Transit

It's been clear since Donald Trump was elected and Republicans hung on to majorities in Congress that federal transit funding is at risk. But a phone call to your representative could protect transit in the current round of budget negotiations.

Transit capacity across the Hudson is at a breaking point.

It makes perfect sense to provide bulk transit passes, which often lead to higher ridership. But these fare structures pose a problem for people who aren't in a position to scrape together the cash for a pass and pay for a whole month of transit rides one fare at a time. They may end up paying more than wealthier riders for the same amount of service, even though they can least afford it. Now Portland's transit agencies -- Trimet, C-Tran, and the city's streetcars -- are showing the way to a fairer system.

Compared to its international peers, the MTA's capital construction costs are nothing short of outrageous. So with Governor Cuomo asking for more money from New York City to fix the subways, it's understandable that City Council members want to know whether they'll be getting good bang for their buck. But at a hearing earlier today, MTA Managing Director Ronnie Hakim couldn't explain the MTA's cost problem, let alone how to fix it.

Back in March, the Trump administration released a budget proposal that included draconian cuts to transit. Now budget bills are moving through the GOP-controlled House and Senate, and while the threat to transit isn't as severe as what the administration was calling for, it's still alarming.

For commuter rail to work in urban neighborhoods, transit agencies have to rethink fares, schedules, and integration with local transit. The MBTA still has work to do to get all these elements right on the Fairmount Line.

Giving buses priority at traffic signals has improved speeds by an average of 18 percent on the five MTA routes where the technology is live, according to a new DOT report [PDF]. "Transit signal priority" (TSP) could reverse a citywide decline in bus speeds that has caused riders to abandon bus service in droves -- but only if DOT and the MTA apply it at scale.

The city has started work on its first BRT route, which could be the beginning of an 80-mile network.

The issue may be settled at U.S. DOT, but it's not going away. All five Democratic challengers to Larry Hogan's 2018 gubernatorial run have said they'll revive the Red Line.