A recent article tackles the counter-intuitive state of transit investment in the St. Louis region: “While the abundance of transit possibilities create a veneer of progress, the region is quietly in a public transit state of crisis.”
Scott Ogilvie examines the current morass preventing the St. Louis region’s political leadership from marshaling the resources to jump-start a new generation of transit service improvements—eight years after the MetroLink Blue Line opened.
As Ogilvie explains, demand for transit is high among the public. “Even MoDOT’s surveys show St. Louis area residents want transit expansion more than they want additional road capacity.”
But the public demand for traffic is not matched by the political will to deliver any of the many possible transit investments: “Years of regional leadership equivocating on transit priorities have left us with a long list of possibilities: the North/South MetroLink alignment, the Downtown Streetcar, Bus Rapid Transit, and the Loop Trolley. But which of theses projects most enhances the existing network? No one at the top of the political/transit heap has expressed a strong preference for any of them.”
Ogilvie suggests some possibilities for breaking the backlog, including the following: “Metro needs to be the lead agency on transit projects. The political liability of another false start is too high. St. Louis already has a fractured political landscape, the region can’t handle a jigsaw puzzle of transit agencies.” Other suggestions include prioritizing service improvements on routes with the most ridership.
FULL STORY: Critical Choices Ahead for St. Louis Transit
Chicago Transit: $770M Shortfall, 40% Service Cuts Loom
Despite dire warnings from transit officials, the Illinois General Assembly ended its legislative session without a solution.
Opinion: Transit Agencies Must View Service Cuts as Last Resort
Reducing service could cripple transit systems by pushing more riders to consider car ownership, making future recovery even less certain.
SEPTA Awarded $153 Million to Stave Off Fare Hikes
Philadelphia’s struggling transit system will be able to delay a 30 percent fare raise, but the temporary fix won't do nearly enough to close its budget gap.
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.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie