Transit Planning

Sound Transit

Seattle Latest to Cut Transit Service for Lack of Drivers

Sound Transit service designers were hoping that March would be the month to restore service to the transit system in and around Seattle. A shortage of bus drivers is sending the system in the opposite direction.

March 4, 2022 - The Seattle Times

Denver Regional Transit

Underwhelming FasTracks Plan Inspires Transit History Lesson in Denver

FasTracks, one of the most ambitious long-term transit plans in the U.S., has been underway for over 15 years. With the finish line in sight, some locals wonder how useful the new hub-and-spoke system (regional routes connecting to downtown) will be.

February 28, 2022 - Denverite

A woman wears a mask during the Covid-19 pandemic in a large crowd at a transit station in New York City.

Stimulus Funds Not Enough to Guarantee Transit's Future in D.C. and L.A.

In statements that echo the alarm of March 2020, transit officials in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. recently announced plans to reduce transit service.

February 17, 2022 - James Brasuell

A map of a planned light rail line connecting Los Angeles to cities in the Southeast of the county.

$8.5 Billion, 19.3-Mile Light Rail Line Approved to Connect L.A. and Surrounding Cities

The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) has approved a plan to build a light rail route currently called the West Santa Ana Branch Project.

February 4, 2022 - Los Angeles Times

British Columbia

New Long-Term Plan for Vancouver Regional Transit Approved

A new 30-year transportation plan, focusing heavily on transit projects and active transportation linkages, was approved recently for the Vancouver, British Columbia region.

February 1, 2022 - TransLink

A Gold Line AnsaldoBreda P2550 train enters Mission Station in South Pasadena on February 25, 2012.

A New Transit Vision for Southern California's San Gabriel Valley

Light rail transit only recently arrived in its contemporary form to the San Gabriel Valley—first to Pasadena in 2003 before heading further east into the valley in 2016. The future of public transit modes in the region are still under negotiation.

January 31, 2022 - Streetsblog LA

ABQ Ride stop

Albuquerque Buses Go Fare-Free for 2022

Albuquerque is the largest U.S. city yet to offer free rides on its entire system of buses with a one-year pilot program that launched at the beginning of the year.

January 6, 2022 - Marketplace

New York City Subway

How Rail Transit Ridership Changed During the Pandemic

Almost all heavy rail transit stations lost riders in 2020, but some stations lost far fewer riders than others. The data reveals lessons for transit planning beyond the end of the pandemic (whenever that happens).

December 20, 2021 - Urban Institute

New York City Subway

New York MTA to Cap Weekly Transit Fares

Public transit agencies are getting creative in the effort to bring riders back to buses and trains.

December 15, 2021 - The New York Times

Downtown Austin with Lady Bird Lake in the foreground. Multiple bridges are crossing the lake and small personal water-crafts dot the water.

Light Rail and Buses and More, Oh My!

A light rail bridge proposed for Lady Bird Lake, still pre-design, is causing controversies about whether adding buses to the bridge would be too dangerous for the other non-automotive modes.

December 13, 2021 - KUT

A Metro Los Angeles bus driver is behind the wheel while wearing a mask.

Equity and Transit Go Hand in Hand for the Pandemic Recovery

Equity illuminates the light at the end of the tunnel for U.S. transit agencies, according to a recent report by the Urban Institute.

December 3, 2021 - Urban Institute

San Francisco, California

Once San Francisco's 'Grandest Boulevard,' Van Ness Almost Done With Another Makeover

The Van Ness Improvement project took almost two decades to cross the finish line, but it's almost there.

November 29, 2021 - San Francisco Chronicle

Rescue Bus

Driver Shortages and Service Reductions: The Crisis in Public Transit Continues

While transit systems around the country had reason to celebrate the new funding made available in the federal infrastructure bill, long-term concerns about operational capacity have not been resolved.

November 18, 2021 - Detroit Free Press

A busy street in Duluth, full of cars and buses.

New High-Frequency Bus Service Dubbed 'Go Lines' in Duluth

The city of Duluth's reimagined bus transit system will go into effect in Summer 2022 along green and blue "Go Lines."

November 4, 2021 - Duluth News Tribune

Ohio

Transit Funding Sales Tax Approved by Toledo-Area Voters

Toledo is one of the last corners of Ohio to approve a transit funding sales tax. In effect, voters committed to raise about twice as much as existing property levies currently generate for the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority.

November 3, 2021 - The Toledo Blade

public transit streetcar at Milwaukee Public Market, Third Ward Station in Downtown Milwaukee.

Second Bus Rapid Transit Line Planned for Milwaukee

The Milwaukee County Transit System could be adding a bus rapid transit line to the existing PurpleLine.

November 1, 2021 - Urban Milwaukee

View east along Maryland State Route 927 (Montrose Road) at Interstate 270 (Washington National Pike) in Potomac, Montgomery Cou

Study: Montgomery County Needs Dedicated Bus Lanes, Rail Extension

A report from Montgomery County planners prioritizes the need for a robust network of bus lanes and the extension of the Red Line to accommodate the region's growing population and reduce car trips and congestion.

October 28, 2021 - The Washington Post

Bus Priority Zones

Bus Lane Plans Continue Retreat in New York City—This Time it's Fifth Avenue

The de Blasio administration caved to the interests of a Manhattan real estate developer and shelved a plan to prioritize bus transit over private automobiles on one of the most famous corridors in the world.

October 26, 2021 - The New York Times

LaGuardia Airport

LaGuardia AirTrain, Pet Project of Ousted Governor, Paused by Successor

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has instructed the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to rethink the plan for the $2.1 billion LaGuardia AirTrain, a contentious plan championed by former Governor Andrew Cuomo.

October 13, 2021 - AMNY

Sound Transit Seattle

The Northgate Link Extension Is Great, But Voters Want More

A recent survey of Seattle voters finds widespread support for the continued expansion of the Link light rail system in Seattle.

October 3, 2021 - Seattle Transit Blog

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