Massachusetts

Zoning Reform Gets Another Try as Massachusetts Wrestles With Housing Crunch
Strong support for local control has made statewide legislation to address the housing affordability crisis difficult to approve in the Bay State.

Mapping the Microcosms of Segregation
A new analysis of inequality looks at where people go and how they spend their time.

A Twitter Account for Your Transit Mood
A Twitter account is broadcasting its findings about the mood of transit riders in Boston, in real time.

MBTA Will Move to Proof-of-Payment System
A new plan will phase out cash fare payments on buses and trolleys, but many of the details are still up in the air.

Will Boston Follow New York City and Consider Cordon Tolling?
Tom Acitelli has been following the intersection of congestion pricing and transportation in Boston, particularly as at affects transit. Noting the landmark agreement on cordon pricing reached in New York on Tuesday, he asks if Boston is ready.

A Sprinkle of Stores: Wrestling With Jacobs's Uncertainty
Jane Jacobs used vague terms to describe the number of stores necessary for a safe and vibrant streetscape. Here, author Fanis Grammenos attempts to discover a more specific number to attach to this prescription.

Boston Plans to Put $26 Million Toward Affordable Housing Projects
A new initiative will fund 10 new developments as the city works to increase available affordable housing.

Cambridge Won’t Reach Goals to Curb Car Ownership
The city’s original plan to decrease car ownership isn’t quite panning out, even with more alternative transportation options for residents.

The Artist of the Planning Department
The Boston area's Metropolitan Area Planning Council has an Artist-in-Residence Program that brings arts to the table as an integral component of the planning process.

Mapping Change – A New Interactive Tool for Boston
The latest example of the Internet's power to make deliver data and maps to the masses, produced by the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

'Carbon Free Boston' Puts Priority on Land Use and Transportation Planning
"It's all about cars and houses," according to the Boston Globe.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo Proposes Plastic Bag Ban After Killing New York City's Bag Law
The Democratic governor proposed a ban on single-use plastic bags in his state-of-the-state address on Jan. 15. Nearly two years earlier, he signed a bill that prevented New York City from charging for bags as the District of Columbia and Boston do.

Transit Agency Chief to Propose Congestion Pricing for Los Angeles
Los Angeles Metro CEO Phil Washington will recommend to his board next Thursday that they pursue a congestion pricing program to reduce traffic congestion, improve transit, and subsidize transit fares in Los Angeles in time for the 2028 Olympics.

Boston to Add 194 Hybrid Buses
The MBTA will use local and FTA monies to bring in the new vehicles which will replace older diesel and hybrid buses aging out of their usable lifespan.

MBTA's Capital Spending Plan Subject to Agency-Wide Review
The MBTA’s plan to repair and improve the ailing system means major service disruptions are likely coming. Officials say they want to minimize the pain and suffering of riders.

Boston Mayor's Proposal Would Allow More Increases in City Linkage Fees
Developers pay impact fees to fund affordable housing and job programs, but the mayor wants the city to have more discretion around changing the requirements.

Boston Dedicated Bus Lanes Facing Funding Questions
The bus lanes have improved travel times, but who should cover the costs isn't entirely clear.

Massachusetts Tops California in Emission Reductions
California and Massachusetts use the same name for climate change legislation, Global Warming Solutions Act, and set the same target date for reductions, 2020. Both achieved their targets 2016, but the Bay State had a tougher goal to meet.

New York Times: Transit on West Coast Surging Ahead of East Coast
East Coast transit systems used to be the envy of other cities, but now the West Coast is taking big steps to expand their networks.

Massachusetts Finally Enacts Tax of Short-Term Rentals
The Massachusetts Legislature approved a tax on short-term rentals in July 2018 only to have Governor Charlie Baker amend the bill. The amendments proved only a temporary setback.
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