As cities streamline approval processes for bus-only lanes during the pandemic, transit experts hope the projects will lead to lasting change.
In a discussion hosted by TransitCenter on the efficacy of bus lanes installed during the COVID-19 pandemic, transportation professionals weighed in on the need for continued and improved bus service and the effects of the pandemic on transit systems across the country.
The pandemic only highlighted existing inequities in transit systems. While trains tend to serve white-collar workers who have largely shifted to working from home, buses remain a crucial lifeline for essential workers, many of whom are low-income and depend on buses to access jobs. During the pandemic, train ridership in Chicago dropped by 80%, while bus ridership stayed essentially the same.
To take advantage of lighter traffic and improve the efficiency of bus systems, some cities have fast-tracked bus lane projects this year, with Boston adding 14 miles of bus lanes in 2020. By reducing barriers to bus lane projects and implementing quick, temporary solutions, cities can improve traffic in the short term and gain support for making bus lanes permanent in the future as travel picks back up and users see the benefits of more efficient transit service.
FULL STORY: How have pandemic bus lanes worked out in Chicago, Boston, and SF?
20 Miles of Bus Lanes and Car-Free Busways Coming to New York City
While it falls short of a more ambitious proposal pitched by the MTA recently, a new plan to expand bus priority on the streets of New York City would mark a significant expansion of a trend that started on 14th Street in Manhattan.
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Back in June, the city of New York seemed poised for a major shift in transportation priority. In October, reality is setting in about how hard a sell the transformation will be.
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An ambitious program to add 20 miles of bus lanes and protected bus ways in the city of New York has been diminished by political opposition in parts of the city.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
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