An analysis of Clayton County, Georgia, which lost access to public transit for five years, shows a significant increase in unemployment rates and poverty during that timeframe.

A new study from Clayton County, Georgia links a rise in unemployment and poverty to transit cuts, according to an article by Jared Brey in Governing. “The study’s findings support the ‘spatial mismatch’ theory, which holds that poor transit access leads to fewer job opportunities and lower incomes for residents.”
The study analyzed poverty and unemployment rates in the county during five years between 2010 and 2015 when the county had no bus service connecting it to Atlanta, making transit-dependent Clayton County residents unable to reach the city. “In the half-decade interim, the county endured “substantial increases in poverty and unemployment rates” which are explained by the loss of bus access, according to new research published last month in the journal Urban Studies.”
“In general, there’s strong evidence from a variety of research fields that transit access supports good economic outcomes, and that cuts to transit service are economically harmful,” but this study in particular provided a “rare opportunity” for a natural experiment. “It’s often hard to isolate the economic effects of certain events, like the pandemic or natural disasters, because they happen over large areas and affect lots of communities in the same way. But in the case of Clayton County, the researchers were able to compare census tracts that initially had bus access and then lost it with demographically similar tracts that weren’t affected by the cuts.”
FULL STORY: New Evidence Links Transit Cuts With Poverty and Unemployment

Downtown Los Angeles Park Wins National Award
Vista Hermosa Natural Park, designed by the landscape architecture firm Studio-MLA, has won the ASLA 2023 Landmark Award. Completed in 2008, Vista Hermosa was the first public park built in downtown L.A. in over 100 years.

Norman, Oklahoma Eliminates Parking Mandates
The city made a subtle, one-word change that frees up developers to build parking based on actual need and eliminates costly unnecessary parking.

Boston Transit Riders Report Safety Concerns
Almost three-quarters of current and former riders report feeling unsafe while using MBTA services.

Nashville Opens First Permanent Parklet
The city recently created a parklet permit process designed to help local businesses replace street parking with interactive public spaces.

When it Comes to Transportation, It’s All About Options
Debunking the notion of the personal automobile as liberator.

Prioritizing Equity in Federal Transit Funding
TransitCenter recommends several transit capital projects deserving of federal transportation dollars.
City of Grand Junction Police Department
Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Code Studio
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Montrose County
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.