rohan aras
@rohanaras.bsky.social
Senior Transportation Policy Analyst @niskanencenter.bsky.social
If you squint, Kochi kind of looks like the SF Bay
January 27, 2026 at 6:01 AM
If you squint, Kochi kind of looks like the SF Bay
Reposted by rohan aras
The federal government is hunting for a justification to eliminate key bike lanes in the nation's capital, sources say — and if the feds are able to push that controversial agenda through, some fear it could set a disturbing new precedent for federal interference in local projects.
The Talk of D.C.: Rumors Flying that Trump Wants to Undo Bike Lanes in Capital — Streetsblog USA
The feds appear to be mounting an argument that bike lanes cause congestion in the nation's capitol — and advocates are bracing for a fight.
buff.ly
January 26, 2026 at 3:30 PM
The federal government is hunting for a justification to eliminate key bike lanes in the nation's capital, sources say — and if the feds are able to push that controversial agenda through, some fear it could set a disturbing new precedent for federal interference in local projects.
Reposted by rohan aras
Some Sound Transit history: prior to 2010, there was no board committee focused on capital projects and system expansion. The Capital Committee was created that year to handle management of the ST2 program.
One of its original members? Claudia Balducci.
www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/26/s...
One of its original members? Claudia Balducci.
www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/26/s...
Sound Transit Board Abruptly Removes Key Committee Chair Ahead of Pivotal Year » The Urbanist
# Claudia Balducci, the longest serving member of the Sound Transit board, will no longer be a member of the committee she's lead since 2018. The swap out comes just as the board faces critical decisi...
www.theurbanist.org
January 26, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Some Sound Transit history: prior to 2010, there was no board committee focused on capital projects and system expansion. The Capital Committee was created that year to handle management of the ST2 program.
One of its original members? Claudia Balducci.
www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/26/s...
One of its original members? Claudia Balducci.
www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/26/s...
Reposted by rohan aras
Stratton wants to condition federal funding on local housing reform. And she wants medicare for all.
I'm rolling with Juliana!
I'm rolling with Juliana!
Abundant Housing Illinois is excited to endorse Juliana Stratton for U.S. Senate! 🏘️
January 26, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Stratton wants to condition federal funding on local housing reform. And she wants medicare for all.
I'm rolling with Juliana!
I'm rolling with Juliana!
More American cities could do to learn from this concept tbh
Today is the 51st anniversary of the Montlake Freeway Station, opened on Saturday, January 25, 1975.
It was the first of many “freeway flyer” stops that Metro would build throughout King County. The idea came from LA but Seattle embraced the concept, leading to today’s regional express bus network.
It was the first of many “freeway flyer” stops that Metro would build throughout King County. The idea came from LA but Seattle embraced the concept, leading to today’s regional express bus network.
January 26, 2026 at 9:55 AM
More American cities could do to learn from this concept tbh
Reposted by rohan aras
My very boomer take on this is if you believe in cities and DC as the nation’s capital and you’re not willing to revise the height limit downtown, that this space is best used as a way to recentralize federal employment in the urban core.
Federal and local planners in Washington have long sought to raze a derelict federal office district in DC. The area is enormous: some 230 acres, or 42 city blocks' worth of distressed government buildings.
This is where Trump's wrecking ball could swing next: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
This is where Trump's wrecking ball could swing next: www.bloomberg.com/graphics/202...
January 23, 2026 at 9:28 PM
My very boomer take on this is if you believe in cities and DC as the nation’s capital and you’re not willing to revise the height limit downtown, that this space is best used as a way to recentralize federal employment in the urban core.
Time to buy tickets back!
MARCH 28
We're just seconds away from learning the date that the full 2 Line will finally cross Lake Washington with riders aboard.
January 23, 2026 at 6:33 PM
Time to buy tickets back!
Reposted by rohan aras
MARCH 28
We're just seconds away from learning the date that the full 2 Line will finally cross Lake Washington with riders aboard.
January 23, 2026 at 6:26 PM
MARCH 28
Reposted by rohan aras
It's interesting that grade separation in urban contexts was essentially achieved in many cities throughout the developed world by WWII, but by the 1960s the grade separation effort was de facto almost abandoned in North America but continued elsewhere.
On January 21, 1930, Toronto’s high-level viaduct into Union Station was finally put into service.
