A new proposal would improve wait times for area buses and bring more households within walking distance to transit stops.

The board of the Regional Transit Authority (RTA), the agency that operates public transit in New Orleans and surrounding areas, is considering a "significant revamp to the region's public transportation network" to shorten wait times and provide more effective service for commuters. The New Links proposal, writes Jessica Williams for Nola.com, "hopes to strengthen interparish connections" and "get more riders to jobs in the region within 20 minutes."
Developed by the New Orleans Regional Planning Commission, the plan "recommends shifts to more than 40 bus and streetcar routes in the two parishes" to resolve slow arrivals, shorten headways to 15 or 20 minutes, and bring more households within half a mile of a transit stop. It also proposes a new transit hub on the vacant site of the former Lake Forest Plaza shopping mall.
The RTA was created in 1979 "to bridge gaps between Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany parishes," writes Williams, but "parish participation has always been optional, and only Orleans Parish and the city of Kenner signed up."
Funding for the project will be a chief concern, but the agency hopes to raise enough to make a significant impact for residents. "Under an '80% funded' scenario, 36% of residents would see a bus every 20 minutes," a significant improvement over current wait times, which can be 40 minutes or longer.
FULL STORY: How could public transit change in New Orleans? RTA set to consider new plan

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
The plan would reduce visitor accommodation by 25,% resulting in 1,900 jobs lost.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
How a preservation-based approach to redevelopment and urban design can prevent displacement and honor legacy communities.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Washington State Plans Ambitious ‘Cycle Highway’ Network
The state is directing funding to close gaps in its existing bike network and make long-distance trips more accessible.

Homeowners Blame PG&E for Delays in ADU Permits
The utility says it has dramatically reduced its backlog, but applicants say they still face months-long delays for approvals for new electrical work.

Rethinking Wildfire Defense: How a Landscape Approach Can Protect Neighborhoods
Post-fire analysis of the Eaton Fire reveals that a landscape approach — including fire-resistant vegetation, home hardening, and strategic planning — can help reduce wildfire risk, challenging assumptions that trees and plants are primary fire hazards.
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.
Borough of Carlisle
Caltrans
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland