The agency wants to increase service and extend its infrastructure to move Caltrain from a commuter rail system to an integrated urban transit network.

Erin Baldassari reports on new expansion plans for Caltrain in the San Francisco Bay Area as the region anticipates significant population growth in the future and the need for a more extensive transit network. "Caltrain’s vision contemplates BART-like 'show-up and go' service, whisking passengers from San Francisco to Gilroy on trains that run at least every 15 minutes all day long."
Caltrain expects that increasing service frequently and capacity would boost ridership from 65,000 daily riders to 180,000. This would give commuters more travel options and decrease traffic congestion and pollution in the region, say advocates. The agency is also looking at a slew of capital projects, along with the addition of electric trains, which operate faster than diesel trains.
But, says Baldassari, the price tag for these upgrades is high, including $90 million a year in operating subsidies. Possible funding sources include a multicounty sales tax increase and a regional transportation funding measure.
"The region is only going to continue to grow, said Adina Levin, the co-founder of Friends of Caltrain, a transit advocacy organization. So why not aim high, she said, even if the vision isn’t ultimately achieved due to factors outside of Caltrain’s control, such as the fate of high-speed rail."
FULL STORY: Caltrain has an ambitious plan to run BART-like service. Here’s what it will mean for Bay Area traffic

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.

Tacoma Developing New Housing Policy
The city’s Home in Tacoma plan is designed to address the region’s growth and rising housing prices, but faces local backlash over density and affordability concerns.

Green Alleys: A New Paradigm for Stormwater Management
Rather than shuttling stormwater away from the city and into the ocean as quickly as possible, Los Angeles is now—slowly—moving toward a ‘city-as-sponge’ approach that would capture and reclaim more water to recharge crucial reservoirs.

Orange County Project Could Go Forward Under ‘Builder’s Remedy’
The nation’s largest home builder could receive approval for a 530-unit development under an obscure state law as the city of La Habra’s zoning laws hang in limbo after the state rejected its proposed housing plan.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
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.