David Alpert and DW Rowlands of Greater Greater Washington share their hopes for a planned review of D.C.'s bus system.

WMATA is launching a holistic study aimed at broadly rethinking the agency's approach to bus service. Led by AECOM, Boston Consulting Group, and Foursquare ITP, the "Bus Transformation Project" marks a reorientation within the agency from rehabilitating a troubled rail system to improving and expanding its bus network, say Greater Greater Washington's David Alpert and DW Rowlands.
In the first post of a new series on the subject, Alpert and Rowlands offer seven priorities to guide the year-long study—including system integration, fare restructuring, and adoption of new technology. They also urge WMATA not to cut services, but to find cost-savings and revenue generation opportunities elsewhere.
"Buses represent the biggest opportunity to improve transit for more people, cost-effectively," they write. "Plus … [m]aking bus service much more than an afterthought can help close the gap in mobility options available to lower-income residents."
FULL STORY: WMATA is looking to “transform” bus service in our region. Here are 7 ways to do it (and one not to)

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

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.

With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.

In More Metros Than You’d Think, Suburbs are Now More Expensive Than the City
If you're moving to the burbs to save on square footage, data shows you should think again.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)