The city ranks low for transit access to jobs, limiting opportunities for local workers and businesses.
Limited transit operating schedules in Memphis, Tennessee are hampering the city’s economic development, writes Zaneta Lowe in a piece for WREG. Local business owners say the limited bus service offered by the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) means their employees have to work fewer hours, for example.
As Lowe notes, “50 percent of MATA’s riders use it to get to work, according to a report from a consulting firm the city hired to audit MATA’s operations.” Consequently, Memphis ranked next to last among peer cities in a 2021 analysis of job access.
Beverly Robertson, former President and CEO of the Greater Memphis Chamber, says boosting local businesses calls for a transit operating model that involves government, community, and business leaders to ensure it offers reliable, effective service.
FULL STORY: MATA’S Missteps: Economic impact of transit troubles
DC Improving Transit Equity
The Transit Equity Dashboard reveals a more marked improvement in transit access in the District of Columbia than in other metro areas.
Opinion: Free Transit Has Proven Itself
Eliminating transit fares can have benefits that ripple across a local economy and improve livelihoods.
Less Than Half of Head Start Centers Near Transit
Just 42 percent of the nation’s Head Start early education centers are within walkable distance for parents with toddlers.
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