The city of Cambridge is proposing a new transportation enhancement fund that would charge developments to fund upgrades Red Line’s Kendall/MIT Station or enhanced bus service.
Time Logan reports: "Cambridge is proposing to levy a new fee on real estate developers in Kendall Square to help pay for public transit improvements, a model that officials said could be adopted by the MBTA for the Green Line extension and other projects."
The proposal would create a transportation enhancement fund by collecting the fee inside the Kendall Square urban renewal zone. In effect, the fee captures value created by new transit investments, and asking developers benefitting from the new value to fund those investments.
The article goes into more detail about the preliminary discussions about creating the new fee, some of the bureaucrats that support it, and some of the developments that could be the first to test out the funding mechanism.
FULL STORY: Cambridge eyes new fees to help fund T projects
Tech Execs Call for More Public Transit Funding in the Boston Region
A Red Line train recently derailed on the T in Boston, providing the latest example of the need for drastic measures to course correct public transit in the region.
Somerville and Cambridge Offer Cash to Save Expensive Green Line Extension
The cities of Somerville and Cambridge are digging into their pockets to save the beleaguered Green Line extension project. State transportation officials could decide next week if the additional $75 million matters or not.
Cambridge Passes Zoning Reform
Developers can now build housing of up to six stories in the Massachusetts city.
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.
Why Should We Subsidize Public Transportation?
Many public transit agencies face financial stress due to rising costs, declining fare revenue, and declining subsidies. Transit advocates must provide a strong business case for increasing public transit funding.
Paris Bike Boom Leads to Steep Drop in Air Pollution
The French city’s air quality has improved dramatically in the past 20 years, coinciding with a growth in cycling.
Why Housing Costs More to Build in California Than in Texas
Hard costs like labor and materials combined with ‘soft’ costs such as permitting make building in the San Francisco Bay Area almost three times as costly as in Texas cities.
San Diego County Sees a Rise in Urban Coyotes
San Diego County experiences a rise in urban coyotes, as sightings become prevalent throughout its urban neighbourhoods and surrounding areas.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
City of Santa Clarita
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