TransitCenter

The U.S. state of Colorado is to build 81% more bike lanes by 2035 as part of a new active travel pledge outlined in a Transportation Vision framework.? A key goal of the state’s Vision 2035 is doubling the number of trips made by cycling, walking, wheeling, or transit from 9.6% to 19.2%. “The goals proposed in Colorado’s Transportation Vision 2035 are ambitious and bold,” U. Bryn Grunwald, Senior Associate at non-profit Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) told Zag Daily. “Colorado has seen a huge growth in population over the last fifteen years, which has brought new attention to the issues of traffic, the emissions impacts, and the air quality concerns.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gYHPz8Bv

States have tremendous power to reduce transportation emissions, and Colorado's new "Vision 2035" Transportation Plan demonstrates an understanding of the assignment. https://lnkd.in/e5v5ma4n

Philadelphia's SEPTA—a major public transit agency that serves hundreds of thousands of riders a day—is threatening to increase fares by 29% and reduce service by 20% starting in January https://lnkd.in/eJGwGmfe. This would be devastating for the city's transit riders. The problem SEPTA is facing is that it has a major budget gap, the state legislature hasn't filled the gap, and federal support has run out. Put all these things together, and you end up with a "fiscal cliff." Unfortunately, many transit agencies will face this predicament in the coming years. At Urban Institute, Lindiwe Rennert, PhD and I put together a big paper on how transit agencies might consider surmounting this fiscal cliff: https://lnkd.in/eFrXvxEc One idea we have could be applied to SEPTA and also most transit agencies around the country: "Flexing" federal highway dollars for transit. We diagram that out below. Basically, the federal government allows states to use the funding they receive from the Federal Highway Administration for transit uses. This could help cover SEPTA's budget gap, at least for now (though other funding sources are likely needed). It's also something that other transit agencies should be talking with their state governments about doing!

This is huge, and is only happening because of the tireless, disciplined, and coordinated work of NYC transit advocates to defend congestion pricing after Hochul’s "pause." https://lnkd.in/d8eu-zvi

A great new report from The Brookings Institution examines the failures of state DOTs to operate transparently or support local communities' transportation priorities. The report finds that: - While many state DOTS have long-term goals, only nine DOTS have accountability or enforcement mechanisms to meet those goals - Most states do not publicly explain why they build specific projects, including whether those projects address their long-range plans - On average, states share relatively small amounts of funding with local partners, suballocating only 14% of total transportation funding to localities - States make it difficult for the public to directly inform planning goals or evaluate which projects will be constructed The report includes suggested reforms, such as requiring published justifications for all project selections, enhancing revenue sharing and coordinated planning with localities, and expanding public communication systems to receive more input from external stakeholders.? Read more! https://lnkd.in/eFsjDERQ

We love our Van Ness Busway, where 49-Van Ness bus ridership is at 140% of 2019 levels. But we're also amazed by the performance of our quick-build transit lanes, built at a small fraction of the cost, disruption and schedule. Summary Deck: https://lnkd.in/gjEw_nMC Full Evaluation https://lnkd.in/gKh6QeQj

"State and local governments definitely have the tools to fund transit. A bunch of them spend pennies per person on transit. If you don’t like your public transportation system, it’s your state’s fault." https://lnkd.in/efQrdfxW

Join us on Bluesky! It's a positively joyful place compared to most of the alternatives.

This month ProGov21 is covering #transportation & #mobility! ???? Many Americans lack access to reliable, safe, accessible transportation. November's model ordinance, featured policy, and updated transportation roadmap provide best practices for progressive transportation policy designed to increase accessibility, grow the local economy, minimize costs, and improve sustainability. Model Ordinance: Transit-oriented development incentives must be extended equitably to ensure that good quality jobs and affordable housing communities have close access to transit services. In 2022, the City of Chicago adopted their Connected Communities Ordinance to support equitable development near public transit. Check out the model ordinance here → https://lnkd.in/g3YiYVKD. Featured Policy: Transit agencies looking to build equitable systems should contract with community-based organizations to improve the quality of their research and engagement. The LA Metro achieved this through their CBO Partnering Strategy and Equity Platform, elevating community engagement and equity. This month, ProGov21 is featuring TransitCenter’s report on partnerships with community-based organizations, demonstrating how these practices are vital for equitable transit. Read here → https://lnkd.in/gRuKpezr. Policy Roadmap: Our latest roadmap by Gianmarco Katz and Diana McFarland with support from State Smart Transportation Initiative provides best practices and policies for local governments to ensure access to reliable, safe transportation, including strategic budgeting to improve and maintain infrastructure, integrating land use and transportation planning, complete streets policies, and more. Read the full roadmap here → https://lnkd.in/g3wjKF_i.?

As transit agencies across the country stare down fiscal cliffs, it's more important than ever for their states to take advantage of their ability to flex federal highway dollars to transit. And here's the secret: They can do it anytime, no need to wait for Biden to tell them to. https://lnkd.in/e-vWgjBz