The low-cost monthly ticket is a boon for some commuters and urban travelers, but critics of the program question the lack of investment in expanding train service to underserved rural parts of the country.

A new nationwide transit pass will allow people in Germany to ride any of the country’s local and regional buses and trains for €49, or $54, per month. As Josefine Fokuhl, Wilfried Eckl-Dorna and Feargus O'Sullivan outline in an article for Bloomberg CityLab, “That means with one ticket — which breaks down to less than the cost on one espresso a day — you can ride buses along the shores of Lake Constance on the Swiss border and traverse Hamburg’s harbor on the North Sea.”
The article notes that the plan doesn’t include any new funding for expanded transit operations, which could limit the impact of the new pass, with rail access in many rural parts of Germany still extremely limited or nonexistent. Other critics point out that encouraging more trips on “Germany’s already-overloaded networks” could lead to more disruptions in service without other improvements.
Supporters are optimistic that the ticket will be a positive influence on transit Europe-wide. “The impact of the ticket could ripple through to other countries by taking the potentially radical step of positioning transit systems as a public good to which all deserve affordable access. It could also be a model for others in the European Union, as the bloc aims to become climate neutral by 2050.”
FULL STORY: Germany Sets the New Standard for Cheap, National Mass Transit

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units
Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

Tenant Advocates: Rent Gouging Rampant After LA Wildfires
The Rent Brigade says it's found evidence of thousands of likely instances of rent gouging. In some cases, the landlords accused of exploiting the fires had made campaign donations to those responsible for enforcement.

Seattle’s Upzoning Plan is Ambitious, Light on Details
The city passed a ‘bare-bones’ framework to comply with state housing laws that paves the way for more middle housing, but the debate over how and where to build is just getting started.

DOJ Seeks to End USDOT Affirmative Action Program
The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program encouraged contracting with minority- and women-owned businesses in the transportation sector, where these groups are vastly underrepresented.
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