The Miami suburb of Pinecrest, Florida would benefit greatly from a Bus Rapid Transit line on U.S. 1, argues City Councilmember James McDonald
Pinecrest City Councilmember James McDonald thinks a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system running down Highway 1 would be a great addition to the city. "Each day, our local drivers spend hours of lost time, burn thousands of dollars in wasted gas, and generate significant unnecessary pollution just by sitting in traffic, waiting," McDonald writes for Cities Speak. He reasons that a BRT could cut that congestion.
Experts don't always agree with the notion that public transit cuts traffic, reasoning that if cars were pulled off the road as riders got on buses the freed up space would eventually induce demand. But while transit doesn't necessarily reduce traffic it can create more equitable transport, cut emissions, and bring more economic activity to an area.
What's more, McDonald argues the process could likely be financed by a federal TIGER grant. "Congress just increased funding to the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program — and similar programs, like Transportation Alternatives, the Surface Transportation Block Grant Program, New Starts, and the Smart City Challenge, have all had some impressive results for communities," McDonald says.
FULL STORY: How Bus Rapid Transit Could Fight Congestion in Pinecrest, Florida
High Hopes and Stiff Resistance for Hanoi's New Bus Rapid Transit
Vietnam's capital is internationally known for pollution and traffic, the government is trying to take on both with a rapid transit bus system, but many remain skeptical.
Miami HOT Lanes Getting Drivers Out Of Cars Into Buses
Opponents of High-Occupancy-Toll lanes have long claimed that these lanes, often converted from High Occupancy Vehicle lanes like Miami's I-95, would encourage solo-drivers, especially wealthier ones, to pay to use the express lanes.
NYC Congestion Pricing: Still Working
10 million fewer vehicles entered the congestion pricing zone in the first six months of the program than last year, while pedestrian fatalities are at ‘historic lows.’
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