Consolidation

New All-Affordable Zone Proposed for L.A.’s Skid Row
A Los Angeles Times editorial argues that Skid Row’s future should learn from the mistakes of the past.

Stop Thinning Underway in St. Louis
Metro Transit recently announced its plans to remove or relocate 450 bus stops systemwide in St. Louis city and county. After adjusting that number to 370 bus stops, the work of consolidating bus stops is underway.

Speeding Up Trips on the Canal Street Streetcar in New Orleans
Big changes are in store for one of the busiest transit lines in New Orleans.
County Gas Taxes at Work in Florida
The Jacksonville City Council's decision in 2014 to renew a six-cents county gas tax is paying big dividends for road construction in Duvall County, Florida. Every county in Florida has a gas tax from five cents to a maximum 11.9 cents per gallon.

Public Transit Must Evolve to Survive
Ride hailing apps have changed the way people travel. Though public transit may lose ridership to these services, transit should also learn from technological advancements and use those insights to improve transit service.

Georgia Looking to Consolidate Regional Transit Agencies
The carrot at the end of a possible re-organization of the state of Georgia's regional transportation agencies would come in the shape of state funding for transit.

Akron Putting Finishing Touches on Bus System Overhaul
Akron Metro RTA recently announced the details of an overhaul of its bus system—the reorganization will affect every one of the system's 36 fixed bus routes.
District DOT Considering Stop Consolidation to Speed Up Transit
The tough task of removing bus stops to speed up travel times is on the table in Washington, D.C.
Portland to Test Stop Thinning to Speed Up Streetcars
Responding to the leading complaint about the Portland Streetcar—that they move too slow to be useful compared to other modes—service will temporarily make fewer stops along routes in the Pearl District and Downtown.

Metros Seek Balance Between Fragmentation and Amalgamation
As the world's cities grow ever larger, local governments constantly ask themselves which is better: amalgamating into one metro-wide government, or maintaining autonomy among fragmented jurisdictions? The answer remains unclear.
Proposed Planning and Development Reorganization Stalls in Philadelphia
A drastic overhaul of the planning and development processes in Philadelphia is, at least for now, on hold so stakeholders can have more time to analyze the proposal.
New Philadelphia Department of Planning and Development Proposed
Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke will release the details of a proposal to consolidate planning and development approval authority into a new, cabinet-level city department.
What Will It Take to Move Detroit's Holdout Homeowners?
Marooned in an ocean of crumbling homes, declining city services, stray dogs, and crime, as many as 10,000 Detroiters live in areas that are unlikely to rebound. What incentives can the city devise to get them to relocate?
Will L.A. Put the Brakes on Planning Department Consolidation?
Two Los Angeles councilmen have introduced a measure seeking to delay implementation of one of former Mayor Villaraigosa's last major initiatives - the merging of the city's Planning and Building & Safety departments.

Are Corporations Imperiling America's Public Transportation Systems?
Chris Hedges warns that corporate consolidation of public transportation is leading to increasingly dangerous conditions for both drivers and passengers, especially in intercity bus systems.
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