In terms of travel times, jobs, and facilities, Tampa Bay ranks last or close to last in every category that measures public transit service and spending.
Florida is the most dangerous state in the United States to be a pedestrian. Tampa Bay is no exception, as more people in the state and city turn to private vehicles and away from public transit, it's only going to become more dangerous.
"In Tampa Bay, local leaders have debated ways to fix the area’s limited public transportation system for 30 years — then time and again, chosen to do nothing, the Tampa Bay Times has found," report Caitlin Johnston and Eli Zhang in the Tampa Bay Times. Among the many ways the city government has ignored the low hanging fruit of public transit, Johnston and Zhang point out, "Almost every other top-20 metro area has at least 600 buses. Tampa Bay has the fewest, about 360."
Some officials point to the city's sprawl as a reason for the intractable problems of public transit in the city, but this argument looks weak when you compare it to the many sprawling cities throughout the country that perform better in transit service. What's worse is that argument is self-serving. The less the city invests in transit, the more they will be encouraging sprawl. If you don’t have good transit options within the city, there's little advantage in living close to town.
FULL STORY: Tampa Bay has one of the worst public transit systems in America. Here’s why.
Another Year of Falling Ridership for L.A.'s Metro System
Even as extensions to the Gold Line and Measure S seem to paint a brighter future for public transit in Los Angeles, commuters continue to use less public transit, especially buses.
Bus Ridership Plummets Across the Tampa Bay Region
Bus ridership in the Tampa Bay region dropped for the first time after six straight years of growth.
Virginia Passenger Rail Sets Ridership Records, Seeks More Wins
Virginia’s commitment to intercity rail is paying off in record ridership numbers, but more work will be necessary to achieve the state’s ambitions for passenger rail.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and "harrowing" close calls are a growing reality.
The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.
DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)