rohan aras
@rohanaras.bsky.social
Senior Transportation Policy Analyst @niskanencenter.bsky.social
Reposted by rohan aras
The 26ft clear road width requirement from the US model fire code, Appendix D:
Not only making road diets ineffective and brownfield redevelopment boring and car-centric, but now also being used to prevent construction of taller, safer buildings on streets that don't comply.
This rule needs to go.
Not only making road diets ineffective and brownfield redevelopment boring and car-centric, but now also being used to prevent construction of taller, safer buildings on streets that don't comply.
This rule needs to go.
The good news: Portland is opting into Oregon's optional 4-story single-stair code section.
The bad news: Portland's fire marshal has managed to insert a poison pill into what appeared to be a take-it-or-leave-it appendix text, likely making it unusable in most cases.
djcoregon.com/news/2025/11...
The bad news: Portland's fire marshal has managed to insert a poison pill into what appeared to be a take-it-or-leave-it appendix text, likely making it unusable in most cases.
djcoregon.com/news/2025/11...
Portland’s new single-staircase rule faces big hurdles
The city now allows single-staircase buildings as tall as four stories, but a fire access rule may make most projects unbuildable, one designer warns.
djcoregon.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The 26ft clear road width requirement from the US model fire code, Appendix D:
Not only making road diets ineffective and brownfield redevelopment boring and car-centric, but now also being used to prevent construction of taller, safer buildings on streets that don't comply.
This rule needs to go.
Not only making road diets ineffective and brownfield redevelopment boring and car-centric, but now also being used to prevent construction of taller, safer buildings on streets that don't comply.
This rule needs to go.
Reposted by rohan aras
Cross-posting my discovery of the day. This guy could have been the Shoup of design review.
He's was a random architect working from home in Bernal Heights. Never had a faculty position.
He churned out scores of academic papers and one great book.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19873...
He's was a random architect working from home in Bernal Heights. Never had a faculty position.
He churned out scores of academic papers and one great book.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19873...
Thread by @CSElmendorf on Thread Reader App
@CSElmendorf: I stumbled across the work of Arthur E. Stamps III this morning and, wow, my eyes have been opened! He's was (is?) an architect in San Francisco who wrote scores of academic papers on th...
threadreaderapp.com
November 9, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Cross-posting my discovery of the day. This guy could have been the Shoup of design review.
He's was a random architect working from home in Bernal Heights. Never had a faculty position.
He churned out scores of academic papers and one great book.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19873...
He's was a random architect working from home in Bernal Heights. Never had a faculty position.
He churned out scores of academic papers and one great book.
threadreaderapp.com/thread/19873...
Reposted by rohan aras
@wmata.com, talk your shit on here too, man. King Randy holds the Mandate of Heaven
November 7, 2025 at 12:26 AM
@wmata.com, talk your shit on here too, man. King Randy holds the Mandate of Heaven
Reposted by rohan aras
Thanks to the Illinois’ massive investment in transit, Chicago has a bright transit future, with the dawn coming next year:
—50% increase in every-10-min bus routes to 30 citywide
—8-minute midday headways on rail lines
—24-hour Orange Line service (Red & Blue already have it)
—50% increase in every-10-min bus routes to 30 citywide
—8-minute midday headways on rail lines
—24-hour Orange Line service (Red & Blue already have it)
Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen’s ambitious plan would also expand — from 20 to 30 routes — the so-called “Frequent Bus Network” that provides service “every ten minutes or better” between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
trib.al/Va4Ri0r
trib.al/Va4Ri0r
CTA plans 24-hour service on Orange Line to Midway, thanks to mass transit bailout
Acting CTA President Nora Leerhsen’s ambitious plan would also expand — from 20 to 30 routes — the so-called “Frequent Bus Network” that provides service “every ten minutes or better” between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m.
trib.al
November 7, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Thanks to the Illinois’ massive investment in transit, Chicago has a bright transit future, with the dawn coming next year:
—50% increase in every-10-min bus routes to 30 citywide
—8-minute midday headways on rail lines
—24-hour Orange Line service (Red & Blue already have it)
—50% increase in every-10-min bus routes to 30 citywide
—8-minute midday headways on rail lines
—24-hour Orange Line service (Red & Blue already have it)
Reposted by rohan aras
Service-led planning is exactly for use cases like this! The whole region should be playing moneyball to squeeze performance improvements wherever they can be found. And by “performance” I mean better experiences for riders.
