ASC's Intersections Newsletter — August 15, 2025
Nora’s Note
Big news out of Penn Station: When Amtrak’s fastest train ever launches August 28, riders out of Penn Station will enjoy an enhanced travel experience—faster, at speeds of up to 160 mph, with improved accessibility, redesigned interiors, 5G-enabled Wi-Fi, and an updated café car. This rollout is part of a broader investment in sustainable, future-forward infrastructure at a time when low-emissions transportation alternatives are more critical than ever. The new Acela demonstrates Amtrak’s commitment to innovation and customer service and underscores the essential role rail plays in a more resilient transportation network. At ASC, we’re proud to support Amtrak’s commitment to modernizing infrastructure, improving reliability, and engaging communities – from public outreach to stakeholder coordination, our work helps amplify the voices of riders, communities, and local leaders as the future of rail takes shape. As trains get faster, smoother, and more efficient, so does the conversation around what’s possible in American transit. We’re thrilled to be a part of it.
Transportation
34th Street busway gets another go as part of larger Midtown rezoning plan. NYC officials have revived a proposed 34th Street busway project in Midtown Manhattan after it was allegedly suspended last month. The busway, which would restrict private traffic and increase bus speeds by up to 15%, was approved as part of a larger rezoning plan to create nearly 10,000 new homes in the area. The project, similar to the successful 14th Street busway, still needs full City Council approval. Read more about how the busway will transform Midtown transportation. (Source: AMNY)
Gothamist: JFK is adding more truck parking. It could mean fewer big rigs on Queens streets
Streetsblog: A crucial course correction shows the MTA is thinking big for the IBX
Mass Transit Magazine: Roseville Transit deploys first electric bus in zero-emissions transition
Climate
Lorain Public Library’s orchard expansion empowers youth climate action in Ohio. The South Lorain Branch will plant 15 fruit trees this September, boosting its urban farm with a grant from the Youth Climate Action Fund supported by Oberlin’s Climate Action Plan. The project teaches local students about food sustainability and environmental stewardship. Read more to discover how youth-led programs are transforming the community landscape. (Source: Cleveland.com)
Canary Media: San Francisco fast-tracks all-electric standard for major renovations
Happy Eco News: First solar-powered steel mill to operate in California desert
Inside Climate News: Kids in Pennsylvania are breathing (much) easier after a coal plant shuttered
Economic Development
New affordable and supportive housing has officially opened in Far Rockaway, Oceanside offering much-needed relief for low‑income New Yorkers. The $100 million, eight‑story Robert C. Wood Apartments includes 147 permanently affordable units—125 studios (88 reserved for formerly homeless individuals), nine one‑bedrooms and 13 two‑bedrooms, plus a 100‑bed shelter for single women. Read more to explore the building’s thoughtful amenities and financing structure. For background on similar efforts, see an overview of an affordable housing project topping out nearby here, and learn how the design won a sustainability award at this project’s completion here. (Source: Harlem World)
Smart Cities Dive: AI could cut disaster infrastructure losses by 15%, new research finds
Wall Street Journal: How an NYC suburb is actually managing to bring rents down
SI Live: NYC touts Staten Island projects as part of ‘groundbreaking’ environmental initiatives
Digital
The Mayo Clinic is accelerating its transformation with artificial intelligence, aiming to redefine care by dramatically boosting analytical power in neurology and cardiology. Its AI tool StateViewer now enables clinicians to interpret brain PET scans in half the time and with up to three times the accuracy, and nearly 100 other algorithms—some powered by the health system’s new Nvidia‑based supercomputing cluster—are already deployed or in development. Read more to see how these breakthroughs are reshaping diagnostics and workflow at the clinic. (Source: GovTech)
Route Fifty: Quality digital solutions can build public trust, report finds
Forbes: Physical AI is moving things
Cape News: Digital equity series kicks off at UCT August 14
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