Transit agencies hope to reassure riders concerned about crime by boosting security at transit stations.

Transit systems around the country are attempting to counter a perception of increased crime by cracking down on fare evasion, reports Jeff McMurray for My Panhandle.
In East St. Louis, Illinois, “MetroLink has begun adding 8-foot (2.4-meter) metal gates to ensure customers can’t enter the platform without a valid fare card. That’s a major change from the honor system the two-state light rail had employed since its inception in 1993, with fares only enforced through onboard spot checks and the threat of fines for repeat violators.” Other systems are implementing stricter fare verification mechanisms, too.
Kevin Scott, general manager for security at Bi-State Development, the agency overseeing transit in East St. Louis, says the new gates are “less about catching fare-skippers than improving safety” by preventing criminals from entering the transit system.
Other agencies have decided catching a few fare evaders isn’t worth the high cost of new enforcement mechanisms. “Sound Transit, which operates the regional light rail system in the Seattle area, has never had fare gates and has no plans to add them after one study concluded the systemwide cost could approach $200 million.”
FULL STORY: Transit systems are targeting fare evaders to win back riders leery about crime

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

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.

LA Falling Behind on Housing Goals
Last year, the city permitted just 30 percent of the number of housing units needed to meet a growing need.

Connecting Communities to Nature Close to Home
Los Angeles County’s Nature in Your Neighborhood program brings free, family-friendly wellness and nature activities to local parks, making it easier for residents to enjoy and connect with the outdoors.

Palmdale’s Beloved Water Park Gets $2 Million Upgrade
To mark its 20th anniversary, DryTown Water Park has undergone major renovations, ensuring that families across the Antelope Valley continue to enjoy safe, affordable, and much-needed water-based recreation in the high desert.
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.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
City of Clovis
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions