Daily Archives: April 17, 2009

Campaign for a Walkable West Bluff

Update on Campaign for a Walkable West Bluff

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Campaign for a Walkable West Bluff logoI recently received this update in my inbox and wanted to share it with my readers:

It’s been awhile since our last update. The Campaign took some time after the Main Street traffic study results were released last Fall (and the subsequent city budget cuts were announced) to re-think and re-examine priorities. There are a few important announcements to communicate and some momentum to reclaim!

Please respond to the Main Street Retail Study Survey at http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/13a32g3c8be. It will take only a few minutes and will provide valuable information as the West Bluff continues to discuss redevelopment along the Main Street Corridor. Results MUST be completed by Tuesday, April 21, 2009.

Read the CWWB article in the April issue of IBI – InterBusiness Issues at http://www.peoriamagazines.com/ibi/2009/apr/walkable-urban-areas. We were pleased to be asked to submit for this issue.

Visit our website at http://www.walkablewestbluff.org for more updates, opportunities to volunteer, and some interesting blogging!

We hope you will continue to support the Campaign’s efforts as we move forward.

Campaign for a Walkable West Bluff

Many thanks to this grassroots organization for keeping up the effort to improve the West Bluff.

Amtrak, Transportation

President Obama, Vice President Biden, Secretary LaHood Call for U.S. High Speed Passenger Trains

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It looks like the United States is finally going to get serious about modernizing its train system. Here’s a press release I received yesterday:

Vision for a New Era in Rail Entails Clean, Energy-Efficient Option for Travelers

Thursday, April 16, 2009 (Washington, DC) — President Barack Obama, along with Vice President Biden and Secretary LaHood, announced a new U.S. push today to transform travel in America, creating high-speed rail lines from city to city, reducing dependence on cars and planes and spurring economic development.

The President released a strategic plan outlining his vision for high speed rail in America. The plan identifies $8 billion provided in the ARRA and $1 billion a year for five years requested in the federal budget as a down payment to jump-start a potential world-class passenger rail system and sets the direction of transportation policy for the future. The strategic plan will be followed by detailed guidance for state and local applicants. By late summer, the Federal Railroad Administration will begin awarding the first round of grants.

Additional funding for long-term planning and development is expected from legislation authorizing federal surface transportation programs.

The report formalizes the identification of ten high-speed rail corridors as potential recipients of federal funding. Those lines are: California, Pacific Northwest, South Central, Gulf Coast, Chicago Hub Network, Florida, Southeast, Keystone, Empire and Northern New England. Also, opportunities exist for the Northeast Corridor from Washington to Boston to compete for funds to improve the nation’s only existing high-speed rail service.

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