Cezary Podkul and Emily Stephenson examine the likely economic and social consequences of efforts by the U.S. Postal Service to close thousands of rural post offices this year.
While officials blame the internet for killing the U.S. Postal Service, an examination of plans for post office closures reveals that "about one-third of the offices slated for closure fall in areas with limited or no wired broadband Internet."
Furthermore, "Nearly 80 percent of the 3,830 post offices under consideration are in sparsely populated rural areas where poverty rates are higher than the national average," and the post office serves as the only way to do business.
Although the Postal Service has chosen which offices to close based on revenue, "The statistics show that closing all the post offices under consideration would save about $295 million a year, about four-tenths of 1 percent of the Postal Service's annual expenses of $70 billion."
FULL STORY: Post office closings may increase rural isolation, economic disparity

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

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Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

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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
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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.
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