April must-reads: Top 10 articles from last month

A new bridge in Helsinki is possibly the world's longest bridge open only to pedestrians, cyclists, and light rail. Meanwhile, in the United States, a Florida community touts the "joy of golf cart living," Boston loses tens of millions in federal transportation funding, and a revived Amtrak line shatters ridership expectations. Housing authorities around the country are scrambling to replace the Emergency Housing Voucher program, which is set to expire years earlier than scheduled, and a California commuter train agency could close one third of its stations as part of its efforts to cut costs. San Francisco is ranked as the 45th happiest city in the world, while few other U.S. cities make the list. Craving some city-inspired gaming? Check out these 10 games that aren't Sim City.

The full list of April's most-read stories:

1. Finland opens world's longest multimodal, car-free bridge

A new bridge in Finland is possibly the world's longest span designed only for pedestrians, cyclists, and rail. The nearly three-quarter-mile Kruunuvuori Bridge connects Helsinki's eastern island suburbs with the central city.

2. This Florida town gives residents a free golf cart with each new home

As part of a promotional offer, the community of Babcock Ranch, Florida offered new residents a free golf cart with their home purchase. The development touts the "joy of golf cart living" and features a compact, mixed-use design with over 100 miles of bike trails and roads designed for car-light living.

3. Only one US city makes the Happy City Index top 50

The annual Happy City Index, which rates the happiness of world cities on 64 indicators, includes just one U.S. city in its top 50: San Francisco, which ranks #45. The list is topped by Copenhagen, Helsinki, and Geneva.

4. Ten urbanist video games that aren’t Sim City

Video games offer a playful way to envision new worlds and build cities and societies. In this piece, Jake Pitre suggests 10 games beyond Sim City that urbanists might enjoy.

5. Boston loses $8.15M in federal road safety funds after failing to meet deadline

The city of Boston was forced to forfeit over $8 million in federal transportation funding after failing to complete its plan for a safety improvement project. The city has also lost a $20 million federal grant because City Hall did not secure a formal agreement. 

6. Federal cuts to voucher program put 9,000 New Yorkers at risk of homelessness

The Emergency Housing Voucher program is ending years ahead of schedule, forcing housing agencies to find new ways to support roughly 70,000 households nationwide. Housing authorities were told by HUD to transition recipients to housing choice vouchers, but some providers fear that will not provide sufficient support for all the families who need it.

7. Amtrak’s Mardi Gras train ‘blows away’ ridership expectations

A newly revived Amtrak line connecting New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama exceeded expectations for ridership, timeliness and customer satisfaction since it started running again in August 2025. As of January 31, roughly 70,500 passengers have used the train, which reports 86% on-time performance.

8. Despite 47% growth in ridership, Caltrain could close a third of its stations

Caltrain announced it is making drastic service cuts and could close as many as one third of its 31 stations if a regional sales tax proposal doesn't win voter approval in November. The move could mean tens of thousands of Bay Area residents could lose access to nearby train stations, despite a strong surge in ridership in recent months.

9. These Las Vegas tiny homes can be assembled in an hour

A planned tiny home community in Las Vegas will use modular materials to build 50 homes on a 2.25-acre lot. Once the site is prepared, the structures will only take roughly one hour each to assemble. To make it possible, the city approved a zoning variance that allows tiny homes on lots zoned for multifamily housing.

10. Maryland unveils plan for 5,000 homes near transit

Maryland announced the Baltimore Regional Transit-Oriented Development Strategy, a plan that encourages housing development on state-owned land near transit stations. The plan is designed to bring as many as 5,000 new homes to areas close to transit stations, starting with a 9-acre parcel near the Rogers Avenue Metro Station in Baltimore.