Metro Transit officials announced the opening date for the A Line—the first of potentially many more rapid bus routes featuring platform level boarding and signal priority.
"The Twin Cities’ first arterial version of Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, is set to begin passenger service on June 11," reports Peter Callaghan. Met Council Chair Adam Duininck announced the news earlier this week.
"The A Line route will begin at Rosedale, pass through St. Paul via Snelling Avenue and Ford Parkway and end in Minneapolis at the 46th Street light rail station," adds Callaghan.
The article begins by pitching Bus Rapid Transit as an alternative to rail transit—both in cost and in the hearts of "transit snobs." The article eventually goes into detail about the features of this bus line, which will include some, but not all, of the perks of Bus Rapid Transit. All in all, the A Line is expected to complete its route 20 percent faster than existing buses. If riders take to the new A Line, "Metro Transit would like to build 11 BRT alignments on its most heavily traveled corridors by 2030," adds Callaghan.
Read the full story: Seeking rail snobs: With BRT, Metro Transit aims to get more people onto buses
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
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.
City of Rosemead
Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy
One Hundred Miles
Hunter College, City University of New York (CUNY)
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
City of Cambridge
Montrose County
The Pocatello Development Authority