The Chicago City Council has approved a new budget that includes a new transit funding mechanism that could level the playing field for transit.
"[T]he Chicago City Council approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s 2018 budget, including a new fee on ride-hailing trips to fund the CTA," reports John Greenfield.
Mayor Emanuel pitched the idea of a ride-hailing tax to help pay for transit back in October. The idea gained the support of the Chicago Tribune editorial board shortly after. Greenfield also voices support for the idea:
The ride-hailing tax represents a sensible approach to leveling the playing field for buses and trains in the wake of recent studies that found services like Uber and Lyft are increasing congestion in cities and reducing transit ridership.
As for the details of the new tax, Greenfield has it covered:
The new tax will add a 15-cent surcharge to the existing city ride-hailing fee of 52 cents per trip, 67 cents total, next year. The surcharge, which will affect Lyft, Uber, and smaller competitors, will be increased to 20 cents, to 72 cents total, in 2019. The city projects this fee will raised $16 million in 2018, which the CTA plans to use on infrastructure improvements, with $21 million expected in 2019.
The article includes more context for the decision and other details of the city's approved budget.
FULL STORY: Council Passes Ride-Share Tax to Fund Transit, CTA Announces $23M in Cuts, Reforms
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
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.