After MNDOT closed the Highway 43 bridge connecting Winona, MN to western Wisconsin, locals worried about the economic fallout from an extended closure. Within a week, a ferry and bus system was put in place.
"With a sweeping river view that included both the closed Hwy. 43 bridge and a dilapidated steamboat replica perched on a levee, several hundred Wisconsin residents made their way across the Mississippi River via a pair of excursion boats that were brought to Winona to help keep the city -- and its economy -- moving.
The boats are part of an elaborate transit plan designed to help the estimated 2,500 Wisconsin residents who work in Winona get to their jobs in the wake of last week's abrupt closure of the Hwy. 43 bridge. The Minnesota Department of Transportation shut the 1941 bridge to all traffic after finding corrosion on some of the gusset plates. Flaws in such plates are suspected in the deadly collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge last summer in Minneapolis.
With the nearest crossings 35 miles from Winona and gas nearly $4 a gallon, the closure has hit commuters from Wisconsin hard, so four park-and-ride lots have been established up and down the river in towns where mass transit is something you see on TV."
Thanks to Barry
FULL STORY: Winona's ferries help to keep local economy afloat

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie