Bus lanes built and policed by the city of San Francisco will be open to private transit buses. Sue Vaughan argues that's a mistake.

San Francisco is getting a lot of new bus lanes to speed up transit, but now the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency says those lanes will be open to any vehicles that fits the California Vehicle Code definition of a bus. "That means casino buses, tour buses, Chariots, and tech shuttle buses and others would all be able to compete with Muni for lane space," Sue Vaughan explains in an opinion piece for the San Francisco Examiner.
Vaughn argues that this expansion of those who can use the bus lane betrays the voters and activists who got them put in place. The Proposition K sales tax was a contentious bill, and, Vaughn argues, those supporting it were willing to pay the tax and give up street parking for transit, not to subsidize wealthy companies like Google and Apple to run shuttles down San Francisco.
FULL STORY: Private transit does not belong in dedicated bus lanes

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

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.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Waymo Gets Permission to Map SF’s Market Street
If allowed to operate on the traffic-restricted street, Waymo’s autonomous taxis would have a leg up over ride-hailing competitors — and counter the city’s efforts to grow bike and pedestrian on the thoroughfare.

Parklet Symposium Highlights the Success of Shared Spaces
Parklets got a boost during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the concept was translated to outdoor dining programs that offered restaurants a lifeline during the shutdown.

Federal Homelessness Agency Places Entire Staff on Leave
The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness is the only federal agency dedicated to preventing and ending homelessness.
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.
Caltrans
Smith Gee Studio
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service