@seamlessbayareaca.bsky.social
@dereksagehorn.bsky.social
@seamlessbayareaca.bsky.social
@dereksagehorn.bsky.social
previous 60 bus to campus departed 2 minutes before the Berryessa BART train arrived.
seems like a little coordination of BART schedules and 60 bus schedules could reduce the wait time for transferring passengers a lot
seems like a little coordination of BART schedules and 60 bus schedules could reduce the wait time for transferring passengers a lot
November 7, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Service-led planning is exactly for use cases like this! The whole region should be playing moneyball to squeeze performance improvements wherever they can be found. And by “performance” I mean better experiences for riders.
@seamlessbayareaca.bsky.social
@dereksagehorn.bsky.social
@seamlessbayareaca.bsky.social
@dereksagehorn.bsky.social
Reposted by rohan aras
I'm going to steal the phrase "playing Moneyball" for transportation improvements.
It's a great metaphor; we leave so many easy pickings on the table.
It's a great metaphor; we leave so many easy pickings on the table.
Service-led planning is exactly for use cases like this! The whole region should be playing moneyball to squeeze performance improvements wherever they can be found. And by “performance” I mean better experiences for riders.
@seamlessbayareaca.bsky.social
@dereksagehorn.bsky.social
@seamlessbayareaca.bsky.social
@dereksagehorn.bsky.social
previous 60 bus to campus departed 2 minutes before the Berryessa BART train arrived.
seems like a little coordination of BART schedules and 60 bus schedules could reduce the wait time for transferring passengers a lot
seems like a little coordination of BART schedules and 60 bus schedules could reduce the wait time for transferring passengers a lot
November 7, 2025 at 4:04 AM
I'm going to steal the phrase "playing Moneyball" for transportation improvements.
It's a great metaphor; we leave so many easy pickings on the table.
It's a great metaphor; we leave so many easy pickings on the table.
Reposted by rohan aras
The spec may be a behemoth at 1500 pages, but the RFP explicitly allows for alternate designs & standards (including aluminum!) to cast the widest possible net of rolling stock platforms. SEPTA is leaving no stone unturned
November 6, 2025 at 8:53 PM
The spec may be a behemoth at 1500 pages, but the RFP explicitly allows for alternate designs & standards (including aluminum!) to cast the widest possible net of rolling stock platforms. SEPTA is leaving no stone unturned
Reposted by rohan aras
Get in loser, we're bringing brick expressionism back to the US
November 6, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Get in loser, we're bringing brick expressionism back to the US
Reposted by rohan aras
yeah Canno Design cracked the brick code here and now they sail through design review
www.cannodesign.com
www.cannodesign.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:01 PM
yeah Canno Design cracked the brick code here and now they sail through design review
www.cannodesign.com
www.cannodesign.com
Reposted by rohan aras
Imo Chicago infill architects are getting pretty good at these historicist brick facades
November 6, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Imo Chicago infill architects are getting pretty good at these historicist brick facades
Reposted by rohan aras
This terrible bill would in fact ban any preexisting OPTO. It's such a bad bill (intentionally).
bsky.app/profile/lost...
bsky.app/profile/lost...
Toronto converted to OPTO. The G and L already are OPTO. BART and WMATA have always been OPTO. This ain't rocket science, guys.
One thing the mayor-elect could do between now and January 1 is to call on Kathy Hochul to veto the bill on her desk that would ban one-person train operations in the NYC subway. Mamdani was absent the day of the vote, and banning OPTO is incompatible with lower cost (or free) transit.
November 6, 2025 at 10:27 PM
This terrible bill would in fact ban any preexisting OPTO. It's such a bad bill (intentionally).
bsky.app/profile/lost...
bsky.app/profile/lost...
Reposted by rohan aras
Baltimore just legalized single-stair buildings up to 6 stories and duplexes and even quads in single-family zoned neighborhoods. Abundance, hon www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Mayor Scott signs controversial housing laws in effort to spur growth
A suite of housing and zoning reforms, once pie-in-the-sky dreams for some advocates, are now law in Baltimore, with Mayor Brandon Scott signing four bills Monday in a City Hall ceremony.
www.thebanner.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Baltimore just legalized single-stair buildings up to 6 stories and duplexes and even quads in single-family zoned neighborhoods. Abundance, hon www.thebanner.com/politics-pow...
Reposted by rohan aras
Is there anything that Caltrain did recently that might be instructive to other agencies? Something about wires?
Caltrain popularity among riders at all time high: https://blog.bayareametro.gov/posts/caltrain-popularity-among-riders-all-time-high!
