Linking transit programs to housing can lower administrative costs and streamline the process for riders.
A new free transit program in Seattle will provide free travel to 10,000 public housing residents, reports Daniel C. Vock in Route Fifty, shifting funding that was originally targeted to young transit riders. Youth in Washington state will now receive free fares thanks to a state program.
This isn’t the city’s first experiment with free transit for public housing residents. “In fact, Seattle provided nearly 2,000 public housing residents free fares under a pilot program that started in 2019, according to the mayor’s office.” The city also took steps to provide free transit to some low-income workers during the pandemic.
Tying transit incentives to housing can help the city streamline the program, explained Katie Wilson, general secretary of the Transit Riders Union. “The approach makes administering the program easier, and it could make it easier for residents who, for example, lose a pass to show they qualify for the program.” Advocates like Wilson hope the city and state will continue to expand free transit programs to more residents.
FULL STORY: Another City Expands Fare-Free Transit
Free Transit Starts September 1 for Seattle Youth
Sound Transit is launching a fare-free program for young riders in the hopes of educating and recruiting future riders and making schools and jobs more accessible to transit-dependent youth.
Connecticut Extends Free Bus Fares
Local leaders applaud the move, but are calling on the state to keep fares free permanently.
Colorado Free Transit Program Boosted Ridership
Many local transit agencies that took advantage of a state program that funded free fares throughout August have seen increased ridership even beyond the program’s end.
The End of Single-Family Zoning in Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is the latest jurisdiction in the country to effectively end single-family zoning.
‘Train Daddy’ Andy Byford to Oversee Amtrak’s High-Speed Rail Efforts
Byford, who formerly ran NYC Transit and Transport for London, could bring renewed vigor to the agency’s plans to expand regional rail in the United States.
Seattle Bus Lane Cameras Capture Over 100,000 Violations
An automated traffic enforcement pilot program caught drivers illegally using transit lanes more than 110,000 times in less than a year.
Immigration Grows, Population Drops in Many U.S. Counties
International immigration to the country’s most populous areas tripled even as major metropolitan areas continued to lose population.
$616 Million in Development Incentives Approved for District Detroit
The “Transformational Brownfield” incentives approved by the Detroit City Council for the $1.5 billion District Detroit still require approval by the state.
Affordable Housing Development Rejected for Lack of Third Staircase in Connecticut
The New Canaan Planning Commission rejected a development proposal, including 31 below-market-rate apartments, for lack of a third staircase, among other reasons, at a time when advocates are pushing to relax two-staircase requirements.
Houston-Galveston Area Council
City of Malibu
Association of Metropolitan Planning Organizations
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
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