Tacoma and US Transport News Roundup

Most of good news from this week has do to with future plans and yet more green-livable-communities-bike-streetcar-pedestrian funding from Congress.  The bad news is related mostly local funding concerns.

But first, some news that's admittedly kooky and off the rails:

Bike Sharing a sinister plot by the United Nations says Colorado gubernatorial candidate (San Francisco Gate)

"[Bike Sharing /B-Cycle] is bigger than it looks like on the surface, and it could threaten our personal freedoms," -Dan Maes

Seriously?

Good news

• The City of Tacoma wants public input in the design phase for "Prarie Line" bike trail (FeedTacoma.com, Tacoma Wheelman's Bicycle Club)
• U.S. Senate bill would fund $3.75 billion in grants for "Livable Communities", vote this month (Streetsblog)
• Amtrak's Coast Starlight (Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles) improves on-time performance and expands amenities (Seattle Transit Blog)
• TacomaUrbanist highlights the need for open transit data (for Walkscore.com, etc.)

Bad news

• Sound Transit's revenue forecasts continue to nosedive.
  The Pierce County sub-area forecast is down ~25%.
• Pierce Transit planning fare increase to $2.  Zone or Distance-based fare is still missing.

Did I miss anything?