A decade ago, Providence considered a streetcar for land that once moved cars along the former path of Route 195. Now transit planners have once again shifted gears, targeting a high-frequency bus corridor for the area.
"What began as a plan to revive the streetcar era in Providence has evolved into something simpler, a high-frequency downtown bus corridor to improve mass transit in Rhode Island and help reverse years of ridership declines," reports Patrick Anderson.
"Financed in large part through a $13-million federal grant, the $17-million corridor will funnel seven existing Rhode Island Public Transit Agency bus lines into a 1.4-mile route from the Providence train station to the cluster of hospitals on the upper South Side," adds Anderson.
The article includes more details about the hopes for the proposed transit corridor, while also explaining the benefits of frequency for a lay audience. To make the case, Anderson calls on Jarrett Walker, who says Providence's new bus plan is a "very smart way to go."
FULL STORY: RIPTA plan: Every 5 minutes, a bus from Providence Station to hospitals

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

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
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.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie