In a shift away from subway expansions and upgrades, Toronto looks to improve the bus and streetcar systems.

The Toronto Transit Commission is considering changes that will help speed up the city’s notoriously slow and unreliable buses and streetcars. "According to a recent TTC report outlining the agency’s five-year service plan, measures being considered range from relatively subtle interventions like increased use of turning restrictions or traffic signals that give priority to transit vehicles, to more robust interventions like removing lanes of car traffic to create dedicated transit lanes," writes Ben Spurr.
Almost 60 percent of TTC trips were on buses and streetcars in 2017, and the cost to improve infrastructure and operations for these modes is significantly lower than for the subway system. Advocates say the return on investment makes sense and the city needs to take bold measures as the area’s population increases.
After the success of a streetcar pilot project on King Street in downtown, the city council voted to make the changes permanent. But city officials say getting public support for bus and streetcar improvements is still a challenge, particularly in Toronto’s suburbs where people are used to driving and less likely to use transit regularly.
FULL STORY: TTC vehicles get caught in gridlock too often. Should the King Street pilot project be replicated?

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.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
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.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie