Here's one way to make a kid-friendly city and introduce the joys of public transit at a young age: offer free multi-agency transit passes to high school students.
Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is proposing a plan that would provide free transit passes to all public high school students. Daniel Beekman reports that Mayor Durkan revealed the proposal to the public in the state of the city address she delivered on Tuesday of this week.
The school district already provides free ORCA passes to about 7,000 students who live more than two miles away from their school, "and the city funds passes for an additional 2,600 high-school students from certain low-income households," reports Beekman.
"Under Durkan’s plan, all of the district’s roughly 14,000 high-school students would for the first time get unlimited, year-round passes, the mayor’s office said," adds Beekman.
The ORCA pass covers trips on Metro, Sound Transit, King County Water Taxi, Seattle Streetcar, Community Transit, Pierce Transit, Kitsap Transit, and Everett Transit.
FULL STORY: All of Seattle’s public high school students to get unlimited ORCA passes under new Durkan plan
Seattle Ready to Give Free Transit Passes to All High School Students
About 16,000 Seattle students would get free transit passes when school starts again in the fall under a plan approved by the Seattle City Council yesterday.
Expansion Planned for Low-Income Bus Pass Program in Seattle
The ORCA Opportunity program will provide free bus passes to some of the city’s low-income residents.
Seattle Transit Asked to Clarify Pet Policy
A major dog park near a new light rail stop is prompting calls to update and clarify rules for bringing pets on Seattle-area transit systems.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.
Half of Post-Fire Altadena Home Sales Were to Corporations
Large investors are quietly buying up dozens of properties in Altadena, California, where a devastating wildfire destroyed more than 6,000 homes in January.
Opinion: What San Francisco’s Proposed ‘Family Zoning’ Could Really Mean
Mayor Lurie is using ‘family zoning’ to encourage denser development and upzoning — but could the concept actually foster community and more human-scale public spaces?
Jacksonville Launches First Autonomous Transit Shuttle in US
A fleet of 14 fully autonomous vehicles will serve a 3.5-mile downtown Jacksonville route with 12 stops.
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.
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont