The Trump administration is threatening to pull funding from Chicago transit, citing a failure to ‘measurably’ improve safety.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) rejected a safety plan submitted by the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA), saying the plan “fails to measurably reduce incidents of assaults and improve overall safety on buses and trains.”
According to an article by Gabriel Castillo, Jenna Barnes, and Ethan Illers for WGN9, “The decision comes a little over a week after the FTA directed the CTA to develop and implement a safety plan or risk losing as much as $50 million in federal funding.”
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson says he believes the plan, which increases the number of police officers at CTA train and bus stations, is sound. But the FTA says “the CTA never targeted a reduction of more than one assault per month in any given category, and in many categories and months, CTA targeted zero reductions.” The agency is giving CTA 90 days to submit a revised plan with “significantly increased crime reduction targets.”
FULL STORY: ‘Blatant failures’: Federal Transit Administration rejects CTA’s revised safety plan
Chicago Transit Authority to Boost Policing Hours by 75%
In December, federal officials tasked the CTA to develop an enhanced security plan or risk losing federal funding.
The Vast Majority of Riders Suspended by Chicago Transit Agencies are Black or Latino
The agencies are allowed to ban riders who are accused of violent or threatening behavior.
Perception vs. reality: NYC transit crime declined by 14% since 2019
In spite of popular perceptions, crime on many US transit systems is steadily dropping.
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