Transportation network companies cannot duplicate transit service in outlying communities, argues Ryan Young.
Ryan Young sees cause for concern in Austin's Connections 2025, especially in the "…plans to shift buses and resources to provide better service on transit-friendly corridors," he writes in the Daily Texan. By focusing on better serving high-traffic corridors, the focus is taken off sending buses to the harder-to-reach communities. "The trouble is that public transit is a lifeline for the people who live in these communities. If we’re getting rid of their buses, we have to be careful that whatever replaces them won’t leave residents stranded."
Connections 2025 offers alternatives to traditional buses to serve these communities like, "…flexible bus routes, car and bicycle sharing and subsidized ride-sharing," but, in Young's view, these solutions do not improve on bus transit. "It would be especially reckless to replace transit with ride-sharing... Unlike buses, private automobiles do not have spaces for wheelchairs. And ride-sharing services require smartphones and Internet subscriptions, luxuries that many who depend on transit do not have," Young writes.
FULL STORY: Capital Metro must not abandon traditional buses
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
New Park Opens in the Santa Clarita Valley
The City of Santa Clarita just celebrated the grand opening of its 38th park, the 10.5-acre Skyline Ranch Park.
U.S. Supreme Court: California's Impact Fees May Violate Takings Clause
A California property owner took El Dorado County to state court after paying a traffic impact fee he felt was exorbitant. He lost in trial court, appellate court, and the California Supreme Court denied review. Then the U.S. Supreme Court acted.
How Urban Form Impacts Housing Affordability
The way we design cities affects housing costs differently than you might think.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
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.