SouthWest Transit, amidst a period of increased ridership, has added new express routes, new buses, and even a new bike-share program. Motivating the agency, in part at least, for are the changes due if and when light rail arrives to the suburbs.
"Ridership on SouthWest Transit buses is up 11 percent from January to June, and the award-winning transit agency wants to keep the streak going."
"In February, SouthWest launched express service from Eden Prairie to Target’s Brooklyn Park headquarters, and this spring it debuted a new bike-sharing program that allows riders to leave their cars at home and pedal to and from its transit stations. Unlike Nice Ride Minnesota, users get to keep the bikes for the entire summer season, not just 60 minutes at a time. Later in the month the transit agency’s first double-decker bus will hit the streets, and come fall it will offer express service to both Vikings and University of Minnesota football games. Its current fleet of motor coaches will be updated with new seats, higher quality flooring and better lighting."
FULL STORY: The Drive: SouthWest Transit adds bikes, local routes
Two Years In, a Look at the Twin Cities Fare Discount Program
In 2017, Metro Transit in the Twin Cities raised fares but also started a program for low-income riders to help ease the burden of travel costs.
Around the Country, Cities Face Bus Driver Shortages
Cities like St. Louis, Denver, and Minneapolis have have fewer bus drivers than the transit system requires. The shortages are effecting the quality of service.
Suburban Bike Share Reaches Across Town Borders
In smaller towns in the greater Boston area, communities are offering bike share that crosses town borders.
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.
Ratepayers Could Be on the Hook for Data Centers’ Energy Use
Without regulatory changes, data centers’ high demand for energy would be subsidized by taxpayers, according to a new study.
City Nature Challenge: Explore, Document, and Protect Urban Biodiversity
The City Nature Challenge is a global community science event where participants use the iNaturalist app to document urban biodiversity, contributing valuable data to support conservation and scientific research.
A Lone Voice for Climate: How The Wild Robot Stands Apart in Hollywood
Among this year’s Oscar-nominated films, only The Wild Robot passed the Climate Reality Check, a test measuring climate change representation in storytelling, highlighting the ongoing lack of climate awareness in mainstream Hollywood films.
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.
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