A new feature-length documentary film raises the question of whether public transportation is a civil rights issue.

Mass Transit reports from a statement by the Greater Dayton RTA: "The feature-length documentary 'Free To Ride,' which tells the story of the years-long disagreement between the Greater Dayton RTA and the city of Beavercreek to expand public transportation in the community, will debut Feb. 17 at the Washington D.C. Independent Film Festival."
"The Beavercreek City Council initially blocked RTA’s 2011 proposal to extend its service onto Pentagon Boulevard to access jobs and educational opportunities there," explains the post. "The council’s decision was later challenged by [Leaders for Equality and Action in Dayton] LEAD. Ultimately, the federal government threatened to take back more than $10 million dollars in federal funding if Beavercreek blocked public transportation."
LEAD is also currently involved in an ongoing battle over transit planning in Miami Township, Ohio, over the location of bus stops near the Dayton Mall. The trailer for "Free to Ride," which lays out the stakes of the controversy in Beavercreek, can be played below.
The Official Trailer: Free To Ride from Kirwan Institute on Vimeo.
FULL STORY: Documentary Highlighting Dayton RTA Debuts at National Film Festival

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

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
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.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions