Readers responde to change in direction of Washington DC subway fare policies More costs to the riders, reduced payments from the local governments
"Metro admits that its shortsighted plan to increase fares again -- and refund millions of dollars in subsidies to local governments -- will force 17,000 riders a day off the system [ Passengers Would Bear More of Metro's Cost], Metro, April 30.] We'll start driving, and no one wants 17,000 former Metro riders merging into their lane.... Local taxpayers reap returns many times over from their investments in Metro. Less traffic means less money spent on road repairs; more tourists means more hotel and restaurant tax revenue; and a convenient commute means a stronger local economy (and more tax revenue). Riders already pay more than half of the system's expenses, far more than the national average..."
Thanks to Richard Layman
Read the full story: Sharing Metro's True Cost
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
MTA gives itself 30 days to transform pit into basketball court
The site has been under construction since 2022; the city originally estimated it would finish the court in 2024.
Non-stop party: Chicago voters weigh permanent festival grounds
A stable place for bleachers, stages and drainage may streamline the setup and teardown of large events.
Metra may invest $9.1 billion in regional rail
The agency released a draft of a study examining potential ways to offer more frequent train service.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority