@yonahfreemark.com
Transport / Housing / Land Use / Politics / @urbaninstitute.bsky.social / Le progrès ne vaut que s’il est partagé par tous / yonahfreemark.com / thetransportpolitic.com
@yonahfreemark.comWhen they say you can’t have platform screen doors because the trains have varying door locations
@yonahfreemark.comWell, China has four times the population of the US. So you can calculate accordingly
@yonahfreemark.comReposted by @yonahfreemark.comChina’s railway system provided 25 million rides on a single day, October 1. For comparison, the US aviation system serves about 3 million travelers daily. Amtrak serves about 35 million riders per year.
@yonahfreemark.comThoroughly looking forward to headlines like ”Trump Ocean’s 2027 hurricane season threatens to destroy thousands of homes in Palm Beach,” and “As Trump Ocean rises, Miami may be permanently flooded”
@ndhapple.bsky.socialReposted by @yonahfreemark.com“New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority is starting an environmental review of a proposed crosstown subway line along Harlem’s 125th Street that could serve an estimated 164,000 weekday riders.” www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
@yonahfreemark.comChina’s railway system provided 25 million rides on a single day, October 1. For comparison, the US aviation system serves about 3 million travelers daily. Amtrak serves about 35 million riders per year.
@yonahfreemark.comThe typical project currently awaiting federal transit capital funding faces: —15 months (or more!) in delays to actually getting a signed agreement from the federal government —an 18% increase in cost as the delays mount Track all transit projects nationwide seeking federal funding:
@yonahfreemark.comWhat's the status of transit projects awaiting federal funds?
I built a tracker: www.thetransportpolitic.com/openlines/fe...
There are 20 transit projects that should have been funded by the Trump administration by now... but are waiting.
For each project, you can see delays & cost increases ⏬
@yonahfreemark.comGreat interview on the challenges facing the 2030 US Census due to Trump admin interference on questions of immigration and race ⬇️
@yonahfreemark.comGood luck to @realgershkuntzman.bsky.social & congrats to @dmey.bsky.social — I’m looking forward to great coverage to come!
@yonahfreemark.comReposted by @yonahfreemark.comRidership recovery from 2020 ranked among top regions:
1—Seattle—89% (of 2020 levels in 12-month data now)
2—Houston—88%
3—NYC—87%
4—DC—85%
5—LA—83%
6—MIA—82%
7—BOS—79%
8—Philly—73%
9—Chicago—73%
10—SF—73%
(Seattle is above 2020 levels in latest months)
www.thetransportpolitic.com/databook/us-...
@yonahfreemark.comConservative government of Alberta is preempting Edmonton, requiring the city to:
—Reverse the city's 2024 change allowing small-scale apartment buildings to be built citywide. Change resulted in a building boom: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
—Restore parking requirements, which city eliminated in 2020
@yonahfreemark.comIt's all available on the site! www.thetransportpolitic.com/databook/us-...
Here's Miami's transit ridership over time:
@yonahfreemark.comYeah. In January 2020, the mode split in the Seattle region was 13% light rail, 84% bus, 3% other. In August 2026, the mode split was 33% light rail, 64% bus, 3% other! Ridership was slightly higher overall in August 2026 than January 2020.
@yonahfreemark.comBaltimore data—which include MARC—seem a bit better for commuter rail ridership
@yonahfreemark.comYes! You're right! The chart only includes VRE.
@yonahfreemark.comKeep in mind this includes transit agencies throughout the region, meaning WMATA, VRE, MARC, Ride On, DASH, etc.
@yonahfreemark.comIn the Washington DC urban area, transit ridership was going up consistently 2020–25, but things have plateaued since.
Some intersecting trends:
—Bus ridership is declining a bit
—Metro ridership is increasing a bit
—Commuter rail ridership is going down
@yonahfreemark.comThe above charts represent light rail ridership only. For light rail, using 12-month ridership (since ridership is seasonal), the recovery is: —Seattle: 187.3% —San Diego: 109.0% For *all* modes, the recovery is: —Seattle: 89.3% —San Diego: 92.6%
@yonahfreemark.comOK, added!
Do a hard refresh: www.thetransportpolitic.com/databook/us-...
