Government / Politics

Bus Transit Still Faces Social Stigma
Improving headways and making service more reliable can help reduce the negative public image faced by urban bus transit.

Opinion: Philly's Regional Transit Needs More Funding
The region's planning commission is pouring billions into highway widening projects while neglecting its public transit needs.

Scooter Laws That Could Also Apply to Drivers
E-scooters are governed by hundreds of regulations aimed at improving the safety of riders and pedestrians. Is it time to apply them to cars, too?

Report: D.C. Housing Too Decentralized
Over the last three decades, the D.C. region has seen the most development in far-flung exurbs disconnected from area jobs and transit networks.

Centering Non-Drivers Would Improve Infrastructure for All
Inadequate infrastructure disproportionately harms people with mobility challenges who can't or don't drive, but their needs closely mirror those of all pedestrians.

The Limits of Citywide Upzoning
A study shows zoning reform isn't a silver bullet for the housing crisis. In some low-income and BIPOC neighborhoods, it could 'cause more harm than good.'

Texas Ends Contract With Toll Road Operator
Citing "lackluster service," the department will be seeking a new technology provider.

These Tampa Projects Could Benefit From the Federal Infrastructure Bill
The city's aging streetcar line and historic Cass Street Bridge are among projects that could receive federal funding if Congress passes the current infrastructure package.

Can Houston Rein In Its Famous Sprawl?
The city's unabated growth has made it a bustling hub of industry and commerce, but can it sustain its unmitigated outward sprawl?

Where Did the Federal Transit Funding Go?
The final infrastructure deal cutting by more than half the transit funding proposed in the American Jobs Plan.

What is Public Housing?
Born out of the progressive ideals of the New Deal and a desire to improve the standard of living in poor urban neighborhoods, American public housing has taken several forms as political opinion about subsidized housing shifts.

Florida Judge Rules That Governor Overstepped Authority in Banning School Mask Mandates
A group of parents won the first round on Aug. 27 in a state circuit court in a dispute with the governor and state education agencies over the ability of school boards to require all students to wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Supreme Court Strikes Down Federal Eviction Moratorium
The majority opinion claims the CDC overstepped its authority and calls for congressional approval of any further eviction moratoriums.

California Assembly Advances Statewide Upzoning Bill
California's Senate Bill 9 would allow up to four housing units on lots traditionally zoned for single-family homes, paving the way for more 'gentle density.'

Rents Rise in New York City Even as Eviction Crisis Mounts
Although many tenants are still waiting for rental assistance funds to avoid eviction, rents are rising steadily in the city's wealthiest boroughs.

Louisiana's Health Care System on Brink of Collapse
We've been here many times before in the pandemic, but without the benefit of a vaccine. Gov. John Bel Edwards, one of a few governors to mandate mask-wearing indoors, warns of a collapse of the health care system, but also rules out restrictions.

Subsidizing High-End Housing for Middle-Class Renters
Using joint power authorities, local governments can purchase luxury buildings, avoid property taxes, and offer lower rents for qualifying tenants.

How the Environmental Review Process Privileges Highway Construction Over Transit
U.S. transit projects have a much harder time getting environmental approval than road projects, perpetuating the dominance of cars in U.S. transportation policy.

D.C. Transit Implementing Major Changes, Hopes to Boost Ridership
Flat fares, reduced wait times, and extended late-night service are all part of a package of changes meant to bring riders back and adjust to post-pandemic travel patterns.

California Judge Renders Gig Worker Law Unenforceable
A judge ruled against California's Proposition 22, which let ride-hailing and delivery businesses classify workers as independent contractors and discouraged unionization efforts.
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