Public Transit

This piece from The Nation looks at the prospect of transit in America, what a renewed nationwide system could accomplish, and what it would take to achieve politically.

February 5, 2009 - The Nation

Toronto, a land of cheap gas and unclear traffic reduction policies, has a long way to go in improving public transit, according to one architect. But designers are making progress as they make city's new subway stations as enticing as possible.

February 4, 2009 - Toronto Star

Mixed communication, contested railway lines and the collision of local, state and federal entities has put the future of Atlanta's Beltline greenspace and transit project.

February 4, 2009 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The city of Toronto is considering a plan to fast-track the construction of a new downtown subway line.

February 2, 2009 - The National Post

The Honolulu City Council has agreed to slightly re-work the route of the region's recently-approved light rail system to connect with Honolulu International Airport -- a move that has angered some residents.

February 1, 2009 - Honolulu Star-Bulletin

Transit officials in Eugene, Oregon, have announced plans to install a test route for a magnet-guided bus technology.

January 31, 2009 - The Register-Guard

Traffic is a nightmare in Cali, Colombia, the Latin American country's third-largest city. But a massive redesign is taking place, with German transit efficiency guiding the way.

January 30, 2009 - Der Spiegel

Boise's degrading air quality and the fear it may lead to a loss in federal transportation funding is causing local governments to improve public transit options to get commuters out of their cars. The alternative, smog testing of cars, is resisted.

January 24, 2009 - The New York Times

Hopes are fading from transit enthusiasts who wanted to see high speed rail and public transit profit from Obama's stimulus package. Even the road lobby is disappointed that infrastructure will get less than tax cuts and state bail-outs.

January 22, 2009 - The New York Times

The city of Chicago has missed a deadline to approve a pending parking fee ordinance that would have helped the city qualify for $153 million in federal grant money.

January 12, 2009 - Crain's Chicago Business

Creating transit, and planning around it, will be the key to success for metro areas, according to a new report from New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

January 11, 2009 - Citiwire

As a new light rail system begins operation in Phoenix, Atlanta residents look on with envy. Some worry that the lack of viable public transit in Atlanta threatens the city's competitiveness.

January 3, 2009 - Atlanta Journal-Constitution

A local leader in the suburban Maryland/Washington DC area proposes aggressive use of "rapid buses" in dedicated lanes to accommodate growth, like other jurisdictions in the U.S.

December 14, 2008 - Washington Post

A major financier of Washington D.C.'s Metro system has agreed to give the transit system an extra 10 days to collect more than $40 million from the troubled system, complying with a judge's ruling that forcing Metro to pay could cause great harm.

November 2, 2008 - The Washington Post

Metro and 30 other transit agencies across the country may have to pay billions of dollars to large banks as years-old financing deals unravel, potentially hurting service for millions of bus and train riders, transit officials said yesterday.

October 28, 2008 - Washington Post

This column looks at the NIMBY-minded attitude of one couple that has been fighting to prevent a bus line from coming into their neighborhood.

October 21, 2008 - The Toronto Star

Northern California planner and lawyer Joel Ellinwood has committed himself to riding trains and public transit whenever possible. He's learning a lot along the way.

October 12, 2008 - California Planning & Development Report

Since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, public transit in New Orleans has struggled to rebound. With few riders, service expansions can't be justified. But with diminished service, fewer view transit as a viable option.

October 5, 2008 - Next American City

Unlike the public transit systems of many other cities, Rochester, New York, recently lowered its fares -- and they've got a budget surplus to boot. But to maintain this economic rarity, service has been reduced.

September 22, 2008 - Nate Berg

I often hear debates over the costs of different modes of transportation, particularly between driving and public transit travel. Rising fuel prices have made public transit more attractive for some trips, boosting ridership, but critics point out that for most trips, transit fares are still comparable with fuel costs (for example, at $4 a gallon, fuel costs about $2 for a typical 10-mile trip, comparable to a bus fare in a typical city), and generally take longer. It is therefore legitimate to ask whether public transit really saves money.

September 15, 2008 - Todd Litman