When Colorado transportation officials sought an example of effective bus rapid transit to visit while developing a system of their own, they headed to an unexpected source.
Transportation planners visited the L.A. region's Orange and Silver Line bus rapid transit lines. The Colorado planners were looking for features like elevated bus-only lanes and signal prioritization.
A Los Angeles planner explains in the article that the Silver Line "consolidated a hodgepodge of bus lines that used to cover the Interstate 10 and Interstate 110 corridors through downtown Los Angeles.
By putting in an elevated bus lane that runs down the center of the freeways, opening 20 stations with kiosks and electronic signage, kicking up service frequency to every five minutes during peak periods and establishing a flat $2.45 fare along the route, loyalty to the line has spiked."
Below is a promotional video produced by Colorado's Regional Transportation District's FasTracks program explaining their BRT plans:
FULL STORY: RTD learns transit lessons from the City of Angels
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Pennsylvania Mall Conversion Bill Passes House
If passed, the bill would promote the adaptive reuse of defunct commercial buildings.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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