The North-South Rail Link has been under discussion in the Boston region for Decades now. A new 'Rail Vision' process continues the discussion again.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is working through the "Rail Vision" planning process, looking to chart a future for commuter rail in the Boston region, according to an article by Sean Philip Cotter.
Specifically, Rail Vision is "looking at a wide range of options" for the Purple Line, with a goal to produce eight alternatives. Cotter explains some of the possibilities: "Should the Commuter Rail create a reverse-commute system, possibly spurring business growth in the likes of Lynn and Brockton? Should it go with a 'regional rail' approach with much more service, like the subway lines? How big of a price tag would each of these carry, and how much would they drain from other services?"
At least one alternative will include a proposal for a North-South Rail Link, according to Cotter. More details about the politics and economics of regional rail around Boston are included in the article.
FULL STORY: Improvement eyed for Commuter Rail system
MBTA extends commuter rail discounts and lowers express bus fare to keep passengers riding into the fall
Boston-area commuters can access half-price monthly passes through November.
Boston Transit Ridership Grows Steadily
Ridership on the region’s commuter rail reached 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels in March.
Transit Plans Change as the Pandemic Lingers
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) this week proposed cuts to public transit service. In a decision that will likely repeat as more transit agencies undertake similar processes, the MBTA decided to prioritize buses over trains.
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.
New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
Jersey City will continue to allow co-location facilities, such as those meant for research institutions that store their own data.
Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
Under Monday’s plan, power plants would still have some limits on how much mercury, arsenic and other contaminants they can emit.
Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
Both new services will launch in October, and are part of Phoenix's Project Effective Access Solutions for Easing Congestion.
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