The transit map is useful, but doesn't always capture the scale of the engineering feat that produced the world's subways systems.
An article by David Montgomery starts with a simple enough question: "[W]hat would it look like if, high above the skyline, you could actually see where trains were shuttling people around?"
That is, what if subway lines were visible from high above?
"A group of digital artists is revealing just that, using photos taken from airplane windows to highlight the real footprint of metro systems in cities around the world," writes Montgomery. Artists began creating the images and posting them online in 2013, starting with an image of New York by a Serbian artist going by the username "Arnorrian."
A new image of Paris gained viral popularity on Reddit, and now transit fans have created similar images of Budapest, Milan, Cologne, and London.
Montgomery includes the best examples in the source article.
FULL STORY: Getting a Bird’s Eye View of the World’s Subway Systems
Friday Eye Candy: The World's Subway Systems, If You Could See Them From Above
Have you ever flown over a city and imagined all the subway lines running beneath the surface?
Friday Eye Candy: Subway-Style Maps That Explain Everything
Ok maybe not everything, everything—but the recognizable tropes of subway maps do make it easier to explain everything from the development of cities to musical styles to interstellar scale.
The New New York Subway Map Works in Real Time
There's a new chapter, and maybe an end, for the "Great Subway Map Debate."
Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series
The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.
Driving Equity and Clean Air: California Invests in Greener School Transportation
California has awarded $500 million to fund 1,000 zero-emission school buses and chargers for educational agencies as part of its effort to reduce pollution, improve student health, and accelerate the transition to clean transportation.
Congress Moves to End Reconnecting Communities and Related Grants
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee moved to rescind funding for the Neighborhood Equity and Access program, which funds highway removals, freeway caps, transit projects, pedestrian infrastructure, and more.
From Throughway to Public Space: Taking Back the American Street
How the Covid-19 pandemic taught us new ways to reclaim city streets from cars.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Ada County Highway District
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions
Salt Lake City
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service