Flat fares, reduced wait times, and extended late-night service are all part of a package of changes meant to bring riders back and adjust to post-pandemic travel patterns.

Washington, D.C.'s transit system is getting a major overhaul that officials hope will entice new and old users and boost ridership, reports Jake Blumgart. Because the pandemic upended the traditional workday commute, "policymakers decided to make aggressive changes to pivot away from a schedule that prioritizes traditional rush hour riders. Metro has the third largest heavy rail system in the U.S. and runs the country’s sixth largest bus system, so its policy shifts are likely to be noted by its counterparts and could be pace-setting for the larger public transport sector."
Among the sweeping changes, "[w]eekend trips will universally be priced at $2 a ride, as opposed to the usual model based on distance traveled. Transfer fees that heavily penalize lower-income riders (who don’t tend to live next to rail stops) will be eliminated. The price of bus passes will fall, while frequencies on 36 bus lines will be increased." The changes also include reduced wait times on the system's most heavily used line and extended late night service.
"In determining how to make changes, Metro policymakers studied where ridership remained strongest even during the pandemic’s worst. They saw that low-income riders and those without access to a car continued to use public transit heavily, as did many essential workers in the health-care and government fields. As vaccinations spread, and restaurants began to recover, they also saw increased demand at night from food service workers," a segment traditionally underserved by transit options.
The funding gap created by last year's plummeting ridership "is being filled by the generous operating subsidies provided by the federal government in the various rescue packages passed by Congress in 2020 and early 2021," but "Metro is planning for the end of those federal operating subsidies."
As the first major city to implement such drastic changes after the COVID-19 pandemic, D.C. could serve as "a model for other parts of the country."
FULL STORY: Big Changes Coming to D.C.’s Transit to Boost Ridership

New York Governor Advances Housing Plan Amid Stiff Suburban Opposition
Governor Kathy Hochul’s ambitious proposal to create more housing has once again run into a brick wall of opposition in New York’s enormous suburbs, especially on Long Island. This year, however, the wall may have some cracks.

A Serious Critique of Congestion Costs and Induced Vehicle Travel Impacts
Some highway advocates continue to claim that roadway expansions are justified to reduce traffic congestion. That's not what the research shows. It's time to stop obsessing over congestion and instead strive for efficient accessibility.

Rethinking the Role of Parking in the American City
In cities big and small, the tide is turning against sprawling parking lots, car-centric development, and minimum parking mandates.

Mapping Sidewalks for Improved Connectivity
A new tool uses aerial image recognition to map a city’s sidewalks and crosswalks. Its developers hope it will aid in creating a more comprehensive understanding of pedestrian networks and where improvements are needed.

Long Beach Residents Oppose Proposed Homeless Services Hub Near Rail Terminus
L.A. Metro’s “end-of-the-line” policy forces people experiencing homeless off transit every night at the same time and location. A proposed hub would provide services a few stops before the end of the line in Long Beach.

The Nation's Most Advanced Secessionist Movement
Legislation supporting the Greater Idaho Movement, which would annex over half of neighboring Oregon, has advanced in the Idaho legislature.
City of Greenville
City of Greenville
Resource Assistance for Rural Environments (RARE) AmeriCorps Program
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Spearfish
City of Lomita
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.