Cities can expand transit service areas by providing convenient access by bike.
"The trouble with light rail and subway, some say, is that it only serves a small area around each station, and that vast areas can be left to dependence on cars. Planners consider mass transit service areas around light rail stations and subway stops to be about 1/4 mile - any farther and you'll see significantly diminishing interest in making the trek.
But that's for walking - and not biking.
A Rails to Trails Conservancy report from earlier this year addresses this very issue, noting that 'bicycling in particular has great potential to allow more people to access public transportation conveniently. Accessing public
transportation by bicycle can shorten travel times significantly. Because bicyclists travel about four times as fast as pedestrians, convenient access by bicycle can increase the geographic area served by one transit station 16-fold.'"
The article describes how places such as Minneapolis and Dallas are expanding transit service areas through trails.
FULL STORY: Trails and Transit: a Practical Combination
Transit, or Schools?
Atlanta school leaders consider renegotiating a Tax Allocation District (TAD) agreement that was set up to help fund projects such as the Beltline, a 22-mile loop of transit, trails, parks and development around the city.
Public and Private Collaboration Advances Park Development in Houston
Houston may be known to some as a concrete jungle, but its greenspaces continue to expand thanks to combined support from the public, private, and philanthropic sectors.
After the Fires: Challenges and Efforts to Heal LA’s Parks and Trails
The recent LA wildfires have devastated parks and trails, with recovery efforts requiring extended closures, collaborative restoration plans, and community support to address extensive damage and long-term risks like landslides.
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.
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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