The North Carolina college town boasts free transit and dozens of miles of bike lanes and greenways.
Writing in Yahoo News, Mike Taylor highlights the city of Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s success at building a comprehensive multimodal transportation network. The city and its neighbor Carrboro are home to “one of the largest free transportation systems in the world,” as well as 25 miles of greenways and 15 miles of bike lanes. “Bicycles are a popular mode of transportation, and Chapel Hill Transit in 2022 gave 3.4 million rides despite the cities’ combined population of just 83,396.”
Chapel Hill’s success is particularly impressive in light of the fact that 90 percent or more of North Carolina’s transportation budget is directed to highway projects. “The legislature also prohibits the use of state funds for standalone bicycle and pedestrian projects and limits public transportation expenditures.”
FULL STORY: Town lauded for innovative new public transportation model where ‘everyone wins’: ‘A critical step’
Rural Texas transit program is a 'lifeline' for seniors
A Central Texas program offers free transit to residents over 60.
Anaheim Transit to Shut Down March 31 After City Declines to Take Over
The service offered free rides to residents employed by local businesses, serving key destinations like Disneyland.
February Must-Reads: Top 10 Articles From Last Month
Transit agencies like BART and TriMet face lingering budget shortfalls, forcing major service cuts and layoffs, while federal plans to ban fare-free transit throw a wrench in NYC Mayor Mamdani’s proposal to make the city’s buses ‘fast and free.’
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
The state-sanctioned urbicide of Austin
People don’t kill cities. Freeways do.
US to reduce Colorado River water deliveries to Mexico
A new Colorado Treaty amendment reduces Mexico’s Colorado River water allocation by 250,000 acre feet.
5 New England states march closer to 800 megawatt wind energy project
Securing federal approval for the project may be complicated under the Trump administration, which has historically been hostile towards domestic wind power.
Baltimore to break ground on $50 million Transit Priority Project
The project will bring faster bus trips, safer streets and better bike connections to Baltimore.
Airbnb launches $250 million 'last-dollar financing' housing accelerator, makes first investment in Austin
The company will put $6.4 million towards affordable housing development in Texas’ capital.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
Eagle County Government
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
Nashville Planning Department
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
Journal of the American Planning Association