More than a third of Americans believe major transit systems are too unsafe to ride. The built environment can change that.

In an article for WHYY, Owen Racer and Jadon George describe how the built environment in and around transit infrastructure — in Philadelphia and beyond — contributes to a sense of fear among riders, causing them to avoid public transit due to a heightened anxiety created by reports of violent incidents.
Citing Yvette Sheline of the University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Psychiatry, the article explains, “From gates and sidewalks to subterranean hallways, the physical environments that make up a transit system can affect how safe people feel using them.”
The article describes a failed SEPTA effort to deploy an AI-powered surveillance tool to scan for firearms in stations and trains, as well as how the architecture of stations can improve visibility and openness and make riders feel safer. While some systems, including SEPTA and New York City’s subway system, are deploying additional law enforcement, Sheline says an increased police presence serves to “raise feelings of anxiety for most riders as it signals the environment is dangerous.”
FULL STORY: Can SEPTA’s infrastructure counter transit anxiety?

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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