iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

I've added a new feature to Transit Explorer—the database of the world's fixed-guideway transit systems: The ability to compare cities, side by side, at the same scale. Here, for example, is Washington vs. Chicago, and Singapore vs. London! Play around: www.thetransportpolitic.com/transitexplo...

Transit systems in Washington and Chicago, at the same scale.

Transit systems in Singapore and London, at the same scale.

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Nice! I'll try to add that soon.

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MTA Seeks to End $1 Billion of Tariffs on Subway Cars, Buses

The MTA—the nation's largest transit agency—wants to spend $23 billion on new trains and buses in the coming years. But the Trump Administration's tariffs could cost the agency $1 billion. That would mean either (a) the agency could buy fewer vehicles; or (b) it would have to spend more money.

bloomberg.com

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority wants the Trump administration to exempt New York City’s purchases of new subway cars and buses from tariffs to avoid $1 billion in added fees on the nation’s...

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Yep, I made an update to the sidebar allowing you to reduce the opacity to 50% or eliminate the basemap entirely! Hopefully this helps!

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I actually like the way it looks invisible. i will see if i can allow users to hide the basemap, or reduce its intensity.

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Huh -- is the background map not loading for you?

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rev. howard arson @theophite.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

There are essentially 0 electrified freight trucks on the road in the US right now

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Reposted by Yonah Freemark

there's a thing in moderate democratic politics where it is considered fundamentally illegitimate to deliver results to your own voters; instead, you must propose a better way to implement your adversaries' entire ideological program

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Fund 1,000,000 social housing units Build and operate BRT lines in every city E-bikes on separated bikeways for all Massive development on public land around every rail station

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Reposted by Yonah Freemark

617 days into his 2nd term, Trump's Department of Transportation has *still* not approved a single new transit project for full funding. The problems I highlighted in March—how this lack of funding only makes projects cost more & delays completion—have only worsened www.urban.org/urban-wire/r...

There have been no approvals for new transit projects in the entire 2nd Trump Administration. This graph, produced in March 2026, remains accurate now, in September 2026.

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The Trump administration's policies have resulted in the average driver spending $65 more per month on gas than they did a year ago www.urban.org/urban-wire/r... The administration's changes to fuel efficiency policies will make this problem even worse, not more affordable.

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Delays aren't just annoying. They cost money. Every month a project is waiting for feds to sign a grant is a month that the project can't start. That means another month of increasing construction costs, sometimes killing projects. Trump Admin is thus systematically undermining transit projects.

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How do delays rack up? A few projects, comparing when they were supposed be funded, according to Biden Admin, vs. what Trump Admin says now: —Tucson BRT: Early 2026 > Late 2028 —Atlanta Campbellton BRT: Mid 2027 > Late 2028 —Wake SE BRT: 2025 > Spring 2027 —Fairfax BRT: Late 2026 > Fall 2027

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Reposted by Yonah Freemark

Rising Gas Prices Are Punishing Household Finances. Policymakers Should Invest in Transit to Reduce Household Costs.

Gas prices have risen dramatically this year. For the typical driver, that's $65 more spent on gas monthly. If you're a typical F-150 driver in states like Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, or Missouri, you're spending >$350 a month on gas now. We've got to give people other options.

urban.org

Amid months of rising gas prices, a typical driver now spends $65 more on fuel each month today than they did a year ago.

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Rising Gas Prices Are Punishing Household Finances. Policymakers Should Invest in Transit to Reduce Household Costs.

Unfortunately, we're going in the wrong direction on several fronts: —Proposed fed transport bill would *reduce* transit funding —Cities & states allow sprawling development —Congress eliminated funding supports for electric car purchases —Trump admin worsened fuel efficiency standards Read more ⏬

urban.org

Amid months of rising gas prices, a typical driver now spends $65 more on fuel each month today than they did a year ago.

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These gas price increases really have an effect on people's budgets, making life more expensive. The only way we're going to solve this problem over the long term is a combination of: —Investment in transit —Dense development through TOD —Electrification of cars —Clean car standards

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How much did overall fuel costs change from 2025 to 2026? It really depends on the state. Drivers in Oregon & Washington are spending <$40 *more* per month. Drivers in New Mexico & Wyoming are spending >$100 *more* per month. That's because of a combination of gas prices & driving distances.

