Each Friday, the Wagner Planner editorial board will publish a news roundup of recent planning news. Topics range the gamut of urban planning concentrations, but will mostly be at the discretion of the editors.
Brendan’s Picks
Bus Rapid Transit Opens to the Public in Albuquerque
Portland’s cheap and easy bus lane projects are working well
Despite being only four blocks long, TriMet data shows the project has had significant positive impacts on bus speeds. According to data released this week, lines 2, 6, 10 and 14 have seen a decrease in delay during the evening rush by 68%, 26%, 60%, and 76% respectively. (bikeportland.org)
Improper parking looms as issue for Seattle’s e-scooter pilot program
Nearly three years since the dock-less bikes arrived in Seattle, a 2019 second quarter study by the Seattle Department of Transportation shows riders park bikes as “obstruction hazards” 17.4% of the time (18.0% for Lime and 16.4% for Jump) and bike “parked incorrectly” nearly one-third of the time (33.5% for Lime and 30.4% for Jump.) (KOMONEWS)
Mayelly’s Picks
Kansas City Becomes First Major US City to Make Public Transit Free
“This week, Kansas City, Missouri’s City Council voted unanimously to make the city’s bus system fare-free. The plan was a priority of recently elected Mayor Quinton Lucas, whose “Zero Fare Transit” proposal was touted to increase transportation equity in the region, and endorsed by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, which services multiple cities in Kansas and Missouri.” (Curbed)
Why Millennials are Moving Away from Large Urban Centers
“For years, rural areas and small towns consistently lost some of their most talented young people, who moved to urban centers. But recent census data indicates that this “brain drain” phenomenon is subsiding as both millennials and more Americans of all ages are increasingly choosing to live in suburbs and smaller cities” (PBS NewsHour)
The Surprising Influence of Manhattan’s Street Grid on New York Restaurant Reviews
“Here’s an odd spatial quirk of the New York dining scene with implications for wherever you eat: restaurants located on the city’s streets get better Yelp ratings than those located on avenues, according to a clever analysis by Alex Bell, a New York City resident and engineer.” (The Washington Post)
Bonus
New York’s Subway Map as You’ve Never Seen It Before
“When NYC subway history, typography, and interesting mapping design decisions converge.” (The New York Times)
