Boston is considering regulatory changes that would extend the hours of late night services like alcohol sales and transit. An editorial in the Boston Globe recommends a data-driven approach for deciding where to implement the nightlife experiment.
"The MBTA is once again testing out late-night service, Boston is piloting late-night food trucks, and Mayor Walsh’s Late Night Task Force is designing a trial program to allow some bars and restaurants to stay open after 2 a.m.," writes Edward Glaeser for the Boston Globe. The tricky question, however, is "[where] should all this activity in the wee hours be allowed?"
Instead of locating the experiment in a single neighborhood and increasing the likeliness of alco-commuting, Glaeser recommends a data-driven approach to deciding where to allow new late night activity, even citing some examples of data sets that could help determine the first locations for the city's experiment:
"With a proper treatment and control sample, the city would be able to measure the impact of later nights on crime and neighborhood disruptions. Local residents can be surveyed on the Web while the experiment is ongoing. The Police Department could step up spot checks of late-night drivers to see whether there is an increase in drunken driving. Heat maps of Twitter can measure if late-night areas see an upsurge in tech-savvy night owls."
Read the full story: Better nightlife through experimentation
Late-Night Subway Service is New Weapon in Fight to Attract Young Talent
A pilot project to extend the operating hours of Boston's subway system until 3 a.m. on weekends is being celebrated by riders, businesses leaders and public officials as a crucial element in maintaining a vibrant and attractive city.
MBTA Announces Improved Bus Frequencies, Redesigned Route Map in Boston
A large system redesign is nearing implementation in and around Boston, but the new system map will require more drivers than the MBTA currently employs.
New York, Boston Transit Agencies Back Off Proposed Cuts
News of a potential economic stimulus package in Congress is followed by news that two of the nation's most prominent transit systems are reducing cuts proposed to address plummeting revenues.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Amtrak, CN end decades-long dispute with eight-year agreement
The new operating agreement establishes an updated framework for the companies to work together, including processes to resolve disputes.
Judges permit Denver to divert 77,000 acre feet from the Colorado River for reservoir expansion
Overuse and climate change have caused the Colorado River’s water levels to plummet.
NYC DOT wants faster, more permanent street upgrades
The city is examining ways to build more concrete infrastructure without getting entangled in 'decades-long' projects.
'Something we’ve never seen before:' rising utility rates could strain city finances nationwide
Data centers, climate change and other factors have caused utility rates in the United States to increase by 38% since 2020.
Trump to overrule local leaders, lease millions of acres of America’s Pacific Island territories’ seafloors to mining companies
International law says that the Indigenous people of America’s territories have a right to prior and informed consent regarding projects that impact their countries.
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.
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
Greater Baltimore Committee
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello