Commuter Rail

View of 2nd Avenue sign on concrete column on subway platform with blurred train speeding past in New York City.

New York Governor Announces 2024 Transportation Plans

Gov. Hochul’s plans include the long-awaited Second Avenue Subway extension.

January 16, 2024 - The Architect's Newspaper

Amtrak train on Southern California coast.

State Leaders Warn of Risks to Southern California Rail Corridor

Coastal erosion and rising sea levels threaten one of the nation’s most scenic—and strategically important—rail corridors.

December 14, 2023 - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Silver and white Metrolink commuter train passing through Newhall Pass with desert mountains in background in Antelope Valley, California.

Train Service Expands to Northern Los Angeles County

The added Metrolink service will improve the public transportation system’s accessibility and availability for riders across the Antelope, Santa Clarita, and San Fernando valleys.

October 9, 2023 - Antelope Valley Press

Rendering of proposed bus rapid transit station in Pico Rivera, California

L.A. County City Calls for New BRT Line

Pico Rivera has released an ambitious plan that would create more transit connections in eastern Los Angeles County.

September 15, 2023 - Urbanize LA

Arlington to D.C.

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.

September 1, 2023 - The Washington Post

Blurred image of speeding DART light rain train in Dallas, Texas

How Extreme Heat Impacts Transit

Heat waves are causing damage and delays on commuter trains from New Jersey to Dallas.

August 4, 2023 - The Dallas Morning News

A map of the planned route of GoTriangle commuter rail.

FTA Rejects North Carolina Commuter Rail Funding

As commuter patterns shift, so too do the transit funding preferences of the federal government.

July 31, 2023 - The News & Observer

View from above platform in D.C. Brutalist subway station with people waiting on platforms

D.C. Leads the Nation for Transit Recovery

Ridership on the region’s rail systems is rebounding faster than other major transit systems.

July 9, 2023 - Greater Greater Washington

Silver commuter train with purple stripe in Boston, Massachusetts

Boston Transit Ridership Grows Steadily

Ridership on the region’s commuter rail reached 80 percent of pre-pandemic levels in March.

June 13, 2023 - CommonWealth Magazine

Otay Mesa Port of Entry building at U.S.-Mexico border

San Diego Region Plans for Rail Expansion, New Border Crossing, More Bike Lanes

The budget proposed by the San Diego Association of Governments focuses on a new port of entry, expansion of the regional bikeway system, and mitigating coastal erosion.

May 18, 2023 - San Diego Union-Tribune

Tri-Rail commuter rail train at Miami International Airport railway station in Florida, United States.

New FTA Grant Funds Railcar Replacement

The Rail Vehicle Replacement Program supports new equipment purchases for subway, commuter rail, and light rail systems.

May 7, 2023 - Federal Transit Administration

San Francisco Internation Airport

BART Reorients Service for Weekend Travelers

With weekday commuter ridership still lagging far below 2019 levels and remote work not going anywhere anytime soon, the agency plans to increase train frequencies on weekends and reduce some weekday service.

April 27, 2023 - NBC Bay Area

White VTA light rail train passing by historic building in downtown San Jose, California

San Jose Rail Extension Clinches Final Funding Piece

The new line will expand rail service to more communities in the South Bay.

April 26, 2023 - The Mercury News

St. Louis Metrolink

St. Louis Train Expansion Planning Receives Federal Funding

The Bi-State Development Agency received roughly $7.4 million for efforts to expand the city’s MetroLink train system.

March 28, 2023 - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

BART Station

The Perilous Future of Bay Area Transit

Bay Area Rapid Transit, a hugely successful system pre-pandemic, is now struggling to close a massive projected budget gap, with no certain solutions on the table.

March 14, 2023 - San Francisco Chronicle

Metro Los Angeles

Inland Empire Cities Cry Foul on Light Rail Funding

Cities in San Bernardino County are questioning California state funding processes that failed to allocate any state dollars to an inland rail extension, opting instead to fund more ‘splashy’ L.A.-area projects.

February 15, 2023 - San Gabriel Valley Tribune

New York Governor Kathy Hochul announces transit project in concourse for new Grand Central Madison station

Long Island Rail Now Connects to Grand Central Terminal

A new rail service launched this week could save commuters as much as 40 minutes on trips between Long Island and Manhattan.

January 26, 2023 - Bloomberg CityLab

Outdoor entrance to Salesforce Transit Center in San Francisco, California

San Francisco Tunnel Project Balloons in Cost

The plan to extend a Caltrain line to the Salesforce Transit Center is now expected to cost $6.7 billion as the agency faces a budget shortfall for its electrification project.

January 25, 2023 - Smart Cities Dive

Three commuters on train platform sillhouetted against moving train

Southern Maryland Rapid Transit Proposal Moves Forward

The state assembly has asked the department of transportation to begin research and planning for a rapid transit line that would connect residents with jobs in Washington, D.C. and reduce traffic congestion in the region.

September 22, 2022 - Maryland Matters

Orlando Rail Transit

Orlando Rail Driving Transit-Oriented Development

Central Florida's SunRail commuter train is spurring dozens of transit-oriented housing projects near its stations.

March 29, 2022 - Orlando Business Journal

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.

Senior Planner

City of Thousand Oaks

Community Development Director

City of Wisconsin Rapids

Professor of Urban Planning

Harvard University Graduate School of Design

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