Transit

Stimulus For Transit, Un-Stimulus For Auto Industry

Funding in the federal stimulus package for high speed rail has been cheered by transit advocates across the country. This opinion piece argues that in addition, funds should be taken away from the auto industry.

25 February 2009 - 12:00pm

The Boston Globe

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1 comment

Aging Canada to Strain Transit, Infrastructure

A new report warns that an aging Canadian population will drive up infrastructure costs in public transit, water management, and roads and sidewalks.

17 February 2009 - 8:00am

Canada.com

Schwarzenegger Terminates Transit

The new budget for the State of California cuts $536 million from transit operations. Says Joshua Shaw, executive director of the California Transit Association, 'We will see fare increases. We will see service cuts. We will see layoffs.'

14 February 2009 - 9:00am

Streetsblog

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1 comment

Better Downtowns May Not Need Cars, But They Will Need Parking

Downtowns can be designed to both reduce driving and boost the economy. But they're still going to need parking, according to urban designers George Crandall and Don Arambula.

13 February 2009 - 9:00am

Smart City

Transit Agencies Cutting Back

While demand has increased, the weakening economy is drying up operating revenues for municipal public transit services, and the billions of dollars promised in the federal stimulus package - intended for capital projects - won't help either.

8 February 2009 - 1:00pm

New York Times

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2 comments

The Planetizen News Brief - 1/29/09

4:40 minutes (4.28 MB)

Obama reverses a controversial Bush decision, the market crash spurs land conservation, and an economic stimulus gets transit moving in China -- all on this week's Planetizen News Brief, airing weekly on "Smart City".

29 January 2009 - 5:00am

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How 'Level of Service' Measurements Ruin Cities

"Level of service" is a ranking used by transportation engineers to assess the performance of roads. Streetsblog argues that LOS distorts the development of mobility infrastructure by prioritizing cars over people.

27 January 2009 - 11:00am

StreetsBlog-SF

Stimulus Gets Transportation Projects Moving - In China

While the U.S. waffles over its stimulus package, China is two months into a grand countrywide transportation facelift, building high-speed rail, expanding freight capacity and generally beefing up the country's mobility.

26 January 2009 - 8:00am

The New York Times

Holistic Transportation Planning

This piece from Bloomberg architecture critic James Russell calls for a unified approach to building the nation's transportation infrastructure.

25 January 2009 - 5:00am

Bloomberg

Does Detroit Have a Bright Transit Future?

Jon Zemke ponders the many possibilities for building a world-class transportation network throughout metro Detroit.

23 January 2009 - 11:00am

Metromode

Oregon Goes Big in Transportation Funding Requests

In Oregon, transportation officials are set to vote on an ambitious list of transportation projects that they hope will garner funding when Congress allocates transportation money this year.

22 January 2009 - 1:00pm

The Oregonian

Stimulus Funds Roads Over Transit Three-to-One

Officials are complaining about the first draft of the economic stimulus package, arguing that it does not dedicate enough money to transit projects and heavily favors road building.

18 January 2009 - 5:00am

The Wall Street Journal

Pittsburgh Looks to Transit For Rebirth

Officials in Pittsburgh are hoping that expanding transit-oriented development will spur growth in struggling and decaying neighborhoods -- and they have the voter-approved legislation to help.

13 January 2009 - 5:00am

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A New Plan For Congestion Pricing in New York

Charles Komanoff reveals a revised new plan that aims to bring congestion pricing to New York City and use its revenue to reduce the price of transit.

12 January 2009 - 9:00am

Grist

Growing People And Jobs While Shrinking Traffic

As New York City faces its worst financial crisis in 2 decades, a NYC D.O.T. study was released showing that from 2003-2007, the increase in jobs and people was accompanied by a slight decrease in traffic due primarily to increased transit usage.

15 December 2008 - 2:00pm

The New York Times

Rapid Buses To Serve Suburbs?

A local leader in the suburban Maryland/Washington DC area proposes aggressive use of "rapid buses" in dedicated lanes to accommodate growth, like other jurisdictions in the U.S.

14 December 2008 - 11:00am

Washington Post

Michael Lewyn

The Lesser Evil

Thu, 12/11/2008 - 11:17

Due to the collapse of local tax revenues caused by the national economic downturn, many transit systems may face shortages of money over the next year or two. Assuming this is the case, transit providers will have to either raise fares or reduce services by eliminating bus routes or otherwise reducing transit service.

It seems to me that raising fares is generally the lesser evil, both from the standpoint of an individual rider and from the standpoint of the transit agency itself.

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