Commuter Rail

Chicago Train Station

Metra North Central Service Line Riders Push for More Service

A new report imagines more robust service on one of Metra's regional commuter lines in Chicago.

June 12, 2020 - Streetsblog Chicago

New York Subway

New York MTA Seeks Federal Funding Relief as Ridership Plummets

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority has seen significant ridership drops due to the coronavirus. The agency is asking Congress for $4 billion to help it through the crisis.

March 23, 2020 - The New York Times

Rock Island Line

Opinion: Improved Commuter Rail Services Would Better Serve Chicago’s South Side Residents

The city’s South Side residents need more transit options, but an extension of the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line would be a costly and less effective alternative.

February 23, 2020 - Chicago Tribune

Metrolinx Transit

Less Free Parking for Transit Commuters in Southern Ontario

Transit planners in the region around Toronto are planning a "parking modernization" program that will charge for parking at GO stations and hope to provide new ways to access the system—without a car.

January 22, 2020 - The Globe and Mail

Interstate Research Triangle Park North Carolina

Research Triangle Commuter Rail Studied

A 37-mile commuter rail line under study in North Carolina could connect cities Raleigh, Cary, and Durham in North Carolina, but the system will cost a pretty penny, and it will have to succeed where light rail previously failed.

January 15, 2020 - The News & Observer

Union Station

Plan Would Shift High-Speed Rail Funds to Burbank-Anaheim Commuter Corridor

Improvements to the commuter rail connections between Los Angeles and Orange counties are among the possibilities for the future of rail planning in California as uncertainty about high-speed rail continues.

October 26, 2019 - Los Angeles Times

Sound Transit

Seattle Fare Enforcement Disproportionately Punishes Blacks, Data Show

Sound Transit says its fare enforcement system is design to be unbiased, but analysis about fare evader data indicates disparities.

October 11, 2019 - The Seattle Times

Rock Island Line

Another New Commuter Rail Station for Chicago's South Side Transit Deserts

A South Side Chicago neighborhood with a history of neglect and disinvestment will soon be adding a new train station on the regional commuter system.

October 2, 2019 - Chicago Tribune

Metro-North Railroad

New York MTA Looks to Suburban TODs as Funding Source

The agency is selling land outside of the city on a commuter rail line in a move that could become more common as a revenue-generating strategy.

August 28, 2019 - CityLab

Union Station

Southern California's Metrolink Defies Declining Ridership Trends

Primarily serving commuters in the Greater Los Angeles metro area, Metrolink just attained the highest annual ridership in its 27-year existence. Officials chalk up the increase to a significant investment in marketing.

August 22, 2019 - Urbanize LA

Regional Transit

S.F. Bay Area's Caltrain Proposes Major Expansion

The agency wants to increase service and extend its infrastructure to move Caltrain from a commuter rail system to an integrated urban transit network.

August 8, 2019 - The Mercury News

Commuter Train

Study: Good Access to Transit Attracts Startups

Startups are increasingly abandoning the suburban office park to try their luck in denser urban cores. According to this study, good transit is one factor behind that trend. But it's not the only one.

August 8, 2019 - CityLab

Metro-North Railroad

Op-Ed: Toll Revenues Could Fix Aging New York-Connecticut Rail Connection

Rather than bonds, an op-ed makes the case for electronic tolls to pay for improvements to commuter rail lines between New York City and Connecticut.

May 31, 2019 - Connecticut Post

Denver Union Station

G-Line Commuter Rail Opens Today, Connecting Denver to Suburbs

A new commuter line is open today in Denver, after facing challenges and delays that continue to plague other previously opened rail lines in the region.

April 26, 2019 - The Denver Post

Chicago Commuter Rail

New Policy Would Likely Close Commuter Rail Stations on the South Side of Chicago

A new station evaluation policy, expected for adoption by the Metra Board of Directors in May, would make it easier to shut down "underperforming" stations.

April 19, 2019 - Streetsblog Chicago

Delayed Opening for TEXRail Blamed on Federal Shutdown

Trinity Metro ended up delaying the opening of the new TexRail line for five days—from Saturday, January 5, until Thursday, January 10.

January 9, 2019 - Fort Worth Star-Telegram

San Francisco Muni Buses

In Cities, Transit Isn’t Just for Commuting

A closer look at commuting and ridership shows the differences between urban and suburban transit patterns.

December 28, 2018 - Pedestrian Observations

MARTA Trains

Commuter Rail, Bus Rapid Transit Plans Approved for Atlanta Region

Approval of two plans to bring new transit modes to the Atlanta region, reaching into the suburbs, mark a turning point in the transit history of the Southeast.

December 10, 2018 - The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Commuter Rail

Boston Region Looking for Commuter Rail Fixes

The North-South Rail Link has been under discussion in the Boston region for Decades now. A new 'Rail Vision' process continues the discussion again.

December 4, 2018 - Sentinel & Enterprise News

Dutch Fyra Train

Federal Railroad Administration Clears the Way for the Modern Era of Train Technology

New rules adopted by the Federal Railroad Administration will make it easier for commuter rail and inter-city rail systems to operate cheaper and more efficient trains.

November 27, 2018 - Streetsblog USA

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.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.