The Eno Center for Transportation launched the first institutional investigation of the cost of transit projects earlier this year and recently released its initial findings, with promises for more in-depth case studies to come.

The Eno Center for Transportation released the first product of an initiative launched in late 2019 to study the high cost of public transit projects in the United States, building on the momentum of new public and media attention to the problems of transit construction.
The initial public offering is a database of transit capital construction projects, including "construction cost and timeline data for a total of 171 domestic and international rail transit projects completed over the past 20 years," according to an article on the Eno website that shares insights into the database. "For each project, factors such as number of stations, grade alignment, station spacing, and mode allow for deeper comparisons."
The article lists five key takeaways from the new database:
- Light rail is not necessarily cheaper than heavy rail. Grade alignment, rather than mode, is the major determinant of cost.
- Many rail projects in the United States are relatively inexpensive
- The United States pays a premium for tunneled projects
- Cost variability increases significantly for tunneled projects
- Stations are expensive, but international projects include more of them
More details for each of those takeaways are included in the source article, as well as promises for further research.
FULL STORY: FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM ENO’S TRANSIT CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION DATABASE

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing
The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant
A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing
Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.
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.
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions