Service has notably improved, but that hasn't been enough to boost ridership so far.
"Five months after the Maryland Transit Administration rerouted its entire Baltimore-area bus network, buses now arrive on time about 80 percent of the time, but ridership remains flat," reports the Baltimore Sun.
The $135 million bus system overhaul called BaltimoreLink has increased reliability by 9 percent, thanks in part to new bus-only lanes designed to help buses bypass gridlock downtown and traffic-light sensors that extend green lights and shorten red ones for them, among other measures.
BaltimoreLink has been controversial since it was first proposed by Maryland Governor Hogan in 2015 as an alternative to a major rail project. In the Sun, MTA Administrator Kevin Quinn stresses that it's too soon to assess the program's impacts, and suggests reevaluating in June 2018.
The Environmental Costs of Slow, Empty Buses
Flagging ridership on Metro buses in Los Angeles redoubles the need to speed buses up with dedicated lanes, hopefully recovering lost riders and finding some news ones along the way, too.
Baltimore Bus System Redesign Leaves Advocates Wanting More
A local bus and transit advocate pushes for more improvements to the Maryland Transit Administration's bus system in the city of Baltimore.
One-Year Later: Evaluating Baltimore's Overhauled Bus System
The $135 million BaltimoreLink bus system redesign launched in June 2017.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
San Diego to Rescind Multi-Unit ADU Rule
The city wants to close a loophole that allowed developers to build apartment buildings on single-family lots as ADUs.
Electric Vehicles for All? Study Finds Disparities in Access and Incentives
A new UCLA study finds that while California has made progress in electric vehicle adoption, disadvantaged communities remain underserved in EV incentives, ownership, and charging access, requiring targeted policy changes to advance equity.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research