Staten Island is getting what appears to be the biggest trend in transit planning: a bus system makeover.

Anna Sanders reports on a "drastic plan" to overhaul express bus service on Staten Island. "Staten Island express buses will travel directly to and from Midtown or lower Manhattan, routes will be combined and underused stops will be eliminated," explains Sanders of the proposed plan.
"The average end-to-end route running time would be cut by about 20 minutes under the concept," according to a Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) presentation to the editorial board of the Staten Island Advance earlier this week.
"The network redesign is comprised of 19 routes that will serve nearly all existing Staten Island express bus riders," adds Sanders. "Eleven routes will go to Midtown and eight will travel to downtown Manhattan, where riders can transfer to local buses or the subway."
According to the article, the MTA began an evaluation of bus service on Staten Island two years ago, in July 2015, which included public engagement. The proposed changes will now face a second round of public engagement, conducted at community board and neighborhood meetings throughout 2017.
The article elaborates on each of the variety of proposed changes—from new and simplified routes to stop consolidation.
FULL STORY: Staten Island express bus overhaul coming in 2018

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