After years of work and many millions of dollars, the first scheduled trains ran over the new upper-level tracks into the station.
#OnThisDay #TorontoHistory #1930s #Toronto #jeremyhopkin
After years of work and many millions of dollars, the first scheduled trains ran over the new upper-level tracks into the station.
#OnThisDay #TorontoHistory #1930s #Toronto #jeremyhopkin
January 22, 2026 at 3:20 AM
It's interesting that grade separation in urban contexts was essentially achieved in many cities throughout the developed world by WWII, but by the 1960s the grade separation effort was de facto almost abandoned in North America but continued elsewhere.
Reposted by rohan aras
1. Manual transmission is still *very* common elsewhere and functionally non-existent in the US. This means that US drivers have a free hand to hold a phone (a fact many take advantage of!) while most of their peer drivers in other countries do not.
January 22, 2026 at 10:26 AM
1. Manual transmission is still *very* common elsewhere and functionally non-existent in the US. This means that US drivers have a free hand to hold a phone (a fact many take advantage of!) while most of their peer drivers in other countries do not.
Reposted by rohan aras
It drivers me crazy that so many smart people will look at this graph and say, "Well, it can't be smartphones because other countries have those too."
This ignores two critical facts:
This ignores two critical facts:
January 22, 2026 at 10:26 AM
It drivers me crazy that so many smart people will look at this graph and say, "Well, it can't be smartphones because other countries have those too."
This ignores two critical facts:
This ignores two critical facts:
Reposted by rohan aras
'Los Angeles has directed staff to draft its own single‑exit, single‑stair ordinance modeled in part on Seattle.'
👀
www.housingwire.com/articles/cal...
👀
www.housingwire.com/articles/cal...
California weighs single-stair multifamily to ignite housing supply
California weighs single-stair apartments above three stories, aiming to address housing costs and urban infill challenges.
www.housingwire.com
January 22, 2026 at 1:28 AM
'Los Angeles has directed staff to draft its own single‑exit, single‑stair ordinance modeled in part on Seattle.'
👀
www.housingwire.com/articles/cal...
👀
www.housingwire.com/articles/cal...
Reposted by rohan aras
“Brightline Trains Florida…skipped its second interest payment on $1.2 billion of subordinate municipal bonds…However, the incident is not considered an event of default, according to bond documents, which says a default only occurs if the railroad misses three consecutive interest payments.”
Florida’s Brightline Skips Second Payment on Subordinate Munis
Brightline Trains Florida, the Fortress Investment Group-backed passenger railroad, skipped its second interest payment on $1.2 billion of subordinate municipal bonds.
www.bloomberg.com
January 18, 2026 at 3:07 PM
“Brightline Trains Florida…skipped its second interest payment on $1.2 billion of subordinate municipal bonds…However, the incident is not considered an event of default, according to bond documents, which says a default only occurs if the railroad misses three consecutive interest payments.”
Reposted by rohan aras
BTW, a Moscow (trinocular) or London/Stockholm/Wien/Istanbul (split platforms + connecting vestibules) approach of having circulation between the two platforms rather than above is really the better design for deep station. Cavern station is just too much volume for nothing.
January 13, 2026 at 10:52 PM
BTW, a Moscow (trinocular) or London/Stockholm/Wien/Istanbul (split platforms + connecting vestibules) approach of having circulation between the two platforms rather than above is really the better design for deep station. Cavern station is just too much volume for nothing.
Reposted by rohan aras
A Renton city council committee is discussing legalizing neighborhood retail right now.
A survey result that showed 39% of Renton residents want to legalize bodegas and neighborhood cafes on all city lots was just described by a staff member as "shocking."
A survey result that showed 39% of Renton residents want to legalize bodegas and neighborhood cafes on all city lots was just described by a staff member as "shocking."
January 13, 2026 at 1:16 AM
A Renton city council committee is discussing legalizing neighborhood retail right now.
A survey result that showed 39% of Renton residents want to legalize bodegas and neighborhood cafes on all city lots was just described by a staff member as "shocking."
A survey result that showed 39% of Renton residents want to legalize bodegas and neighborhood cafes on all city lots was just described by a staff member as "shocking."
Well that's crazy transformative
January 12, 2026 at 5:58 AM
Well that's crazy transformative
Reposted by rohan aras
Reposted by rohan aras
Extremely cool policy job opening for anyone interested in transportation. Can be fully remote (US only)! www.metroabundance.org/jobs/transpo...