The typical driver spends $65 more on gas today than a year ago, but cost increases vary by state

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Rising Gas Prices Are Punishing Household Finances. Policymakers Should Invest in Transit to Reduce Household Costs.

urban.org

Amid months of rising gas prices, a typical driver now spends $65 more on fuel each month today than they did a year ago.

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Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 28/09/2026

You can demolish a rapid transit branch with just a day’s notice, but it takes 20 years to build a new one, if you’re lucky

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Reposted by Yonah Freemark

Nolan Hicks @ndhapple.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

“USDOT said the regulation will reduce manufacturers' average cost per vehicle to comply by $1,289 but increase fuel costs by more than $1,600 over the life of the vehicles.” 🤌🤌🤌 www.reuters.com/business/aut...

reuters.com

US finalizes new lower fuel economy standards in boost for gas-powered vehicles

The U.S. Transportation Department on Monday finalized sharply lower vehicle fuel economy standards, President Donald Trump's latest effort to encourage ‌sales of gasoline-powered vehicles and reverse...

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Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 28/09/2026

Yes, the article makes clear that existing residents get the right to return and those units will remain public housing.

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Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 28/09/2026

Jersey City reveals plans for the redevelopment of the Holland Gardens public housing, taking a moderate density, monofuctional, 192-unit complex and replacing it with a high-density, 753-unit project with commercial space, a community center, & a public library! newyorkyimby.com/2026/09/plan...

The new project, showing ground floor commercial

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Reposted by Yonah Freemark

Sylvia Chi 齊思涵 @sylviachi.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I'm old enough to remember the federal government prosecuting Aaron Swartz for downloading articles from JSTOR. Now the heads of prolific hacking and plagiarizing cartels are dining with dictators at the White House. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/25/t...

nytimes.com

OpenAI’s A.I. Went Rogue and Meddled With U.S. Government Websites (Gift Article)

The company did not learn until recently that its technology had meddled with websites for the Education and Commerce Departments and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Yonah Freemark @yonahfreemark.com · 26/09/2026

Just want to give a Friday-night shoutout to NY Review of Architecture, which is, if insidery, nonetheless a consistently delightful, skeptical, witty, and playful read—truly the opposite of AD—that you should check out every month or so it comes out, and, of course, subscribe to

nyra.nyc

Home

New York Review of Architecture reviews architecture, in New York.

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The next Congress and a bunch of state legislatures have an opportunity to take climate change seriously after the elections. How much longer are policymakers going to continue failing at their jobs? How much longer are we going to congratulate them for ineffective actions?

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If the US seemed to be going in the right direction in 2022, it’s now going off: Cancelling wind power projects. Reducing funding for transit. Failing to implement fleet electrification plans. Allowing continued massive greenfield sprawl.

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US isn’t taking climate change seriously when it comes to transport policy Other countries are demonstrating that they can (1) mode shift toward transit, walk, bike; (2) electrify; (3) densify. US failing on all fronts. Result is that US emissions from transport aren’t falling as they should

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I didn’t attend climate week but: 1—US is falling way behind on electrification 2—even if US electrified, electricity generation isn’t decarbonizing fast enough 3—public incentives & land use policy are still vastly weighted toward inefficient cars & trucks 4—transit ridership remains in crisis

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If you're in the DC region, join me and Coalition for Smarter Growth on October 21!

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That's when people (a) had the highest wage growth; (b) got federal assistance!

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The share of renters reporting problems paying rent is increasing, up from 15% in 2022 to 20% in 2025. These challenges are particularly concentrated among middle-income renters. www.urban.org/research/pub...

Share of renters reporting problems paying rent in the past year, by family income levels.

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M15, à circumferential line, is by far the most important of these new lines, expected to carry roughly 1.5 million daily riders when it’s fully completed.

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Several of Paris Metro’s new lines (Grand Paris Express) will have openings delayed, after years of delays. New schedule: —Dec 2026: M18 part 1 —2027: M15 part 1, M18 part 2 —2028: M16/M17 part 1 —2029: M16/M17 part 2 —2030: M17 part 3/M18 part 3 —2031: M15 part 2 www.lefigaro.fr/conjoncture/...

The network of new lines, part of the Grand Paris Express program

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