rohan aras
@rohanaras.bsky.social
Senior Transportation Policy Analyst @niskanencenter.bsky.social
Reposted by rohan aras
I think this is mostly San Francisco finally shrugging off the pandemic, but it is *really* funny that rent prices in San Francisco shot up *immediately* after the city banned RealPage and other algorithmic price setting software.
My pre trends are incredible!
My pre trends are incredible!
November 22, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I think this is mostly San Francisco finally shrugging off the pandemic, but it is *really* funny that rent prices in San Francisco shot up *immediately* after the city banned RealPage and other algorithmic price setting software.
My pre trends are incredible!
My pre trends are incredible!
Reposted by rohan aras
DC is enforcing a “crackdown” on streeteries—outdoor seating for cafes—charging the cafes huge amounts of money to keep the facilities in place, and forcing them to use seating that doesn’t work in the winter. It’s a huge self-own, likely to end up hurting businesses, reducing street vibrancy.
Exclusive: Le Dip streetery to come down as D.C. crackdown reshapes outdoor dining
It's over for many D.C. streeteries, as the city starts to charge what you might call "road rent" and other fees.
www.axios.com
November 23, 2025 at 2:47 PM
DC is enforcing a “crackdown” on streeteries—outdoor seating for cafes—charging the cafes huge amounts of money to keep the facilities in place, and forcing them to use seating that doesn’t work in the winter. It’s a huge self-own, likely to end up hurting businesses, reducing street vibrancy.
Reposted by rohan aras
Portland: Highly damaging transit service cuts may be coming in the next year. Still no sign of a plan on how to prevent them.
No, there is not a lot of waste in the system; almost all service is justified by ridership or equity (we did that work).
trimet.org/servicecuts/...
No, there is not a lot of waste in the system; almost all service is justified by ridership or equity (we did that work).
trimet.org/servicecuts/...
Planned Bus and MAX Service Cuts
Due to a growing budget gap, we must cut some TriMet service starting in November 2025.
trimet.org
November 19, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Portland: Highly damaging transit service cuts may be coming in the next year. Still no sign of a plan on how to prevent them.
No, there is not a lot of waste in the system; almost all service is justified by ridership or equity (we did that work).
trimet.org/servicecuts/...
No, there is not a lot of waste in the system; almost all service is justified by ridership or equity (we did that work).
trimet.org/servicecuts/...
Reposted by rohan aras
My line on this kind of thing is that we need policy, programs, and infrastructure that allow cities to function *better* as they grow. Public transit does that. When more people drive, cities get worse for everyone, including drivers.
"...we need to make it possible for more and more people to live in this city without owning a car... I mean, as more people continue to move to Seattle in our region, we just have limited space, and it’s just not possible to keep adding cars to the road." @wilsonforseattle.bsky.social
Seattle Nice Interviews Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson! - PubliCola
By Erica C. Barnett We had Mayor-Elect Katie Wilson on Seattle Nice this week for a wide-ranging interview about her…
publicola.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:39 AM
My line on this kind of thing is that we need policy, programs, and infrastructure that allow cities to function *better* as they grow. Public transit does that. When more people drive, cities get worse for everyone, including drivers.
Reposted by rohan aras
Insane but true fact: making US roads as safe as Canadian, Australian, or European roads would save more lives than eliminating murder from the US.
November 21, 2025 at 3:01 AM
Insane but true fact: making US roads as safe as Canadian, Australian, or European roads would save more lives than eliminating murder from the US.
Reposted by rohan aras
What a weird week it has been. Anyway, Build Housing, yes.
Trump and Mamdani just concluded their private meeting at the White House. Trump tells reporters he congratulated Mamdani on his "incredible" election victory.
He says they spoke about "getting housing built" in NYC, among other issues.
He says they spoke about "getting housing built" in NYC, among other issues.
November 21, 2025 at 8:58 PM
What a weird week it has been. Anyway, Build Housing, yes.
One thing that's interesting to me about this purchase is that BEBs were apparently only 15-20% more expensive that the diesel quote they got. But BEBs seem to regularly be quoted at double the cost for transit agencies? For example, MTCs pricelist has a 40ft BEB at 1,407,600 vs 716,400 for a diesel
November 21, 2025 at 5:52 PM
One thing that's interesting to me about this purchase is that BEBs were apparently only 15-20% more expensive that the diesel quote they got. But BEBs seem to regularly be quoted at double the cost for transit agencies? For example, MTCs pricelist has a 40ft BEB at 1,407,600 vs 716,400 for a diesel
Reposted by rohan aras
I've had zero to do with it other than watching as an Orange Line rider, but rapid implementation of dropbacks on the OL is one of the coolest things I've seen in my time at the MBTA. From a process improvement exploration project to full-bore implementation in just a few months.