Caltrain popularity among riders at all time high
Caltrain released the results of its 2025 customer satisfaction survey last week, with the rail agency receiving a record high satisfaction rating of 4.41 out of 5, up from 4.02 in 2024.
blog.bayareametro.gov
November 5, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Is there anything that Caltrain did recently that might be instructive to other agencies? Something about wires?
Reposted by rohan aras
The fact that the US has a bimodal density distribution where one of the modes is just New York urban center is crazy
September 2, 2024 at 1:08 AM
The fact that the US has a bimodal density distribution where one of the modes is just New York urban center is crazy
Singapore feels like it exists in a similar design universe to Hanoi or Jakarta, just richer and further along the motorbike -> car transition
What's so inspiring about Singapore is that you can have a world-class mass transit system, high-rise public housing, incredibly smart land use, extremely expensive car registration taxes, you can have all that, and still have an unremarkable car-centric street-level pedestrian experience.
November 4, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Singapore feels like it exists in a similar design universe to Hanoi or Jakarta, just richer and further along the motorbike -> car transition
Reposted by rohan aras
US House Transport & Infra Cmte Chair Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) said about the planned 2026 transport law: "It’s gonna be a traditional highway bill — that means building roads & bridges, laying asphalt... We’re not gonna be spending money on murals & train stations or bike paths or walking paths."
Punchbowl News on X: "Happening Now - Pop-Up Conversation with @RepSamGraves https://t.co/YhfsxAUqzI" / X
Happening Now - Pop-Up Conversation with @RepSamGraves https://t.co/YhfsxAUqzI
x.com
November 4, 2025 at 5:50 PM
US House Transport & Infra Cmte Chair Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) said about the planned 2026 transport law: "It’s gonna be a traditional highway bill — that means building roads & bridges, laying asphalt... We’re not gonna be spending money on murals & train stations or bike paths or walking paths."
Reposted by rohan aras
Illinois transit plan would include:
—$860 m from state motor fuel sales tax
—$200 m in interest from state road fund
—$400 m from 0.25% sales tax increase in Chicago metro area (needs RTA approval)
This would close Chicago region’s transit fiscal cliff + allow substantially expanded operations.
—$860 m from state motor fuel sales tax
—$200 m in interest from state road fund
—$400 m from 0.25% sales tax increase in Chicago metro area (needs RTA approval)
This would close Chicago region’s transit fiscal cliff + allow substantially expanded operations.
With the clock running down to avert Illinois’ impending public transit fiscal cliff, state lawmakers late Thursday brought forward a new plan that excludes most of the broad taxes and fees that tanked previous versions.
Illinois lawmakers bring forth latest plan to overhaul Chicago-area public transit as deadline looms
House Democrats’ latest plan includes a state motor fuel sales tax, using interest from the state’s road fund, a sales tax increase in the Chicago metro area and a sharp increase in tolls on …
trib.al
October 31, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Illinois transit plan would include:
—$860 m from state motor fuel sales tax
—$200 m in interest from state road fund
—$400 m from 0.25% sales tax increase in Chicago metro area (needs RTA approval)
This would close Chicago region’s transit fiscal cliff + allow substantially expanded operations.
—$860 m from state motor fuel sales tax
—$200 m in interest from state road fund
—$400 m from 0.25% sales tax increase in Chicago metro area (needs RTA approval)
This would close Chicago region’s transit fiscal cliff + allow substantially expanded operations.
Reposted by rohan aras
Chicago has *more* households than *ever*—but 900,000 *fewer* residents than it had at its peak in 1950!
Notably, again, 1.18 million is the most number of households that have ever lived in Chicago--above 1.15 million, which was the previous peak in 1960. We bottomed out at 1.025 million in 2000.
A lot of interesting stuff here from @housingstudies.bsky.social, but here's an [eyes emoji] one: Chicago has gained 176,000 households between 2012 and 2023, growing from almost exactly 1 million to 1.18 million housingstudies.org/blog/rental-...
October 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Chicago has *more* households than *ever*—but 900,000 *fewer* residents than it had at its peak in 1950!
Reposted by rohan aras
Reposted by rohan aras
Hard to return the social behavior genie to the norm bottle
An interesting investigation in @upshot.nytimes.com today evaluating some of the challenges to improving buses in NYC—whether through speed or fares www.nytimes.com/interactive/... (gift link!)
Interesting tidbit: Bus ridership is basically back to pre-pandemic levels—but fare payment is way down.
Interesting tidbit: Bus ridership is basically back to pre-pandemic levels—but fare payment is way down.
October 27, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Hard to return the social behavior genie to the norm bottle
Reposted by rohan aras
I think the real question is: is the 20% increase in non-paying riders mostly people who were riding and paying before? Or some of the previous riders aren't riding anymore and some new riders aren't paying (and wouldn't ride if they had to)?
An interesting investigation in @upshot.nytimes.com today evaluating some of the challenges to improving buses in NYC—whether through speed or fares www.nytimes.com/interactive/... (gift link!)
Interesting tidbit: Bus ridership is basically back to pre-pandemic levels—but fare payment is way down.
Interesting tidbit: Bus ridership is basically back to pre-pandemic levels—but fare payment is way down.
October 27, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I think the real question is: is the 20% increase in non-paying riders mostly people who were riding and paying before? Or some of the previous riders aren't riding anymore and some new riders aren't paying (and wouldn't ride if they had to)?
Reposted by rohan aras
An interesting investigation in @upshot.nytimes.com today evaluating some of the challenges to improving buses in NYC—whether through speed or fares www.nytimes.com/interactive/... (gift link!)
Interesting tidbit: Bus ridership is basically back to pre-pandemic levels—but fare payment is way down.
Interesting tidbit: Bus ridership is basically back to pre-pandemic levels—but fare payment is way down.
October 27, 2025 at 1:42 PM
An interesting investigation in @upshot.nytimes.com today evaluating some of the challenges to improving buses in NYC—whether through speed or fares www.nytimes.com/interactive/... (gift link!)
Interesting tidbit: Bus ridership is basically back to pre-pandemic levels—but fare payment is way down.
Interesting tidbit: Bus ridership is basically back to pre-pandemic levels—but fare payment is way down.
Reposted by rohan aras
Want to learn more about the housing megabill the Senate just passed?
New Statecraft podcast with @willpoffwebster.bsky.social and @brianpotter.bsky.social on key highlights 👇
We recorded before it passed, so you can enjoy vetting our forecasts here
open.substack.com/pub/statecra...
New Statecraft podcast with @willpoffwebster.bsky.social and @brianpotter.bsky.social on key highlights 👇
We recorded before it passed, so you can enjoy vetting our forecasts here
open.substack.com/pub/statecra...
Is the Senate Fixing Housing Policy?
"You can’t solve the problem by subsidizing demand and constraining supply"
open.substack.com
October 17, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Want to learn more about the housing megabill the Senate just passed?
New Statecraft podcast with @willpoffwebster.bsky.social and @brianpotter.bsky.social on key highlights 👇
We recorded before it passed, so you can enjoy vetting our forecasts here
open.substack.com/pub/statecra...
New Statecraft podcast with @willpoffwebster.bsky.social and @brianpotter.bsky.social on key highlights 👇
We recorded before it passed, so you can enjoy vetting our forecasts here
open.substack.com/pub/statecra...
Reposted by rohan aras
you may not like it but this is what peak debate performance looks like
Sliwa on transportation: “I like to avoid yellow cabs. As you know I was shot in the back of a yellow cab in 1992 by the Gambinos.”
You can’t beat at NYC mayoral debate.
You can’t beat at NYC mayoral debate.
October 17, 2025 at 12:10 AM
you may not like it but this is what peak debate performance looks like
Reposted by rohan aras
NJ Transit is advancing plans to develop land next to transit hubs, potentially 8,000 acres, with a goal of raising up to $1.9 billion for the agency. The program is called "Leveraging Assets for Non-farebox Dollars" or LAND. Gov. Murphy has been promising this for a while. Very good news, imho.
This is completely out of my wheelhouse.
Reading this article gave me a few immediate concerns but again, no knowledge...
Thoughts on this?
Reading this article gave me a few immediate concerns but again, no knowledge...
Thoughts on this?
NJ Transit announces plan to raise money without increasing fares or cutting service
NJ Transit unveiled a plan that could earn $1.9 billion over 30 years by monetizing the 8,000 acres it owns and reduce the reliance on fares, officials said.
www.nj.com
October 16, 2025 at 1:59 AM
NJ Transit is advancing plans to develop land next to transit hubs, potentially 8,000 acres, with a goal of raising up to $1.9 billion for the agency. The program is called "Leveraging Assets for Non-farebox Dollars" or LAND. Gov. Murphy has been promising this for a while. Very good news, imho.