The system’s 2024 performance is on track for its fastest growth since the pandemic.

The New York City subway system hit one billion rides for the year, a good sign for a public transit system in an era when ridership continues to lag after pandemic-related disruptions.
According to an article by Ben Brachfeld in the Bronx Times, “September was the first month since the pandemic when average weekday ridership on the subway was over 4 million, a feat which was repeated in October.”
The MTA selected one passenger, Michael Carrasquillo, as the symbolic “billionth rider,” awarding him a month of free rides.
Brachfeld notes that “The subway has still not fully recovered from the pandemic days, when ridership plummeted as New Yorkers were told to stay home and stop the spread of the coronavirus. The MTA has blamed this on the normalization of working from home, even as auto traffic over MTA bridges and tunnels regularly exceeds pre-pandemic figures.”
FULL STORY: NYC Subway hits 1 billion riders in 2024, on track for a post-pandemic record pace

Study: Maui’s Plan to Convert Vacation Rentals to Long-Term Housing Could Cause Nearly $1 Billion Economic Loss
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Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
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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.

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Homeowners Blame PG&E for Delays in ADU Permits
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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.
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