Chicago’s Washington-Wabash station opened in 2017 – the first new stop on the city’s elevated rail system in 20 years.
Youngrae Kim/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Public buses, subways and trains are relatively safe, fast and cheap. But competition from rideshares and concerns over COVID-19 will soon see some local agencies short of funds.
Underground and underwater.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images via Getty Images
Images of water gushing into subway stations filled social media following heavy rain in New York City. Solutions are at hand – but it takes money and political will, an expert explains.
People are shoulder to shoulder inside a city bus while commuting at rush hour during the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Increasing even part-time remote work disrupts public transit revenue. Agencies need to adapt fare structures and business models to meet the changing work market.
New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority was hit hard by a 79% ridership reduction during the pandemic. It needs an extra $8 billion through 2024 to avoid service cuts and layoffs.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Transit agencies could use the money to buy new subway cars, buses and maintain rails. The funding is designed to build on last year’s emergency aid, which kept transit operating through the pandemic.
A Bombardier sign welcomes travellers to Berlin Central Station, where Bombardier’s rail division headquarters are located. Canada’s failure to invest in rail infrastructure has hurt Bombardier.
(Wikimedia)
Building infrastructure takes time. To develop sustainable transportation, Canada needs to invest in high-quality infrastructure that will enable us to make environmentally friendly travel choices.
Even in cities with good public transportation, some areas can be ‘transit deserts,’ where demand exceeds supply. Living in these zones makes it hard to access good jobs, health care and other services.
Sao Paulo, Brazil, 2013. Subways abound in fine particles often carried by brakes or trains.
Diego Torres Silvestre/Flickr
Fulvio Amato, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) e Teresa Moreno, Instituto de Diagnóstico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua (IDAEA - CSIC)
Subways seem like the perfect solution to improve air quality in cities. But what about air quality underground?
Director of the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA), Instituto de Diagnóstico Ambiental y Estudios del Agua (IDAEA - CSIC)