health insurance and freeze merit and longevity pay for employees. Portland Press Herald, May 15, 06:33 PM
| The repositioning of underperforming assets is a major source of real estate opportunity in California's metropolitan areas. Swinerton Builders' San Diego division recently had the opportunity to test that idea, transforming a vacant industrial storage facility into a 24,000-square-foot, single-story office space. From the beginning, Swinerton's goal was to honor its commitment to green building practices by converting the existing tilt-up structure into a highly functional, net-zero energy building, for which they are currently seeking LEED Platinum certification. San Diego Business Journal (CA), May 16, 03:08 AM
| [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]Is A Granite State Future--a year-old statewide planning project currently being carried out by New Hampshire's nine regional planning commissions --actually a plot by the federal government to eventually take private property in New Hampshire? That's the viewpoint of some activists in the state who have attended Granite State Future meetings around New Hampshire to voice their many issues with the project. In fact, a cursory YouTube search turns up dozens of videos from Granite State Future meetings in various communities all over the state--including meetings in Rochester, which, along with Salem, opted out of participation in the Granite State Future process altogether. New Hampshire Business Review (NH), May 16, 03:07 AM
| May 15--Public transportation in the Ruidoso area will be cut to a five-day per week offering. Ruidoso Downs city councilors were unanimous Monday in taking the move to address red ink at its Lincoln County Transit. Lincoln County Transit Manager Patty DeSoto had been asked earlier this month, during a meeting regarding a fiscal year 2013-14 budget for the city, to get revenues and expenditures in unison. Ruidoso News (NM), May 15, 05:37 PM
| HUMANS HAVE BEEN TOSSING OUT TRASH for, well, close to forever. Indeed, trash heaps and garbage pits are some of the best windows we have to ancient cultures. Future generations of archaeologists may try to understand us through mountains of disposable--and non-biodegradable--diapers. Mechanical Engineering, May 16, 02:07 AM
| May 16--The little crab on the corner of Virginia "Friend of the Chesapeake" Bay license plates that motorists pay $25 annually for became relevant to Henrico County on Wednesday afternoon. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Floating Island Southeast of North Carolina installed a floating wetland garden in lakes at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and Belmont Golf Course on Wednesday to absorb harmful fertilizer runoff. The floating wetlands, which cost about $4,000 each, were funded by a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Fund fueled from sales of the license plates. Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA), May 16, 02:37 AM
| May 15--The youngest generation of drivers is pulling Americans away from cars and into a different future of transportation, according to a recent nationwide study. The "driving boom" -- a six-decade period of steady increases in per-capita driving in the United States -- is over, according to the U.S. Public Interest Research Group. The study was presented Tuesday on the edge of Colorado College campus by CoPIRG, the Colorado arm of the organization. Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO), May 15, 03:07 PM
| LAUDERDALE LAKES - The Broward County Housing Authority is about to invest $1.4 million to strengthen three of its multi-family rental communities to better withstand storms. Grant funding awarded by Broward County Housing Finance and Community Development Division in iate February will cover the cost of upgrades to the affordable properties of Highland Gardens, Park Ridge Court and College Gardens. Damage sustained during recent hurricane seasons made establishing a culture of preparedness one of Florida's highest priorities. South Florida Times (FL), May 16, 11:07 AM
| LAKE WYLIE, S.C. - Federal regulators say more than 100 gallons of water with traces of a radioactive hydrogen isotope have leaked at a nuclear power plant in South Carolina. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Wednesday the tritium leak at the Catawba Nuclear Station isn't an emergency, but precautions are being taken to make sure it doesn't reach groundwater. NRC spokesman Roger Hannah says the amount of tritium in the water is less than half the federal limit for safe drinking water. Associated Press/AP Online, May 15, 02:12 PM
| May 15--Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Wednesday that the commonwealth's newest six-year transportation projects plan included an additional $4 billion that will be generated by the comprehensive transportation funding package passed by the General Assembly in February. That includes $1.3 billion dedicated solely to the Hampton Roads region from additional local taxes generated in the area under provisions of the transportation plan. Specific Hampton Roads projects include improvements to 163 lane miles on portions of I-64 and I-264, with work scheduled to start in early 2014. Daily Press (Newport News, VA), May 15, 10:40 PM
| Atlanta businessman Ted Turner, a climate-change crusader, and Southern Co., the second-largest utility in the U.S. by market value, have found a common interest developing giant solar farms, mostly in southwestern U.S. deserts. As investment costs collapse, they have jointly purchased five projects to make Southern one of the largest U.S. utility owners of solar energy. Turner gains funding for his solar ambitions, while Atlanta- based Southern hedges against the risk of clean power biting into a business based largely on burning fossil fuels across its four- state region. Tulsa World, May 15, 10:51 AM
| May 15--East Contra Costa's bus line is considering increasing its fares for some of its longer bus routes with limited stop, along with cutting and changing several others that have a limited number of riders. Under the proposal, the single ride fare for Tri Delta Transit's routes 200 and 201, which go from the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART Station to the Martinez Amtrak and Concord BART Station, would increase from $2.00 to $2.50, and $.85 to $1.35 for seniors. "We're just trying to be efficient and align fares with the correct routes," said Steve Ponte, chief financial officer. Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA), May 15, 08:14 AM
| WOOSTER -- Kelly Riley, education specialist for Wayne Soil and Water Conservation District, held up a piece of plastic, a "super bag" capable of holding hundreds of pounds of plastic, and an indestructible piece of interlocking sidewalk, intriguingly linked to the other two items. Added all together they become a recycling mission for farmers and environmentalists. Three categories of plastic can be packed into "what we would call a super sack," Riley said, outlined on the brochure as all- white plastic, used in bale wrap; plastic that is black, black and white, mixed colors or clear, used in silage bags, bunker and bale covers, and high tunnels; and other kinds of plastic, used in items from plastic twine to grain bags. "Daily Record, The (Wooster, OH)", May 15, 08:10 AM
| May 15--Gov. John Hickenlooper must weigh whether to attempt to reduce the state's carbon dioxide emissions and consequently raise utility rates in rural Colorado during a recession and drought as he considers whether to sign Senate Bill 252. Hickenlooper, a Democrat who got his start as an oil and gas geologist, said last week he is mulling the bill that would require two rural-electric cooperatives to generate 20 percent of their energy from renewable sources such as wind and solar by 2020; the standard is now 10 percent. Scientists announced last week that carbon dioxide levels are the highest they've been in millions of years, coming in at an average daily measurement of 400 parts per million or .04 percent of the earth's air. Gazette (Colorado Springs, CO), May 15, 07:36 AM
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