skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Monday, April 28, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump touts immigration crackdown despite concerns about due process; NY faces potential impacts from federal vote on emissions standards; ND Tribes can elevate tourism game with new grants; WA youth support money for Medicaid, not war.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Major shifts in environmental protections, immigration enforcement, civil rights as Trump administration reshapes government priorities. Rural residents and advocates for LGBTQ youth say they're worried about losing services.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Migration to rural America increased for the fourth year, technological gaps handicap rural hospitals and erode patient care, and doctors are needed to keep the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians healthy and align with spiritual principles.

Public Input Needed for AZ's Long-Range Transportation Plan

play audio
Play

Wednesday, March 8, 2023   

The Arizona Department of Transportation wants to hear from people across the state as it looks to set priorities for the state's 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan.

The Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund said the state plan should reflect the needs of all Arizonans, no matter where they live.

Diane Brown, executive director of the group, said there has been a clear need to increase features like bike lanes and walking paths, and also to improve public transit options. Brown thinks the goal should be to have transportation choices to help Arizonans save money, improve air quality and take public health impacts into account.

"The transportation system needs to significantly incorporate active transportation such as walking and biking along with public transit to provide Arizonans options," Brown asserted.

Brown added while Arizonans have expressed a desire for more public transit and alternate modes of transportation, it is unclear what the department is doing to help achieve such goals. According to the agency, 85% of people in the state travel by car, and fewer than 2% use public transit. The schedule includes a virtual meeting on March 9 at 6 p.m.

The 2050 Long-Range Transportation Plan is not project-specific, but sets goals to guide the agency's transportation investments for years to come. The current plan focuses primarily on preserving and maintaining the state's current highway system.

Brown countered policymakers should invest in a transportation infrastructure which looks ahead to future needs, especially as the state faces continued water, climate and social equity challenges.

"ADOT recognizes Arizona's population is projected to increase and with it, Arizonans can expect further strain on our water resources and impacts to our climate," Brown pointed out.

Brown's group said the state's willingness to expand highways to alleviate congestion will help in the initial years, but not over time. According to the department, Pinal County is expected to see a big population jump by 2025, and together, Maricopa, Pima and Pinal counties will hold nearly 85% of the state's population.

Disclosure: The Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy and Priorities, Consumer Issues, Energy Policy, and Urban Planning/Transportation. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
The United States has announced investments of more than $150 billion in electric vehicle manufacturing and charging infrastructure since 2021, contributing to a 40% increase in EV sales in 2022, according to the Department of Energy. (Adobe Stock)

play sound

Congress is preparing to vote Wednesday on whether to roll back Ohio's authority to set tougher vehicle emissions standards. New research from …


Environment

play sound

Members of a Texas House committee this week will consider a bill that would limit the number of permits farmers must have to participate at farmers m…

Social Issues

play sound

Anyone who uses a cell phone or laptop shares hundreds of personal data points, and a New Mexico advocacy group wants that information better …


The Government Accountability Office report found the waivers for the emissions standards don't count as a regulatory rule that falls under congressional authority. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

Lawmakers in the U.S. House will vote on a bill this week affecting Virginia's ability to create stronger emissions standards for vehicles and trucks…

Social Issues

play sound

Jude Bruno, president-elect of the Florida Parent Teacher Association, is leading a charge against two controversial education bills which would …

Medi-Cal pays for a range of health services in schools, including aides and equipment for disabled students. (Ermolaev Alexandr/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Medicaid is in the crosshairs, as Republicans in Congress are expected to lay out proposals in May to cut $1.5 trillion from the federal budget…

Social Issues

play sound

President Donald Trump has repeatedly called the arrival of immigrants an invasion and has invoked the Alien Enemies Act to expedite their removal…

Health and Wellness

play sound

Budding flowers, warmer temperatures and longer days are welcome signs to many in Maryland after the long, dark months of winter. Some people might …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021