The MBTA confronts an "unintended consequence" of all its recent Orange Line improvements: traffic www.wbur.org/news/2025/11... @wbur.org
The Orange Line has gotten so much better it has a new problem: Traffic
An "unintended consequence" of all the recent improvements, Orange Line trains are now running into delays due to congestion at the end of the line. However, the MBTA has a plan to ease the issue. Mee...
www.wbur.org
November 21, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I've had zero to do with it other than watching as an Orange Line rider, but rapid implementation of dropbacks on the OL is one of the coolest things I've seen in my time at the MBTA. From a process improvement exploration project to full-bore implementation in just a few months.
Reposted by rohan aras
So how to move forward, what are better metrics to capture our housing pressures? I don't know the definitive answer to that, but I have been playing around with various approaches. One is the work with Keith on First Time Buyer Lorenz Curves that focuses on ability to buy a home.
First time buyer Lorenz curves revisited – Mountain Doodles
Taking another look at first time buyer affordability: updating with 2021 data, accounting for property taxes, and introducing a discretized version of the measure.
doodles.mountainmath.ca
November 20, 2025 at 11:22 PM
So how to move forward, what are better metrics to capture our housing pressures? I don't know the definitive answer to that, but I have been playing around with various approaches. One is the work with Keith on First Time Buyer Lorenz Curves that focuses on ability to buy a home.
Reposted by rohan aras
What's the other important margin? Location! Both between metro areas and within metro areas.
Housing provides shelter, location, and privacy.
We often forget location, and even more frequently forget the privacy aspect. So I want to talk a bit more about privacy.
Housing provides shelter, location, and privacy.
We often forget location, and even more frequently forget the privacy aspect. So I want to talk a bit more about privacy.
which i think speaks to the most important point, which is that a house is not just a house: it is a location, and far and away the most important thing about that location is how well it lets you access good jobs
www.amazon.com/Order-withou...
www.amazon.com/Order-withou...
Order without Design: How Markets Shape Cities
Order without Design: How Markets Shape Cities [Bertaud, Alain] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Order without Design: How Markets Shape Cities
www.amazon.com
November 20, 2025 at 11:22 PM
What's the other important margin? Location! Both between metro areas and within metro areas.
Housing provides shelter, location, and privacy.
We often forget location, and even more frequently forget the privacy aspect. So I want to talk a bit more about privacy.
Housing provides shelter, location, and privacy.
We often forget location, and even more frequently forget the privacy aspect. So I want to talk a bit more about privacy.
Reposted by rohan aras
@lausterna.bsky.social and I looked specifically into this question and found that while "culture" has a measurable effect, the main driver of household formation (or the lack thereof) is economic. More to the point, in Canada it's rents that drive cross-metro differences in household formation.
Housing shortage as an explanation for family and household change – Mountain Doodles
A run down of our recent paper on this topic, and implications for research and policy.
doodles.mountainmath.ca
November 20, 2025 at 11:22 PM
@lausterna.bsky.social and I looked specifically into this question and found that while "culture" has a measurable effect, the main driver of household formation (or the lack thereof) is economic. More to the point, in Canada it's rents that drive cross-metro differences in household formation.
Reposted by rohan aras
New study finds that "vehicles with large driver-side blind zones are much more likely to strike crossing pedestrians while turning left."
Which vehicles have big driver-side blind zones? Those with thick A-pillars, bulky side mirrors, and tall hoods—i.e., big SUVs and trucks.
Which vehicles have big driver-side blind zones? Those with thick A-pillars, bulky side mirrors, and tall hoods—i.e., big SUVs and trucks.
Vehicles with big blind zones spell danger to pedestrians during left turns
A large driver-side blind zone raises the risk of striking a pedestrian during a left turn by 70%, a new IIHS study shows.
www.iihs.org
November 20, 2025 at 12:29 PM
New study finds that "vehicles with large driver-side blind zones are much more likely to strike crossing pedestrians while turning left."
Which vehicles have big driver-side blind zones? Those with thick A-pillars, bulky side mirrors, and tall hoods—i.e., big SUVs and trucks.
Which vehicles have big driver-side blind zones? Those with thick A-pillars, bulky side mirrors, and tall hoods—i.e., big SUVs and trucks.
Reposted by rohan aras
which i think speaks to the most important point, which is that a house is not just a house: it is a location, and far and away the most important thing about that location is how well it lets you access good jobs
www.amazon.com/Order-withou...
www.amazon.com/Order-withou...
Order without Design: How Markets Shape Cities
Order without Design: How Markets Shape Cities [Bertaud, Alain] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Order without Design: How Markets Shape Cities
www.amazon.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:14 PM
which i think speaks to the most important point, which is that a house is not just a house: it is a location, and far and away the most important thing about that location is how well it lets you access good jobs
www.amazon.com/Order-withou...
www.amazon.com/Order-withou...
Reposted by rohan aras
Big news: House GOP head of transport committee says he wants to retain the mass transit fund, defying the Trump Admin’s proposal, which I detail below ⬇️
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
Trump Administration is to propose a massive cut in federal transit funding as part of 2026 transport legislation.
This proposal would decimate the nation's transit systems, while not actually solving the revenue problem federal transportation funding faces.
Evidence @urbaninstitute.bsky.social ⏬
This proposal would decimate the nation's transit systems, while not actually solving the revenue problem federal transportation funding faces.
Evidence @urbaninstitute.bsky.social ⏬
Cutting Federal Transit Funding Won’t Fix Budget Shortfalls. But It Would Make Transportation Less Affordable for Americans.
A proposal to eliminate federal public transit funding would not only fail to address the existing funding gap but would also leave millions of Americans, pa…
www.urban.org
November 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Big news: House GOP head of transport committee says he wants to retain the mass transit fund, defying the Trump Admin’s proposal, which I detail below ⬇️
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2025...
Reposted by rohan aras
Good post. This is my personal primary complaint about the MTA ending the monthly pass.
Monthly passes encourage ridership: you no longer think about whether to use transit, you already have it covered.
Monthly passes encourage ridership: you no longer think about whether to use transit, you already have it covered.
November 19, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Good post. This is my personal primary complaint about the MTA ending the monthly pass.
Monthly passes encourage ridership: you no longer think about whether to use transit, you already have it covered.
Monthly passes encourage ridership: you no longer think about whether to use transit, you already have it covered.
Reposted by rohan aras
Interesting podcast episode about Switzerland's new risk-based fire safety code, which was prompted by concerns that fire safety costs were getting too high and that they were overregulating (the phrase "too safe" is uttered) in some cases www.firescienceshow.com/226-new-swis...
226 - New Swiss fire safety code with Gianluca De Sanctis and Sofia Kourgiantaki
It is a massive effort to rewrite a national fire safety code around measurable risk, explicit targets, and cost-effectiveness. But sometimes, there are great reaso…
www.firescienceshow.com
November 18, 2025 at 12:52 AM
Interesting podcast episode about Switzerland's new risk-based fire safety code, which was prompted by concerns that fire safety costs were getting too high and that they were overregulating (the phrase "too safe" is uttered) in some cases www.firescienceshow.com/226-new-swis...
Reposted by rohan aras
My crazy idea for incorporating public feedback into city planning: You let residents vote for representatives in city government, and those people are empowered to implement the policies they promised while campaigning.
At Land Use (again) and it's literally all the same people it always is (myself included)...like who are we fooling that the same 75 people showing up every time is "the will of the people"? What a sham public process is sometimes, sadly
November 17, 2025 at 9:51 PM
My crazy idea for incorporating public feedback into city planning: You let residents vote for representatives in city government, and those people are empowered to implement the policies they promised while campaigning.
Reposted by rohan aras
Hopefully it will be used after the 8k order by someone else.
"Starting in 2028, you’ll be able to ride on a train that was built [in the DMV]. The 8000 series cars will be assembled at a new $100 million Hitachi factory in Hagerstown."
@washingtonian.com @washprobs.bsky.social
@washingtonian.com @washprobs.bsky.social
Inside the New Factory That Will Build DC's Metro Trains
The Hagerstown facility has dog robots and other cool tech.
washingtonian.com
November 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM
Hopefully it will be used after the 8k order by someone else.
Reposted by rohan aras
Seattle owns and contracts the monorail and streetcars. Seattle has the Seattle Transit Measure. Seattle directly oversees Sound Transit. Seattle has oversight influence on King County Metro and Puget Sound Regional Council.
The Seattle Times Editorial Board has really jumped off the deep end.
The Seattle Times Editorial Board has really jumped off the deep end.
The disingenuous whiners at the Seattle Times ed board actually suggested that Katie Wilson—mayor-elect and the founder of the Transit Riders Union (who used to do outreach at the bus stop on Third and Union)—doesn't know that the county, not the city, runs the buses. Cry harder, losers
November 17, 2025 at 6:08 PM
Seattle owns and contracts the monorail and streetcars. Seattle has the Seattle Transit Measure. Seattle directly oversees Sound Transit. Seattle has oversight influence on King County Metro and Puget Sound Regional Council.
The Seattle Times Editorial Board has really jumped off the deep end.
The Seattle Times Editorial Board has really jumped off the deep end.
Reposted by rohan aras
On my way to @wmata.com HQ for a joint @mwcog.bsky.social and Metro board meeting to build buy-in for the capital commitments to fund this.
If we want to bend the cost curve on operating while growing as a region, we must enable long-term multi-year bonding and budgeting for WMATA.
#DMVMoves
If we want to bend the cost curve on operating while growing as a region, we must enable long-term multi-year bonding and budgeting for WMATA.
#DMVMoves
Major announcement in just-posted board documents: DC's Metro is moving fast toward automation.
Over 15 years, Metro plans full automation & platform screen doors, which the agency says will improve safety, reliability, & travel times—at reduced costs.
www.wmata.com/about/board/...
Over 15 years, Metro plans full automation & platform screen doors, which the agency says will improve safety, reliability, & travel times—at reduced costs.
www.wmata.com/about/board/...
November 17, 2025 at 4:21 PM
On my way to @wmata.com HQ for a joint @mwcog.bsky.social and Metro board meeting to build buy-in for the capital commitments to fund this.
If we want to bend the cost curve on operating while growing as a region, we must enable long-term multi-year bonding and budgeting for WMATA.
#DMVMoves
If we want to bend the cost curve on operating while growing as a region, we must enable long-term multi-year bonding and budgeting for WMATA.
#DMVMoves
Reposted by rohan aras
Seattle used to fund so much transit service until covid (and jenny durkan)
In 2019, almost 75% of the city lived within walking distance of a bus every 10 mins or better. Today, it's only like 50%!
Time to get the buses running again!
In 2019, almost 75% of the city lived within walking distance of a bus every 10 mins or better. Today, it's only like 50%!
Time to get the buses running again!
November 16, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Seattle used to fund so much transit service until covid (and jenny durkan)
In 2019, almost 75% of the city lived within walking distance of a bus every 10 mins or better. Today, it's only like 50%!
Time to get the buses running again!
In 2019, almost 75% of the city lived within walking distance of a bus every 10 mins or better. Today, it's only like 50%!
Time to get the buses running again!
Reposted by rohan aras
LA's didn't get implemented because the Chamber of Commerce (which commissioned it) never committed. But the DC Board of Trade did. Why?
Well in 1921, the American Civic Association set out to turn Washington, DC in to a model of technocratic planning...
Well in 1921, the American Civic Association set out to turn Washington, DC in to a model of technocratic planning...
November 16, 2025 at 1:05 AM
LA's didn't get implemented because the Chamber of Commerce (which commissioned it) never committed. But the DC Board of Trade did. Why?
Well in 1921, the American Civic Association set out to turn Washington, DC in to a model of technocratic planning...
Well in 1921, the American Civic Association set out to turn Washington, DC in to a model of technocratic planning...
tbh I was almost relieved to walk around DC after Berlin because the arterials in Berlin were harder to cross on foot
(I was fully not expecting this, the arterials in DC are not pleasant and nearly put me off from moving here)
(I was fully not expecting this, the arterials in DC are not pleasant and nearly put me off from moving here)
US arterial (loud, too many lanes, speeding cars) v. german arterial (quiet, single lane with bike lane and tram to move oodles of people)
bsky.app/profile/holz...
bsky.app/profile/holz...
i'm on the commercial street at the edge of a car light district of 5k...and this is how quiet it is outside in the middle of the night.
just a whole other level
just a whole other level
November 16, 2025 at 2:19 AM
tbh I was almost relieved to walk around DC after Berlin because the arterials in Berlin were harder to cross on foot
(I was fully not expecting this, the arterials in DC are not pleasant and nearly put me off from moving here)
(I was fully not expecting this, the arterials in DC are not pleasant and nearly put me off from moving here)
Reposted by rohan aras
Trump admin Is attempting to massive cut federal transit funds, seeking to:
1–Eliminate transit account, which funds billions of $ in capital expenses for transit agencies
2–Prevent state DOTs from “flexing” funds for transit
These changes, if they occurred, would be devastating for US transit.
1–Eliminate transit account, which funds billions of $ in capital expenses for transit agencies
2–Prevent state DOTs from “flexing” funds for transit
These changes, if they occurred, would be devastating for US transit.
POLITICO Pro: Trump administration proposals seek to eliminate transit funding
DOT recently sent two proposals to the White House budget office seeking to pare back transit money.
subscriber.politicopro.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:44 AM
Trump admin Is attempting to massive cut federal transit funds, seeking to:
1–Eliminate transit account, which funds billions of $ in capital expenses for transit agencies
2–Prevent state DOTs from “flexing” funds for transit
These changes, if they occurred, would be devastating for US transit.
1–Eliminate transit account, which funds billions of $ in capital expenses for transit agencies
2–Prevent state DOTs from “flexing” funds for transit
These changes, if they occurred, would be devastating for US transit.
Reposted by rohan aras
The new structure separates freight and commuter routes, ending daily interference between roughly 35 freight trains and 30 passenger trains to improve consistency.
Transportation leaders celebrate completion of $380 million South Side rail project
chicago.suntimes.com
November 15, 2025 at 3:39 AM
The new structure separates freight and commuter routes, ending daily interference between roughly 35 freight trains and 30 passenger trains to improve consistency.