In many parts of the city located on higher ground than Lower Manhattan, the lights are on and the flood waters have receded. But New York's transportation network is struggling to reconnect the city's business centers with commuters.
Three days after superstorm Sandy struck New York, the city's public transit system, which 31.1% of commuters in the greater metro area utilize daily, is crawling back to life. Matt Flegenheimer and John Leland provide an update on the recovery of the regional transportation system, as New Yorkers seek a return to some modicum of normalcy.
"[W]ith the return of some services on Thursday," write Flegenheimer and Leland, "commuters were hopeful
they would experience less of what they encountered on Wednesday, when
bus rides were free but still unappealing as they grew overstuffed with
passengers and often bypassed waiting commuters, unable to take on more."
"Still, navigating transportation on the streets seemed to require the
most diplomacy and luck as commuters adjusted to new rhythms of supply
and demand...The effects of the storm will take time to unwind, with crawling
traffic, half-mile lines at suburban gas stations and city buses stuffed
beyond capacity."
For constant updates on the status of the region's transportation network, Transportation Nation's Transit Tracker is a great resource.
Read the full story: M.T.A.Waives Fares; Restrictions on Bridges in New York
Idaho may see an 18% drop in federal surface transit funding — the largest estimated cut in the US
Transit systems in rural communities are much more reliant on federal funding to provide their services.
King County Metro adds 3,000 weekly bus trips, more connections to rail
King County Metro and Sound Transit are both making major adjustments to their bus networks to improve light rail connectivity across the region.
Pennsylvania lawmaker wants to ban fully self-driving buses
State Rep. Ben Waxman's proposed bill would require autonomous buses to have a licensed driver on board.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
‘Going backwards:’ Baltimore mayor, students rally against state's transit funding plan
Maryland's proposed six-year plan provides no funding for Baltimore’s BMORE bus program and reduces its road maintenance funding.
Detroit to transform waterfront with $2.2 billion investment
Developers will convert about 18 acres of unused parking lot space into civic spaces.
Data center developers are using lawsuits, cash offers to ‘overwhelm’ rural America
Newsrooms in five states worked together to uncover the tactics big tech developers use to buy land from reluctant communities.
U.S.-Iran war may have ‘devastating’ impact on cost to warm homes
Vermont and Maine residents may see a 76% increase in the cost of warming their homes this winter.
Senate bill would ‘overhaul’ environmental permitting laws
Under the proposed act, government agencies would also not be able to suspend or rescind permits after granting them.
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.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority