Issues about which bus schedules work best for students and families, and how changes to the school bus system should be funded, came to a head in Seattle this week.

Hayat Norimine reports: "After council members Bruce Harrell and Tim Burgess opposed using the Families and Education Levy to fund a new school bus system, council members went back to the drawing board—and came up with using Seattle Department of Transportation funds instead."
The two-tier system would simplify the times for the bus system (8 and 9 am) compared to the current three-tier system (7:55, 8:45, and 9:35 am). The current system has been in place for a year, after school officials switched the schedules to better fit students' sleeping patterns and improve engagement during the school day. "Officials and parents said switching the schedules, again, to a two-tier system would better accommodate working families, especially those with kids in multiple grades," according to Norimine.
The opposition to using funding from the Families and Education Levy came from concern that the levy is intended for programs that close the opportunity gap for children in poverty and people of color.
As of this writing, a decision about funding still needed to be made. [Update: the City Council approved the funding and schedule changes.]
FULL STORY: Council Could Use SDOT Funds for New School Bus System

The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.

America’s Best New Bike Lanes
PeopleForBikes highlights some of the most exciting new bike infrastructure projects completed in 2022.

Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.

L.A. County Towns Clash Over Homelessness Policies
Local governments often come to different conclusions about how to address homelessness within their respective borders, but varying approaches only exacerbate the problem.

A Mixed-Use Vision for Houston Landfill Site
A local nonprofit is urging the city to consider adding mixed-use development to the site, which city officials plan to turn into a stormwater detention facility.

Milwaukee County Makes Substantial Progress on Homelessness
In 2022, the county’s point-in-time count of unhoused people reflected just 18 individuals, the lowest in the country.
Town of Palm Beach
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Fitchburg, WI
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
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.