With two transit-friendly figures elected to the highest posts in San Diego's government and transit advocates having scored a major court victory in upending the region's transportation plan, the city's transit future is looking bright.
It's no small feat to declare a sunny future for transit in auto-centric San Diego, but recent developments - including the court victory over the San Diego Association of Government's 40-year transportation plan [which gave short shrift to transit] and the ascension of transit-friendly Mayor Bob Filner and City Council President Todd Gloria - have put smiles on the faces of local advocates, reports Andrew Keatts. "It does all kind of point to the end of the world when things are this good," said Marco Gonzalez, an attorney at Coast Law Group who was one of the attorneys fighting Sandag's transportation proposal."
"Now," says Keatts, "he and others who'd like to see transit play a bigger role in the traditionally sprawling San Diego region are hoping this latest series of wins can actually move the needle."
The next step in the transportation plan saga could set the stage for such a transformation. A revised plan could include moving transit investment forward in the plan's timeline or expanding transit investments in San Diego's urban core.
"From our side, we have always looked for stronger leadership on transit and transit-oriented communities," Gonzalez said. "For the first time, we feel like we might have that type of leadership in the mayor's office."
FULL STORY: Public Transit Is Having a Moment

Rethinking Redlining
For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself
The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena
Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.

Spain Moves to Ban 66,000 Airbnbs
The national government is requiring the short-term rental operator to remove thousands of illegal listings from its site as part of an effort to stem a growing housing crisis.

Raleigh Launches Greenway Food Truck Pilot to Enhance Park Experiences
Raleigh’s new Greenway Food Truck Pilot Program brings local food vendors to popular greenway locations to enhance park experiences, support small businesses, and encourage community use of public spaces.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
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.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Clovis
City of Moorpark
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions