Structurally opposed to cities: The United States Senate is structurally set up against urban areas and in particularly large cities, effectively giving a third of their electoral power to rural areas.
Highway removal: Utrecht is restoring a historic canal by removing an old 1970s highway segment.
King County migration: During the boom years, where did King County residents come from and go ($)?
Funding transit: Lawmakers in Nevada have sent a constitutional amendment to voters that would allow the gas tax to be used on public transportation investments.
A Maryland first: The first bus rapid transit line in Maryland is almost ready to launch.
Inequitable distribution: Federal grants for transportation investments have been favored in rural areas by the Trump administration.
Delayed: Staffing shortages and budget shortfall may delay D.C.’s Metrorail Silver Line extension.
Disproportionate impacts: Migrant workers are getting hit hard by the pandemic.
BART funding: The Bay Area Rapid Transit system has gotten $1.2 billion in federal grants and another $500 million in grants from California.
Cleared for construction: Virginia’s Long Bridge expansion project for trains has cleared environmental review, which would primarily benefit regional passenger rail.
College town pain: Businesses in Washington’s college communities are feeling the economic fallout of the pandemic.
Equitable TOD: Chicago has released its first equitable transit-oriented development plan.
Bankrupt: The Las Vegas Monorail has filed for bankruptcy.
Policy reform necessary: A new congressional report suggests that land use and transportation reforms are necessary to nudge Americans out of their cars.
Anti-city president: The anti-city agenda by Trump is a perilous one that threatens recovery of the American economy for all ($).
Bike by rail: Amtrak is allowing more bikes on trains in New England.
Renter debt crisis: Renters are facing a big debt crisis as the bills pile up from the pandemic economic pain.
Scot-free: Will South Dakota’s Attorney General get away with his hit-and-run murder of a person who was walking?
De-highwayify: The Portland area has come up with a draft study for local cities that could wind up encouraging cities to adopt “orphaned highways” by the state.
Car pollution: Noise pollution from cars is our other car pollution crisis.
Streets for kids: How can cities remake streets for children during the pandemic?
Blocking pipes: Six states where the Colorado River flows through want a water pipeline project for Utah slowed down.
Most compassionate city: Leeds is named the United Kingdom’s most compassionate city.
Redlined impacts: Formerly redlined neighborhoods have higher rates of Covid-19 prevalence than other neighborhoods, according to a new report.
“Zoning”?: A historic preservation law is being challenged in Houston as “zoning”, which is banned for the city by the state.
Lock-to?: Chicago reports that the “lock-to” rule for e-scooters is reducing e-scooter blockages on sidewalks.
NYC condo trends: Condo sales continue to drop in New York City ($), but the drop is least in Manhattan.
Climate refugees: By one count, America already as 1.2 million climate change refugees.
RTD struggles: Denver’s transit authority braces for massive layoffs in the wake of the pandemic.
Stephen is a professional urban planner in Puget Sound with a passion for sustainable, livable, and diverse cities. He is especially interested in how policies, regulations, and programs can promote positive outcomes for communities. With stints in great cities like Bellingham and Cork, Stephen currently lives in Seattle. He primarily covers land use and transportation issues and has been with The Urbanist since 2014.