Should Los Angeles be investing more in bus-rapid transit?
With ridership tripling in one year, the Orange Line busway is a success.
Researchers found that the busway even relieved traffic on a parallel freeway. The Orange Line was much less expensive to build than light-rail projects in the Los Angeles area.
L.A. is the nation's leader in bus-rapid transit which run on city streets and use special signals to move quicker through intersections. While 78% of L.A.'s transit uses travel by bus, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's plans only include a few new fast-bus projects.
"Decisions on whether to invest in bus rather than rail improvements are often influenced as much by public perception and politics as by what will best serve the needs of communities, some transit experts say."
The director of University of Southern California's transportation engineering program responded that "Compared to railways, busways are cheaper to build, offer higher vehicle speeds, have lower operating costs, are more flexible because vehicles can get on and off the guideway to collect and distribute riders, and have higher capacity because buses can be safely separated by seconds instead of the minutes needed to separate trains."
FULL STORY: Orange Line busway is Metro's quiet success story

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PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.

Conspiracy Theorists Discover the 15-Minute City
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Massachusetts Zoning Reform Law Reaches First Deadline
Cities and towns had until January 31 to submit their draft plans for rezoning areas near transit stations to comply with a new state law.

Washington Could Legalize Single-Staircase Buildings
Supporters of ‘point access blocks,’ which are common in Europe and other parts of the world, say the design maximizes living space and lowers the cost of construction.

San Francisco Housing Plan Gets State Approval
The city cleared a major hurdle as its housing plan, which paves the way for 82,000 new homes by 2030, is certified by the state.

Rail Transit Plans Would Connect L.A.’s South Bay to the Regional Rail System
Two new transit extensions promise several new routes for South Bay residents to access the Los Angeles region’s transit system.
City of Grand Prairie
City of Grand Prairie
West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Hercules
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
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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.
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Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.