The largest free mass transit area in the U.S. is changing its rules next year, when it will start charging people to ride the bus.
The fare-free area in downtown Portland known as Fareless Square will no longer be free for bus riders beginning in January. The 34-year-old system will still include free rides on light rail lines and streetcars.
"Though 45,000 people board buses each weekday within the fareless area, only 14,000 remain within the square, and fewer are without prepaid bus passes, according to TriMet estimates. As a result, TriMet officials Wednesday said they expected the impact would be offset by expanded free rail service."
Read the full story: The days of a free bus ride are over
OKC streetcar will stay fare-free after ridership shot up 74%
The downtown streetcar saw a surge in ridership after it eliminated fares in January.
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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.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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.
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One Hundred Miles
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