America 2050 is planning a Community Sourcing Competition to visualize the future of America's communities and transportation systems. A "Slidecast" of our concept is provided below with audio narration. You can also download this proposal (2 Mb) to learn more about the effort.  

America 2050 hailed this week's high-speed rail announcement as the first step toward a sustained federal commitment to build a national high-speed rail network. But the skeptics at Fox Business had another take. Watch the clip.

"Transit is the key to equity..."

Blueprint America: Beyond the Motor City examines how Detroit, a symbol of America's diminishing status in the world, may come to represent the future of transportation and progress in America. The film, which features clips developed in partnership with America 2050 debuts nationally on PBS on February 8 at 10 pm (check local listings).

The special includes clips of a Chicago to Detroit high-speed rail journey produced by America 2050 and WNET -- a  prototype of how travel may be experienced in the future with  new transportation, energy and civic infrastructure.

Also featured is a research paper commissioned by America 2050 from Professor Robert Fishman, 1808 - 1908 - 2008: National Planning for America, in which Fishman relates the history of national planning in America.

America 2050 Director Petra Todorovich discusses how the New York region may fare in a jobs bill being considered by President Obama and Congress and the importance of fully funding the New York MTA's five-year capital plan.

America 2050 Director, Petra Todorovich discusses using stimulus dollars for high-speed rail with Stuart Varney on Fox Business News.

Read America 2050's recent report, Where High-Speed Rail Works Best and recent testimony on high-speed rail to the House of Representatives here.

Mayor Pat McCrory of Charlotte, North Carolina provides a compelling description of why megaregions are important.

The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation today announced a grant of $400,000 over three years to Regional Plan Association for wildlife conservation in the Northeast Megaregion as part of the America 2050 initiative. The funds will be applied to a new project to improve the integration of nature conservation with land use planning and infrastructure investments in 13 states across the Northeast, from Maine to Virginia. This marks the first effort to coordinate regional landscape conservation at the megaregion scale, mirroring similar large-scale efforts focused on transportation planning and advocacy that are underway in the Northeast Megaregion.

Read the news release

As you read this, Congress is working on the new transportation bill, released just two days ago. It's a good start, but as the bill stands today, it leaves out something crucial: Clear national priorities.

With Congress moving quickly on transportation, America 2050 is joining Transportation for America's national call-in day today to go the extra mile to make sure that Congress gets the message.

We have invited all America 2050 supporters to join the national call-in day by calling your representative's office on Wednesday, June 24. It will make a real difference, and it only takes about one minute. Read how after the jump.