Rail Redux – Part 2
Is a rail resurgence just around the corner? There are some positive signs, as rail-related projects are being planned and implemented across the country.
A Year in America
In this series starting in Fall 2013, you’ll find postings from three different parts of the country: Glenwood Springs, Colorado; Sartell, Minnesota; and North Carolina’s Triangle region.
— August 22, 2014 update: we’ve now completed the series. Our thanks to Kathy Trauger, Anita Rasmussen, and Deepa Sanyal for their excellent contributions.
Most Recent Articles
Rail Redux – Part 1
Deepa Sanyal considers the value rail stations hold to communities, and offers a glimpse of some exciting rail-related development projects in the works.
Is Transit the Answer for Congestion?
As part of our Year in America series, Deepa Sanyal has looked at several planning issues facing North Carolina’s Triangle issue. In her next to last installment, she focuses on the issue of when transit works best.
More than Just a Bridge
Almost all of our communities face major infrastructure projects, whether a new highway, sewer treatment plant, or, in the case of Glenwood Springs, a new bridge. A look at how the process worked in this small Colorado city.
Coming Full Circle
Antia Rasmussen concludes her series of articles on the small city of Sartell, Minnesota, with an update on “Old Blue” and a report about her encounter with some thoughtful fourth graders.
Is Your Planning Process Strangling Economic Development and Growth?
When the approval process becomes too onerous and complex for applicants, especially those with limited resources.
Why Planning Directors Need Brutal Honesty From Their Planning Commissions
Planning commissioners and elected officials often need have awkward and difficult discussions about land use issues. It is essential that decision makers candidly express their thoughts and ideas to planning staff.
Chatham Park: A Big Development Proposed for a Small Town
Deepa Sanyal provides an overview of a “mega project” she’s been tracking, located just 20 to 25 miles southwest of the cities of Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, and the huge Research Triangle Park.
At the Confluence
Confluence: a place where two rivers or streams join to become one | a situation in which two things come together or happen at the same time.
Preparing for a New Owner: Who Would Buy a 100 Year Old Paper Mill?
The City of Sartell takes steps towards redevelopment of the badly damaged paper mill property, while requiring compliance with an interim use permit and state environmental review.
The Memorial Day Explosion: Picking Up and Moving On
Anita Rasmussen continues her three-part post about the Sartell paper mill with an account of the tragic Memorial Day explosion — and how the planning department and commission responded.
The Death of a Historic Community Icon
For one hundred years a paper mill has been woven into the fabric of life of a small Minnesota city — employing generations of local residents. But industry trends do not bode well.
Conflict in Protecting Water Values in North Carolina’s Triangle
A look at some of the issues facing communities trying to protect water quality in North Carolina’s Triangle region — and some of the challenges they’re facing, as well as creative solutions being explored.
