The Norfolk City Council will vote in February on a draft transit system redesign organized around the principle of a high frequency grid, similar to system redesigns in other cities in recent years.

Wyatt Gordon reports that the city of Norfolk, Virginia is following in the footsteps of Richmond, Virginia by redesigning its bus system. The system redesign for Norfolk could be approved by the city council as soon as next month.
Should Norfolk’s City Council approve the new draft routes next month, by this fall residents of the “Mermaid City” could find their mobility much improved. Under the proposed new routes, 140,000 more residents (in a city of 244,000) would be within a quarter mile of a bus or train that arrives every 15 minutes for most of the day, an increase of 57 percent over today. The average person will also be able to access 31 percent more jobs than with the existing network.
The city launched the system redesign process by hiring "Amy Inman — the woman who led Richmond’s route redesign — to become the head of its first-ever Department of Transit, in charge of all transportation policy and infrastructure from sidewalks to scooter regulations." The city also hired consultant Jarrett Walker and Associates to undertake the redesign.
The draft recommended network is available online. Gordon concludes the article by considering the possibility that other Virginia cities could soon jump on the bus system redesign train.
FULL STORY: Norfolk is the next Virginia city to tackle a bus route redesign. Will more follow?

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.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie