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There’s no doubt that we are at a time of changing mobility, with an urgent need to respond to systemic inequities and ever more frequent extreme weather events. In addition, the roll out of the US infrastructure bill puts a billion-dollar opportunity before us: can we marshal our efforts to ensure that this transformation results not only in infrastructure improvements but also greater opportunity for residents and resiliency for their communities?

At a time of changing ridership patterns, transit agencies are working in innovative ways to reach and learn from transit riders in order to shape better, more effective transit service. A recent Rail~Volution webinar, now available as a video, presented some of this work. The webinar speakers described efforts to build ridership on southern California’s MetroLink commuter rail system, to redesign the SamTrans system in northern California, and to establish a branding hierarchy and wayfinding for the Philadelphia region’s intermodal system.

Rail~Volution’s staff and National Steering Committee met in early May to start crafting sessions for the 2022 transit and community development conference, coming October 30 to November 2 in Miami, Florida. (Thank you to everyone who submitted a proposal!) We heard from the Miami Local Host Committee and local leaders about changes underway in the region and saw some examples first hand.

It’s an historic moment for the metro area of Omaha-Council Bluffs. The Nebraska legislature recently passed legislation allowing the formation of a regional transit authority (RTA) and opening the door for increased funding for transit. Omaha Metro transit agency has fresh leadership with a new CEO. Multiple long range plans and collaborative efforts are setting the path for Greater Omaha’s future, including Heartland 2050,  ConnectGO,  MetroNEXT, North Omaha 2025 and UNMC NExT.

During the pandemic, in the spring and summer of 2021, Dee Powell helped transform a vacant lot in south Dallas into the MLK Food Park, while in Pittsburgh, Janel Young transformed a transit stop to highlight safety and lift community spirits. For both, being involved with placemaking projects offered the opportunity not only to reshape a location but also to interact with community members and consider who really has access. We asked them to share their views about placemaking, equity and partnering with cities or agencies. Hear what they say on our Voices from the Field videos.

The ACT2 program at Rail~Volution is intended to bring some of the magic of the conference to local communities, connecting key stakeholders with one another to work collaboratively at the intersection of transit and land use. As with everything, the program has evolved with COVID.

Thank you to everyone who attended the 2021 Rail~Volution virtual conference and to our speakers and sponsors. We know it was not the same as being together in-person, but we heard from attendees that the conference proved to be a powerful opportunity for people to connect and get a sense of how work is going forward at this time of change.

Is it finally infrastructure week? Or year or decade? We’ve been tracking many recent stories about the new US infrastructure bill and have compiled some key perspectives for you below. We share many of these viewpoints — from concern about the vast increase in funding going to roads without adequate provision to prioritize repair, to relief over the increased funding for transit, which will provide welcome stability for transit agencies as they work to build service levels and meet riders’ needs. The bill also includes big investments in high-speed rail and electric charging stations.

This fall, ACT2 capsule learning continues in Omaha and kicks off in eastern Pennsylvania.

Over the summer, the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency (MAPA), in partnership with the Omaha Chamber of Commerce and Omaha Metro, convened a diverse group of Omaha stakeholders for a 6-week learning capsule focused on equity as it relates to their work in transportation and long-range regional planning. This capsule was the first in a series of capsule learning opportunities in collaboration with Rail~Volution’s ACT2 program.

This blog post recaps a webinar with stakeholders involved with formulating and enacting Chicago’s Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Plan.

The Rail~Volution 2020 virtual conference wrapped up on November 12 and wow, was it good to see all of you <3! Thank you for joining us and sharing your time, wisdom and energy. More than 750 attendees gathered over four days to experience four keynotes, 20+ core sessions, 30+ small discussion groups, virtual mobile workshops and more!

During the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn, we’ve seen how much we depend on essential workers. We’ve also seen that these same workers are often the most at risk. As the meme goes, “we are all weathering the same storm, but we are not in the same boat.” With essential workers taking center stage, transit equity and health equity have entered the public’s field of vision in a new way.

George Floyd should be alive. His murder is just the latest instance of extreme injustice arising from the racism embedded in our society and institutions. We condemn the brutality of the actions of the officers in the Minneapolis Police Department. We fully support every effort to prosecute these officers and the mandate to replace systems and behaviors based in white supremacy with systems rooted in equity and honoring diversity.