Transportation Research Associate - Metropolitan Abundance Project
The Organization The Metropolitan Abundance Project (MAP) works to make American cities prosperous, affordable, sustainable, and joyous places to live and raise families. We help advocates and legisla...
www.metroabundance.org
January 9, 2026 at 9:45 PM
Extremely cool policy job opening for anyone interested in transportation. Can be fully remote (US only)! www.metroabundance.org/jobs/transpo...
Reposted by rohan aras
Wow – legalizes single-stair up to six stories *and* wheelchair-sized elevators (cuts the stretcher requirement). Does anybody have any contact with the legislators or their staffers? I'm interested in talking to them...
Welp, pigs have flown and Indiana Republicans have gone full YIMBY iga.in.gov/legislative/...
Indiana General Assembly
Website for Indiana's General Assembly
iga.in.gov
January 9, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Wow – legalizes single-stair up to six stories *and* wheelchair-sized elevators (cuts the stretcher requirement). Does anybody have any contact with the legislators or their staffers? I'm interested in talking to them...
Reposted by rohan aras
Reposted by rohan aras
Averaged by agency, the ranking among major agencies/modes:
Farthest from highways: 1) Pittsburgh PRT 2) Cleveland RTA 3) UTA 4) SEPTA 5) CTA
Closest to highways: 1) Denver RTD 2) Miami 3) Hampton Roads 4) Sound Transit 5) San Diego
Farthest from highways: 1) Pittsburgh PRT 2) Cleveland RTA 3) UTA 4) SEPTA 5) CTA
Closest to highways: 1) Denver RTD 2) Miami 3) Hampton Roads 4) Sound Transit 5) San Diego
January 8, 2026 at 7:23 PM
Averaged by agency, the ranking among major agencies/modes:
Farthest from highways: 1) Pittsburgh PRT 2) Cleveland RTA 3) UTA 4) SEPTA 5) CTA
Closest to highways: 1) Denver RTD 2) Miami 3) Hampton Roads 4) Sound Transit 5) San Diego
Farthest from highways: 1) Pittsburgh PRT 2) Cleveland RTA 3) UTA 4) SEPTA 5) CTA
Closest to highways: 1) Denver RTD 2) Miami 3) Hampton Roads 4) Sound Transit 5) San Diego
Reposted by rohan aras
Inspired by this thread, I calculated the distance from every US streetcar/light rail/heavy rail stop* to the nearest highway. Check it out here!
rpubs.com/bensh3/dist_...
*does not include St. Louis Metrolink because mode was missing in the NTAD
rpubs.com/bensh3/dist_...
*does not include St. Louis Metrolink because mode was missing in the NTAD
January 8, 2026 at 7:19 PM
Inspired by this thread, I calculated the distance from every US streetcar/light rail/heavy rail stop* to the nearest highway. Check it out here!
rpubs.com/bensh3/dist_...
*does not include St. Louis Metrolink because mode was missing in the NTAD
rpubs.com/bensh3/dist_...
*does not include St. Louis Metrolink because mode was missing in the NTAD
Reposted by rohan aras
The IBR will cost as much as $17.7 billion, more than double the previous max. cost of $7.5 billion, according to documents unearthed by City Observatory. cityobservatory.org/17-7-billion...
January 8, 2026 at 1:31 AM
The IBR will cost as much as $17.7 billion, more than double the previous max. cost of $7.5 billion, according to documents unearthed by City Observatory. cityobservatory.org/17-7-billion...
Reposted by rohan aras
Woah betting pool at work was 12 B at most. What an upset.
The IBR will cost as much as $17.7 billion, more than double the previous max. cost of $7.5 billion, according to documents unearthed by City Observatory. cityobservatory.org/17-7-billion...
January 8, 2026 at 3:37 AM
Woah betting pool at work was 12 B at most. What an upset.
Reposted by rohan aras
oooh finally we are decommodifying housing
Trump Moves to Ban Investors From Buying Single-Family Homes www.wsj.com/economy/hous...
Trump Moves to Ban Investors From Buying Single-Family Homes
It is unclear whether congressional approval would be needed to institute the ban.
www.wsj.com
January 7, 2026 at 6:45 PM
oooh finally we are decommodifying housing