Transportation

Free Fares for Buses? Don’t Forget the Trains
Fare-free programs that apply to buses and not trains create a fragmented transit system and encourage more people to use slower, less efficient modes.

Shifting the Focus for Transportation Planning in Fairfax County
Fairfax County wants to move away from a heavy reliance on level of service in favor of more pedestrian- and transit-oriented planning.

New York Post-Pandemic First: Big Transit Service Changes
More service on the weekends, less on Monday and Friday, reflects the patterns of post-pandemic transit ridership.

Boosters Hope Streetcar Could Breathe New Life into Downtown Seattle
Supporters of a stalled streetcar project say reviving the line would create more transit connections and boost economic development in the area.

Denver Evaluates Success of E-Bike Rebate
The program proved extremely popular with Denver residents, opening up biking as a transportation mode to more people.

Chicago Gets its First Bike Counter
After years of failed efforts to install bike counters, the city finally has its first counter at the corner of Chicago Avenue and Wells Street.

Paris to Ban Short-Haul Flights to Reduce Emissions
The country of France has been cleared by the European Union to ban specific air travel routes from the Orly Airport near Paris.

Amtrak Reveals New, Faster Airo Trains
Trains on at least 14 intercity routes will be replaced with a fuel-efficient model with top speeds of 125 mph.

Chicago Awarded Federal Funding for Accessible Train Stations
The city received a federal grant geared toward improving accessibility at CTA and Metra stations, close to a third of which lack ADA compliance.

Bigger, More Powerful Cars Cancel Out Improvements in Fuel Efficiency
As carmakers improve the fuel efficiency of some models, many American car buyers are purchasing big trucks and SUVs that still offer low MPGs.

D.C. Promises No More ‘Ghost Buses’
The agency says a new software update will remove out-of-service buses from maps so riders aren’t ‘ghosted’ by buses that never show up.

Federal Infrastructure Bill Accelerates Nebraska’s Plans for 600-Mile Expressway
Nebraska is in the process of criss-crossing the state with a new expressway system. According to state transportation officials, the final push to complete the multi-decade project will be aided by Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding.

Planning Year in Review 2022: Downtowns, Transportation, Climate Change
Part two of a review of the major themes, debates, and events of the year in planning that was 2022.

Florida to Provide Toll Relief for Frequent Commuters
It will be cheaper to drive around Florida, starting January 1.

Can New York Legislators Make Buses Free While Improving Service?
A pair of state legislators hope to make buses free while improving service levels on the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s (MTA) bus system in New York City. The effort will require a new level of political will for transit.

Denver’s C and F Light Rail Routes Closed Permanently
The Regional Transportation District in Denver suspended two light rail lines at the onset of Covid-19 in March 2020. The routes have now been permanently discontinued.

New Jersey Transit Will Ban Riders Who Assault Workers
As part of a bill passed to protect transit operators from violence and abuse, NJ Transit is creating a policy for banning violent passengers, permanently in some cases.

California’s Year in Bike Policy
Bike and pedestrian advocates saw some big legislative and political wins in 2022.

What Will Highway Removal Funding Actually Fund?
The federal Reconnecting Communities program is aimed at supporting highway removal and reversing the damage caused by rampant freeway construction, but some watered down proposals from state agencies could fund road expansion instead.

Mapping Climate Impact at the Neighborhood Level
A consumption-based analysis illustrates the differences in average household emissions across census tracts.
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