Public transit cities around the world are operating well below pre-pandemic ridership levels, with many cutting service and no real clear idea about how and when a recovery will begin.

One of the first signs of the catastrophic consequences of the novel coronavirus in the United States in the spring of 2020 was the swift decline in public transit ridership. Since March 2020, U.S. transit agencies have cut service and sounded repeated alarms about a fiscal crisis and searched for ways to safely provide mobility options for essential and transit-dependent workers. Repeated infusions of relief funds from the federal government offer only a temporary reprieve from the fundamental realities of transit during the pandemic.
And transit isn't only struggling in the United States. As documented in a New York Times article authored by Somini Sengupta, Geneva Abdul, Manuela Andreoni, and Veronica Penney, a similar story is playing out in cities all over the globe.
In London, Piccadilly Circus station is nearly empty on a weekday morning, while in Delhi, the Metro ferries fewer than half of the riders it used to. In Rio, bus drivers are on strike, and in New York City, subway traffic is at just a third of normal volume.
The ongoing crisis facing public transit seems to compound concern. As noted in the article, the decline in transit ridership "spell disaster" for efforts to reduce public health risks like the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change. "Public transit is a relatively simple remedy for urban greenhouse gas emissions, not to mention air quality, noise and congestion," according to the article.
The article seems primed for a deep dive, but stops short, probably because of the ongoing uncertainty about the questions of how to move to a post-pandemic normal. One source in the article, Mohamed Mezghani, head of the International Association of Public Transport, says transit systems should start upgrading transit systems now to attract riders back to transit in the future.
FULL STORY: After a year of the pandemic, public transit around the world is hanging by a thread.

Redesigning Streets for Livability: A Global View
An excerpt from the introduction of the recent book, “Streets For All: 50 Strategies for Shaping Resilient Cities,” edited by Vinayak Bharne and Shyam Khandekar.

Bend Eliminates Parking Minimums
The city is complying with an Oregon state mandate that some cities have challenged in court.

Scottsdale Cuts Water Supply to Nearby Suburb
The city claims it has no responsibility to provide water to the unincorporated Maricopa County community.

How To Prevent ‘Green Gentrification:’ Lessons from the BeltLine
For one author, the key is focusing on affordable housing from the start.

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.

El Paso Freeway Cap Linked to Road Expansion
A deck reconnecting neighborhoods divided by the interstate is part of a controversial freeway expansion proposal.
Town of Reading
Meridian Consultants
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
City of Morganton
St. Louis County, MO
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.