Political will is building behind the idea of improving bus infrastructure to support frontlines workers in the most heavily effected parts of Canada's largest city.
"There's a call at Toronto's city hall this week to ramp up a plan to create buses-only lanes on some busy suburban streets as a way to help tackle COVID-19's impact on the city's vulnerable neighbourhoods," reports Michael Smee.
As of this writing, two Toronto city councillors are expected to introduce a motion "to accelerate their plan to ban cars and other non-TTC vehicles from curb lanes in five busy corridors that serve a handful of priority neighbourhoods," according to Smee. The existing plan to expand bus priority in the neighborhoods of Scarborough and North York, both disproportionately suffering the effects of COVID-19, was intended to be deployed over five years.
Toronto would join New York City in expanding bus priority during the pandemic, after the U.S. city announced plans recently to add 20 miles of bus lanes and busways to provide alternatives to automobile travel in the wake of the pandemic. Toronto already has a track record of success in converting streets to transit priority, with the example of King Street.
FULL STORY: City may speed up plans to prioritize TTC bus service on 5 of Toronto's busiest routes
Pandemic Bus Lanes Show Promise as Permanent Solutions
As cities streamline approval processes for bus-only lanes during the pandemic, transit experts hope the projects will lead to lasting change.
Bus Priority Falling to Local Political Opposition in New York City
An ambitious program to add 20 miles of bus lanes and protected bus ways in the city of New York has been diminished by political opposition in parts of the city.
20 Miles of Bus Lanes and Car-Free Busways Coming to New York City
While it falls short of a more ambitious proposal pitched by the MTA recently, a new plan to expand bus priority on the streets of New York City would mark a significant expansion of a trend that started on 14th Street in Manhattan.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
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San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
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Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions