Commuter Rail
Denver's New Commuter Train to the Plane Achieves Record Ridership
Ridership on the electrified A Line, which opened to great fanfare on Earth Day, reached a weekday average of 16,910 as of June 5. The 23-mile line operates from Union Station to Denver International Airport. Not all is perfect though.
Transit Planners Put Ann Arbor-Detroit Commuter Rail in Motion
A long-stalled, but partially built-out, commuter rail line has achieved institutional legitimacy with the Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan. Novembers will have a chance to decide on the idea in November.
New Hampshire House Denies Federal Funding for Boston to Concord Rail Study
New Hampshire House Republicans don't like rail. By removing the New Hampshire Capitol Corridor rail expansion project from the state's transportation plan, they deny the state Department of Transportation $4 million in federal funding for the study.
Strike Averted! New Jersey Transit Unions Reach Tentative Agreement
Thirty hours before rail workers would have begun a strike that would have paralyzed commuting between New York and New Jersey, transit agency and rail unions reached a deal, though it must still be ratified by workers.
New Jersey Transit Strike Looms Large on Sunday
The nation's second largest commuter railroad may go on strike this Sunday. New Jersey Transit's bus and light rail operations are not affected. Eleven rail unions have been operating without a contract since 2011.
New Hampshire Wants Commuter Rail to Boston
A strong coalition is pushing for a $4 million planning effort to lay the tracks for commuter rail between New Hampshire and Boston.
Changes Ahead for Amtrak
New pilot projects authorized by the FAST Act include allowing private operators to bid on operating three of Amtrak's 15 long-distance lines for up to eight years "provided they reduce the need for taxpayer support" and allowing pets on trains.
Denver's New Commuter Rail Line to Airport to Open in April
You will be forgiven for thinking you are looking at an East Coast commuter rail line: It's electrified with level boarding, mostly 15-minute headways, with bike and luggage racks, operating 22 hours a day from Denver's Union Station to the airport.
Transit Use Thrives on Destination Density
If jobs, services, and other urban amenities are concentrated downtown, suburbanites can use transit to get there quickly without a car. Job sprawl makes transit useless outside central districts.
SunRail Phase II Receives $93.4 Million FTA Grant
Florida's SunRail commuter rail received a $93.4 grant from the Federal Transit Administration to extend the 61-mile line. The grant will cover half the capital costs for the 17.2-mile extension from Orlando to Osceola County.
A New Algorithm to Predict Train Delays
An algorithm developed in Sweden adds an extra layer of reliability for rail commuters.
Safety of Southern California's New Metrolink Cab Cars Questioned
After a February Metrolink commuter train crash in Oxnard, Calif., train officials hailed the new Korean rail cars as having performed well. Now they have expressed second thoughts, and are replacing the front cab cars with BNSF locomotives.
Commuter Rail Service Between Miami and Palm Beach County Moving Forward
New service connecting Miami and Palm Beach is expected to add 2,000 riders to the Tri-Rail system.
Security Issues Raised for U.S. Commuter and Intercity Trains
Friday's foiled attempt by an alleged terrorist to massacre civilians on a Paris-bound, high-speed Thalys train has raised fears that a similar attack could be launched on one of America's lesser-speed trains. Are current security measures adequate?
The Most Popular Forms of Alternative Transportation
When it comes to the Census, the term "alternative transportation" makes perfect sense. Eric Jaffe looks at the 15 metropolitan areas with the lowest auto commuting and describes the most popular alternatives.
A Rejuvenated MARTA Pitching $8 Billion Commuter Rail Expansion
After a stunning financial turnaround and with new political support, MARTA is proposing a massive expansion of commuter rail, with rail links from Atlanta into Fulton and DeKalb counties.
Affordable Housing Follows Good Transit
More raw housing stock is only the first step. Without comprehensive transit, the value of density can't extend beyond the city center.
Bay Area's Newest Commuter Rail Service on Display
The Northwestern Pacific RR served Marin and Sonoma counties and the North Coast in the 1890s. The route of the new SMART train, while not as long, will run in the same right-of-way, starting next year. One new train was on display in San Rafael.
Philadelphia's Overcrowded Commuter Rail in Need of New Trains
The newest members of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's fleet of commuter trains, 120 Silverliner V trains that have arrived since 2010, have not been sufficient in alleviating crowded rail lines.
How Toronto is Making its Commuter Rail More Like Rapid Transit
Fifteen years in the making, Toronto is finally seeing increased ridership of its main commuter rail system, GO Transit, by changing its model from primarily serving suburban commuters to providing "all-day regional transit service."
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.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
