Rather than bonds, an op-ed makes the case for electronic tolls to pay for improvements to commuter rail lines between New York City and Connecticut.
"Long commutes into New York City and within Connecticut mean our state is a less attractive place for people to live," writes Connecticut resident Michael Critelli. "People who travel into New York often drive and park at a train station and then get on subways or buses or walk to a workplace. As a result, their commute can now be close to two hours in each direction, four hours daily."
As maintenance and safety concerns pile up along MTA's Metro-North Railroad, Connecticut communities once within commuting distance of New York are becoming less attractive options. "Speed restrictions are in place in many locations where infrastructure is old and unreliable, where there are sharp curves and where there are bottlenecks caused by limited track capacity," Critelli writes.
Bond measures to fund rail upgrades, he goes on, aren't sustainable over the long term. "With tolling we can collect user fees from the out-of-state drivers who currently get a free ride on our highways — 40 percent of tolling revenues are expected to be collected from out-of-state drivers. Tolls can also help us reduce congestion and lower vehicle emissions."
FULL STORY: The hidden cost of slower, less reliable commuter rail service: Op-Ed
New York MTA Looks to Suburban TODs as Funding Source
The agency is selling land outside of the city on a commuter rail line in a move that could become more common as a revenue-generating strategy.
Long Island Rail Now Connects to Grand Central Terminal
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New York MTA Seeks Federal Funding Relief as Ridership Plummets
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In Most U.S. Cities, Archaic Laws Limit Roommate Living
Critics argue laws preventing unrelated adults from living in the same home fail to understand the modern American household.
Ten Signs of a Resurgent Downtown
In GeekWire, Chuck Wolfe continues his exploration of a holistic and practical approach to post-pandemic urban center recovery, anchored in local context and community-driven initiatives that promote livability, safety, and sustainability.
Transforming Downtowns Into Functional Neighborhoods
Rather than ‘monofunctional’ business districts or urban playgrounds, American downtown districts could become multipurpose neighborhoods.
Enforcing Housing Discrimination Laws Falls Largely on Tenants, Nonprofits
With few enforcement mechanisms even in cities that have bans on source-of-income discrimination on the books, it’s up to nonprofit lawyers and tenants to sue landlords for retribution.
Utah DOT Plans to Expand Interstate Despite Local Concerns
With more evidence pointing to the futility of expanding freeways, the state could take a creative approach to improving travel times and providing additional transportation options.
An Equity Approach to Lead Pipe Replacement
A former Chicago health commissioner calls on governments to prioritize the most marginalized and historically disinvested communities when distributing funding to replace lead pipes, which have taken the highest toll on the health of disadvantaged c
City of Bellevue
Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission
Code Studio
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Montrose County
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Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
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.
